Course coordinator
Consultation with me is by appointment. To make an appointment to see me, please email a.hastwell@uq.edu.au.
Topics include molecular & biochemical interactions of plants with microbes & insects, cell signalling pathways, molecular defence responses, disease diagnostics, applications in agriculture & biotech, as well as some interesting evolutionary & ecological aspects.
In this course, you will learn how plants interact with other organisms and their environment in a beneficial, neutral or detrimental manner. After this course you will be familiar with Plant-Microbe skills and basic Molecular Techniques (even without prior knowledge). You will also know how to apply this knowledge in Plant Biotechnology or in Ecology. The course covers traditional and molecular plant pathology and physiology including the function of the "immune system" of plants, cell signalling pathways, functional genomics, the role of plant microbiomes and concepts in plant molecular biology, biotechnology and sustainable agriculture.
In particular, the course aims to increase our understanding of ecological, biochemical, genetic and molecular aspects of beneficial and parasitic interactions of plants with other organisms and the environment. You will gain an overview of the multiple interactions of plants (agricultural and native flora) with other organisms such as parasitic and symbiotic microorganisms, fungi, viruses, bacteria, nematodes and insects in various environments. The course covers economically important interactions with bacteria, fungi and insects as well as abiotic stress tolerance that are essential in providing our food supply.
A two hour lecture will be given per week and a continuous Lab Project will isolate and identify potentially beneficial soil bacteria that live in the rhizosphere of plants. From this you will learn useful skills in scientific experimental design, applied microbiology, plant physiology, bioinformatics and molecular biology techniques that you will be able to use in your future work. Importantly, the course assessment is designed to foster critical thinking skills required for applying your knowledge.
In 2024, you will have the unique opportunity to attend an international scientific conference and explore the most cutting edge research in the space of plant-microbe interactions.
ᅠIn the course we:
BIOL2203 Plant Biology and BIOL2205ᅠInsect Scienceᅠis recommended but not a requirement.ᅠSome understanding of molecular biology,ᅠmicrobiology or plant defence pathways is helpful.
We recommend completing the following courses before enrolling in this one:
BIOL2203
You can't enrol in this course if you've already completed the following:
BIOL7012 (co-taught)
Consultation with me is by appointment. To make an appointment to see me, please email a.hastwell@uq.edu.au.
Consultation with me is by appointment. To make an appointment to see me, please email b.ferguson1@uq.edu.au.
The timetable for this course is available on the UQ Public Timetable.
You will be required to attend a field trip to attend a conference at the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre from 8am to 3.30pm on Thursday, 3 October 2024. Students are expected to make their own way to and from the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre, South Brisbane. Morning tea, lunch and afternoon tea will be provided. No other costs are associated with the field trip. The field trip is compulsory, however, please contact the course coordinators by COB Week 2 as some accommodations can be made in exceptional circumstances. After this date, and on the day of the field trip an extension request must be completed via My Requests to access alternative arrangements to complete the associated assessment.
The aim of this course is to provide you with the knowledge and skills that could lead to a career (applied or research) in Plant Sciences or related areas. Examples of where these skills are required include DAF, State Government research advisory bodies, CSIRO, university research labs, Biotech and Agricultural and Chemical Industries.
This course provides interdisciplinary knowledge and skills and is useful to a range of people including those interested in: plant pathology and plant symbiotic biology (traditional or molecular); molecular interactions between organisms and their environment; diagnostics and plant biotechnology, molecular biology and functional genomics and learning practical skills that prepare them for future employment.
After successfully completing this course you should be able to:
LO1.
Outline the biology of plant-microbe & insect interactions
LO2.
Outline the biology of plant interactions with their environment
LO3.
Explain symbioses, pathogenesis and resistance
LO4.
Identify biotechnology applications of plant interactions
LO5.
Critically evaluate literature in plant interactions
LO6.
Demonstrate core practical skills in plant biology using laboratory and non-laboratory techniques to determine both qualitative and quantitative outcomes to deliver an independent research report.
LO7.
Participate in a scientific meeting and reflect on Plant Interaction topics
Category | Assessment task | Weight | Due date |
---|---|---|---|
Paper/ Report/ Annotation |
Plant Interactions Annotated Bibliography
|
20% |
30/08/2024 2:00 pm |
Participation/ Student contribution, Project | Lab Project - Report | 35% |
4/10/2024 2:00 pm |
Paper/ Report/ Annotation, Participation/ Student contribution, Reflection |
Conference Seminar Reflection
|
10% |
11/10/2024 2:00 pm |
Paper/ Report/ Annotation | Lecture Concepts Mind Map | 35% |
25/10/2024 2:00 pm |
30/08/2024 2:00 pm
You will choose one topic to explore in depth from the list of supplied topics relating to plant, microbe, insect and environment interactions. Within this topic, you will then develop an annotated bibliography, with each one having a summary together with an evaluation of the academic metrics to attest to its relevance in the topic. Students must have a distinct topic from the list provided or identify their own for approval by the course coordinators. The topics must be chosen by the end of week 2 or a topic will be assigned.
