Botanical Connections: Plant Relationships with Other Life Forms



Overview

What does it take to make a plant survive in its changing environment? As plants do not move around, they need to adapt in order to respond to other organisms around them. How do they know which organisms are beneficial or harmful? How do they form part of an interconnected web of life on this planet?

Students will understand the still nature of plant life and the types of interactions they encounter. We will understand how certain interactions with bacteria, fungi and animals are essential and beneficial for plant life. We will explore mechanisms by which plants interact with other plants which allow them to co-exist as a community. Students will also study the concept of plant carnivory and the different interactions with animals. We will examine how plants are affected by bacterial and fungal pathogens and how these microbes can end plant life. The effect of human life on plants will also be evaluated. The course will end with a visit to Oxford Botanical Gardens where we will explore different plants and some of the topics we have covered in the course.

The course will be important to those who have a curiosity for plants and the ecological niche they fit in.

Programme details

Courses starts: 21 Jan 2025

Week 1: Still nature of plant life

Week 2: Beneficial bacteria

Week 3: Friendly fungi

Week 4: Interaction with other plants

Week 5: Flora and fauna

Week 6: Carnivory

Week 7: Plant pathogenic bacteria

Week 8: Plant pathogenic fungi

Week 9: Plants interacting with humans

Week 10: Visit to Oxford Botanical Gardens - Students will need to pay an entrance fee to enter the botanical gardens.

Certification

To complete the course and receive a certificate, you will be required to attend at least 80% of the classes on the course and pass your final assignment. Upon successful completion, you will receive a link to download a University of Oxford digital certificate. Information on how to access this digital certificate will be emailed to you after the end of the course. The certificate will show your name, the course title and the dates of the course you attended. You will be able to download your certificate or share it on social media if you choose to do so.

Fees

Description Costs
Course Fee £285.00
Take this course for CATS points £30.00

Funding

If you are in receipt of a UK state benefit, you are a full-time student in the UK or a student on a low income, you may be eligible for a reduction of 50% of tuition fees. Please see the below link for full details:

Concessionary fees for short courses

Tutor

Dr Radhika Desikan

Dr Desikan is a plant scientist who has taught plant science for several years and researched and published on the behaviour of plants facing various abiotic and biotic stresses.

Course aims

The aim of this course is to understand how plant connections with other life forms determine their survival.

Course objectives:

The course will enable students to:

  1. Understand the still nature of plant life and their dependency on other organisms
  2. Gain knowledge on beneficial and antagonistic plant biotic interactions
  3.  Explore how the varying nature of other living things affects plant survival

Teaching methods

The course will consist of lectures followed by discussions, quizzes, or videos. The environment will be informal, allowing students to ask questions throughout the lectures. The course also includes a field trip to the Oxford Botanical Gardens.

Learning outcomes

By the end of the course students will be expected to:

  1. Gain knowledge on the challenges of stationary plant life
  2. Understand how plants recognise and build relationships with different organisms
  3. Understand that plant life can sometimes succumb to smaller, yet stronger organisms
  4. Evaluate the impact of humans on plant life

Assessment methods

The coursework will consist of an essay of up to 1500 words, with a choice of topics provided. The students will need to perform independent research and write an essay on their chosen topic. Students will have the opportunity to submit a plan of their essay (500 words) before the end of the course and get feedback on it.

Coursework is an integral part of all weekly classes and everyone enrolled will be expected to do coursework in order to benefit fully from the course. Only those who have registered for credit will be awarded CATS points for completing work the required standard.

Students must submit a completed Declaration of Authorship form at the end of term when submitting your final piece of work. CATS points cannot be awarded without the aforementioned form - Declaration of Authorship form

Application

To earn credit (CATS points) for your course you will need to register and pay an additional £30 fee per course. You can do this by ticking the relevant box at the bottom of the enrolment form or when enrolling online.

Please use the 'Book' or 'Apply' button on this page. Alternatively, please complete an Enrolment Form (Word) or Enrolment Form (Pdf)

Level and demands

The Department's Weekly Classes are taught at FHEQ Level 4, i.e. first year undergraduate level, and you will be expected to engage in a significant amount of private study in preparation for the classes. This may take the form, for instance, of reading and analysing set texts, responding to questions or tasks, or preparing work to present in class.

Credit Accumulation and Transfer Scheme (CATS)

To earn credit (CATS points) you will need to register and pay an additional £30 fee per course. You can do this by ticking the relevant box at the bottom of the enrolment form or when enrolling online. Students who register for CATS points will receive a Record of CATS points on successful completion of their course assessment.

Students who do not register for CATS points during the enrolment process can either register for CATS points prior to the start of their course or retrospectively from the January 1st after the current full academic year has been completed. If you are enrolled on the Certificate of Higher Education you need to indicate this on the enrolment form but there is no additional registration fee.

Terms & conditions for applicants and students

Information on financial support