Plant Diversity and Systematics

Description

Biodiversity is simply the variety of life. New Zealand is a particularly important and exciting centre of biodiversity because many of its organisms occur nowhere else in the world. The flowering plants are virtually unique, with 82% of species confined to New Zealand. A Government priority is to ensure that New Zealand has the research and skills to maintain its biodiversity.

Who should take this course?
Plant Diversity is a level 2 university course (15 points) designed to meet the need for knowledge and understanding of the enormous variety of plant life. It will be valuable for students who intend to seek employment in areas such as biodiversity research, field ecology, taxonomy, conservation, or teaching.
It will be of interest to all students who wish to broaden their knowledge of plants. It is also suitable for members of the workforce who need to acquire a wide knowledge of plants as a foundation for plant recognition and identification.

Course outline
Systematics is the scientific discipline that encompasses the description, identification, nomenclature, and classification of organisms (Taxonomy) and the reconstruction of their macro-evolutionary history (Phylogenetics). Knowing the identity and evolutionary relationships of organisms is crucial to any biological study and Systematics is therefore an important cornerstone of Biology.

This course is an introduction to the methodology and principles of plant systematics and patterns and origin of seed plant diversity. The lectures have a strong focus on the methodology and applications of systematic research and evolutionary trends in seed plant diversification. The labs provide skills needed to recognize and characterize several plant families and higher taxa that are important elements of ecosystems in New Zealand and other parts of the world.