This task has been designed to be challenging, authentic and complex. Whilst students may use AI and/or MT technologies, successful completion of assessment in this course will require students to critically engage in specific contexts and tasks for which artificial intelligence will provide only limited support and guidance.
A failure to reference generative AI or MT use may constitute student misconduct under the Student Code of Conduct.
To pass this assessment, students will be required to demonstrate detailed comprehension of their written submission independent of AI and MT tools.
You must submit your Assessment task, in Blackboard, via the Turnitin link by the submission deadline. You should also retain an electronic copy of every piece of assessment you submit.
Legal Declaration By submitting your work via this website, you formally declare that (1) it is your own original work, and no part of the work has been copied from any other source or person except where due acknowledgement is made; (2) no part of the work has been previously submitted for assessment in this or any other institution; and (3) you have read the UQ Academic Integrity and Plagiarism Policy (http://ppl.app.uq.edu.au/content/3.60.04-student-integrity-and-misconduct) and understand its implications.
You may be able to apply for an extension.
A penalty of 10% of the maximum possible mark will be deducted per 24 hours from time submission is due for up to 7 days. After 7 days, you will receive a mark of 0.
Assessment deadlines are firm and must be met. Late submission without permission or non-submission of assessable work will result in penalties being applied. Late submission of assessment will only be granted for documented medical reasons, accident, bereavement, jury service and other circumstances allowed in the UQ Policies and Procedures Library (PPL). See 6.1 Assessment Related Policies & Guidelines for links to the University Guidelines and Applications for Extensions.
A penalty of 10% of the maximum possible mark allocated for the assessment item, or one grade per day if graded on the basis of 1-7, or equivalent penalty if an alternative grading approach is used, will be deducted per day for up to 7 calendar days, at which point any submission will not receive any marks unless an extension has been approved. Each 24-hour block is recorded from the time the submission is due.
Submission of an Extension of Assessment Due Date (EADD) should be completed online through your My Requests tab via my.UQ Dashboard before the due date of the assessment item.
4/10/2024 2:00 pm
During the practical component of this course, you will isolate and identify a novel bacterium that can form a symbiosis with a legume using physiological, molecular, microbiological and bioinformatic approaches. You will then write up your findings in the format of a scientific journal paper that enables you to critically evaluate your findings in the context of existing research.
This task has been designed to be challenging, authentic and complex. Whilst students may use AI and/or MT technologies, successful completion of assessment in this course will require students to critically engage in specific contexts and tasks for which artificial intelligence will provide only limited support and guidance.
A failure to reference generative AI or MT use may constitute student misconduct under the Student Code of Conduct.
To pass this assessment, students will be required to demonstrate detailed comprehension of their written submission independent of AI and MT tools.
You must submit your Assessment task, in Blackboard, via the Turnitin link by the submission deadline. You should also retain an electronic copy of every piece of assessment you submit.
Legal Declaration By submitting your work via this website, you formally declare that (1) it is your own original work, and no part of the work has been copied from any other source or person except where due acknowledgement is made; (2) no part of the work has been previously submitted for assessment in this or any other institution; and (3) you have read the UQ Academic Integrity and Plagiarism Policy (http://ppl.app.uq.edu.au/content/3.60.04-student-integrity-and-misconduct) and understand its implications.
You may be able to apply for an extension.
A penalty of 10% of the maximum possible mark will be deducted per 24 hours from time submission is due for up to 7 days. After 7 days, you will receive a mark of 0.
Assessment deadlines are firm and must be met. Late submission without permission or non-submission of assessable work will result in penalties being applied. Late submission of assessment will only be granted for documented medical reasons, accident, bereavement, jury service and other circumstances allowed in the UQ Policies and Procedures Library (PPL). See 6.1 Assessment Related Policies & Guidelines for links to the University Guidelines and Applications for Extensions.
A penalty of 10% of the maximum possible mark allocated for the assessment item, or one grade per day if graded on the basis of 1-7, or equivalent penalty if an alternative grading approach is used, will be deducted per day for up to 7 calendar days, at which point any submission will not receive any marks unless an extension has been approved. Each 24-hour block is recorded from the time the submission is due.
Submission of an Extension of Assessment Due Date (EADD) should be completed online through your My Requests tab via my.UQ Dashboard before the due date of the assessment item.
11/10/2024 2:00 pm
You will attend a joint meeting of the 11th International Conference on Legume Genetics and Genomics and the 19th Australian Nitrogen Fixation Conference at the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre in Queensland on 3 October 2024. During the day, you will watch and actively engage in seminars presented by leading national and international researchers in the field of Plant Interactions. Following this, you will choose two seminars to recall, relate and reflect on the research and outcomes presented at the conference.
This task has been designed to be challenging, authentic and complex. Whilst students may use AI and/or MT technologies, successful completion of assessment in this course will require students to critically engage in specific contexts and tasks for which artificial intelligence will provide only limited support and guidance.
A failure to reference generative AI or MT use may constitute student misconduct under the Student Code of Conduct.
To pass this assessment, students will be required to demonstrate detailed comprehension of their written submission independent of AI and MT tools.
You must submit your Assessment task, in Blackboard, via the Turnitin link by the submission deadline. You should also retain an electronic copy of every piece of assessment you submit. Legal Declaration By submitting your work via this website, you formally declare that (1) it is your own original work, and no part of the work has been copied from any other source or person except where due acknowledgement is made; (2) no part of the work has been previously submitted for assessment in this or any other institution; and (3) you have read the UQ Academic Integrity and Plagiarism Policy (http://ppl.app.uq.edu.au/content/3.60.04-student-integrity-and-misconduct) and understand its implications.
You may be able to apply for an extension.
A penalty of 10% of the maximum possible mark will be deducted per 24 hours from time submission is due for up to 7 days. After 7 days, you will receive a mark of 0.
Assessment deadlines are firm and must be met. Late submission without permission or non-submission of assessable work will result in penalties being applied. Late submission of assessment will only be granted for documented medical reasons, accident, bereavement, jury service and other circumstances allowed in the UQ Policies and Procedures Library (PPL). See 6.1 Assessment Related Policies & Guidelines for links to the University Guidelines and Applications for Extensions.
A penalty of 10% of the maximum possible mark allocated for the assessment item, or one grade per day if graded on the basis of 1-7, or equivalent penalty if an alternative grading approach is used, will be deducted per day for up to 7 calendar days, at which point any submission will not receive any marks unless an extension has been approved. Each 24-hour block is recorded from the time the submission is due.
Submission of an Extension of Assessment Due Date (EADD) should be completed online through your My Requests tab via my.UQ Dashboard before the due date of the assessment item.
25/10/2024 2:00 pm
Throughout the course you will be presented with lectures on eight topics in Plant Interactions. While these topics may seem distinct, they are linked via various molecular, biochemical, and ecological, pathways as plants do not interact with single individual microorganisms, but rather a complex of biotic and abiotic factors at any given time. To help develop your conceptual understanding of these lecture topics, you will prepare a mind map that builds connections between the individual lectures.
This task has been designed to be challenging, authentic and complex. Whilst students may use AI and/or MT technologies, successful completion of assessment in this course will require students to critically engage in specific contexts and tasks for which artificial intelligence will provide only limited support and guidance.
A failure to reference generative AI or MT use may constitute student misconduct under the Student Code of Conduct.
To pass this assessment, students will be required to demonstrate detailed comprehension of their written submission independent of AI and MT tools.
You must submit your Assessment task, in Blackboard, via the Turnitin link by the submission deadline. You should also retain an electronic copy of every piece of assessment you submit.
Legal Declaration By submitting your work via this website, you formally declare that (1) it is your own original work, and no part of the work has been copied from any other source or person except where due acknowledgement is made; (2) no part of the work has been previously submitted for assessment in this or any other institution; and (3) you have read the UQ Academic Integrity and Plagiarism Policy (http://ppl.app.uq.edu.au/content/3.60.04-student-integrity-and-misconduct) and understand its implications.
You may be able to apply for an extension.
A penalty of 10% of the maximum possible mark will be deducted per 24 hours from time submission is due for up to 7 days. After 7 days, you will receive a mark of 0.
Assessment deadlines are firm and must be met. Late submission without permission or non-submission of assessable work will result in penalties being applied. Late submission of assessment will only be granted for documented medical reasons, accident, bereavement, jury service and other circumstances allowed in the UQ Policies and Procedures Library (PPL). See 6.1 Assessment Related Policies & Guidelines for links to the University Guidelines and Applications for Extensions.
A penalty of 10% of the maximum possible mark allocated for the assessment item, or one grade per day if graded on the basis of 1-7, or equivalent penalty if an alternative grading approach is used, will be deducted per day for up to 7 calendar days, at which point any submission will not receive any marks unless an extension has been approved. Each 24-hour block is recorded from the time the submission is due.
Submission of an Extension of Assessment Due Date (EADD) should be completed online through your My Requests tab via my.UQ Dashboard before the due date of the assessment item.
Full criteria for each grade is available in the Assessment Procedure.
Grade | Description |
---|---|
1 (Low Fail) |
Absence of evidence of achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: 0 - 34% |
2 (Fail) |
Minimal evidence of achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: 35 - 46% |
3 (Marginal Fail) |
Demonstrated evidence of developing achievement of course learning outcomes Course grade description: 47% - 49% |
4 (Pass) |
Demonstrated evidence of functional achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: 50% - 64% |
5 (Credit) |
Demonstrated evidence of proficient achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: 65% - 74% |
6 (Distinction) |
Demonstrated evidence of advanced achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: 75% - 84% |
7 (High Distinction) |
Demonstrated evidence of exceptional achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: 85% - 100% |
Supplementary assessment is available for this course.
TurnItIn Assignments
Assignments that are required to be submitted through TurnItIn, must only be uploaded to the assessment specific Turnitin link on the relevant course Blackboard site.ᅠ If you submit any version of your assessment item to any alternative Turnitin link, this is considered cheating and you will be held liable for this action.ᅠ
Academic Integrity and Plagiarism
All reported work must be done by the individual student. Assignments that look and sound alike will be reported as plagiarism – a serious offence at UQ. Please note the university’s policy on academic integrity and plagiarism which can be accessed at https://policies.uq.edu.au/document/view-current.php?id=225
Results
Unless specifically indicated by the course coordinator, every attempt will be made to have the results for progressive assessment available within 3 weeks of submission. For items of assessment submitted in the last 2 weeks of the semester, the results will not be available until grades release day. Results and feedback availability will be advised to you by email or announced via the course Blackboard site.
Re-mark Applications – refer to the University's Re-mark Policy to check your eligibility
Before applying for a remark, students should consider the following:
Remark applications will not be considered without first having contacted your course Co-ordinator.
Information for students can be found at https://my.uq.edu.au/information-and-services/manage-my-program/exams-and-assessment/querying-result
Deferred and Supplementary assessment (including Deferred Mid-Semester Examinations)
Deferred and Supplementary information can be located on the my.UQ website
You'll need the following resources to successfully complete the course. We've indicated below if you need a personal copy of the reading materials or your own item.
Library resources are available on the UQ Library website.
If we've listed something under further requirement, you'll need to provide your own.
Item | Description | Further Requirement |
---|---|---|
BIOL3011Course Profile | It provides details of specifications, rationale, aims and structure of the course. It also informs you of the assessment for this course, including weightings and due dates. Other valuable information in the Course Profile includes the assignment details and a suggested timetable. | |
BIOL3011 Blackboard site | Blackboard and lecture discussions are the main method of communication. Learning Guide, Course readings, etc., are made available through the Blackboard site. |
A detailed timetable and prac manual will be provided at the first lecture.
The learning activities for this course are outlined below. Learn more about the learning outcomes that apply to this course.
Filter activity type by
Learning period | Activity type | Topic |
---|---|---|
Multiple weeks From Week 1 To Week 13 |
Lecture |
Weekly lectures Interactive lectures will be held at weekly intervals and will be delivered by UQ academics and guest lecturers linked to Plant Interactions with their environment. Students will guide discussions with the speakers in order to explore the topic in depth and foster their knowledge and expertise across the subdisciplines. The content of these lectures will be assessable in Mind Map assessment and the discussions will be highly useful in developing your understanding of the topic. |
Multiple weeks From Week 2 To Week 8 |
Practical |
Practical classes You will attend scheduled practical classes where you will isolate and identify a unique soil bacteria using microbiology, physiology, molecular biology and bioinformatic techniques. You will then prepare a Practical Report in the form of a Journal Publication on your findings. |
Week 10 (30 Sep - 06 Oct) |
Symposium |
Conference Participation You will attend an International Conference on Thursday, 3 October 2024 that has themes covering plant interactions. You will then write a reflection based on your experience and provide a summary of talks that were of interest to you. |
University policies and procedures apply to all aspects of student life. As a UQ student, you must comply with University-wide and program-specific requirements, including the:
Learn more about UQ policies on my.UQ and the Policy and Procedure Library.
You'll also need to be aware of the following policies and procedures while completing this course: