Fungal Biology (BIOL3210)

Course overview

There are approximately 70,000 described fungal species in the world out of what has been estimated to be a total of between 1-5 and 5 million species. In Australia possibly less than 10% have been described. Fungi exist as saprophytes, pathogens, endophytes and mutualistic symbionts. Along with algae they form lichens and with plants they form the all-important mycorrhizae, particularly essential for plants growing in nutrient depleted soils. Fungi cause 80% of plant diseases in agricultural crops, occasionally leading to crop failure where past incidences have led to humanitarian problems and other major social consequences. They are essential components in drug discovery and pharmaceutical production; most of the current antibiotics have been derived from fungal processes. Industrial uses such as the production of citric acid are dependent on fungal fermentation; the yeasts, essential components in alcohol fermentation and baking, are also fungi. However, as a Kingdom, a higher Kingdom within the Eukaryotes, fungi are often overlooked. This course aims to promote the Kingdom Fungi. You will learn about their classification using both traditional and molecular techniques. You will investigate the environments that you find fungi in and study the role that fungi play in those environments. Fungi are essential in the breakdown of cellulose and lignin so without them the decay and essential recycling would not occur. We will look at some of the industrial and medical applications as well as the nastier side of fungi where they cause disease in plants and animals including humans.

Fungi are higher-level organisms (Eukaryotes) and essential for the function of the biosphere and human endeavour. Despite this, fungi are often ignored and are considered the “Forgotten Kingdom”.ﾠ This course aims to familiarise students with the many intriguing aspects of fungi and fungal-like organisms, from their evolution, taxonomy and diversity, structure, life styles, roles in environments, to the beneficial uses but also the problems that fungi cause as disease agents. Students learn to identify fungi with classical and advanced molecular techniques, investigate the ecological contexts of fungi, explore their uses in industrial and medical applications, and study their pathology in plants and animals including humans.

The course will run over the eight teaching weeks of the Summer Semester.ﾠ The theory material will be available online via Blackboard as five topics per week in weeks 1,3,4,5,7 and 8. At the end of each of these weeks you will complete a short online quiz. ﾠAn optionalﾠ ﾠtutorial/discussion revision session will be held on Tuesday mornings in weeks 1,3,4,5,7 and 8. The practical classes that will be held on two successive days in week 2 and again in week 6.ﾠ

Course requirements

Assumed background

The intention is that this course ﾠcan be taken by self-motivated students from a range of academic disciplines who have a keen interest in learning more about fungi.ﾠ Howeverﾠa basic understanding of biology or chemsitryﾠ is expected.

Prerequisites

You'll need to complete the following courses before enrolling in this one:

First year university level biology or chemistry

Course contact

Course staff

Timetable

The timetable for this course is available on the UQ Public Timetable.

Additional timetable information

This course runs throughout the 8 weeks of the summer semester (4 weeks before Christmas/New Year break and 4 weeks after the break) with an end-of-semester exam during the central exam period at the start of February.

The theory material is delivered as 30 topics (five per week, in weeks 1,3,4,5,7 and 8). These topics are delivered as pre-recorded lectures available through Blackboard. Some topics are supplemented with additional video interviews from experts in the field.  There is an online weekly quiz relating to each set of five topics.

In week 2 there will be two days (Tuesday and Wednesday) of in-person practical classes where you will have the opportunity to study and identify fungi from fruiting bodies and culture plate samples representing major fungal groupings (Basidiomycota and Ascomycota). Similarly, in week 6 (Tuesday and Wednesday) there will be two days of in-person practical classes where you will examine samples of lichens and other material.

Optional tutorials/check-in session will be held using video conferencing in weeks 1,3, 7 and 8. 

Throughout the semester you will be expected to develop an independent study of fungi observed and/or collected from the environment. Your observations and records will then be compiled into verified virtual herbarium records which will be submitted in week 8. 

If you have any concerns regarding your official timetable or course allocations, or there are no suitable class times available, contact Faculty of Science Timetable science.mytimetable@uq.edu.au for advice. If you have any questions about missing class activities, please contact your course coordinator.

Aims and outcomes

The aim of this course is to provide students with anﾠunderstanding of:

• the major taxonomic groups within the fungal kingdom with tools for identification
• an understanding of the various ecology niches of fungi
• the diversity within the Fungal Kingdom
• the role of fungi in the ecological community
• life style of fungi (saprophytic, pathogenic, mutualistic symbiotic)
• enzymatic processes used in nutrient acquisition
• structure of fungi
• role in industrial processes including pharmaceutical production
• genetics of fungi and models for researchﾠ
• beneficial aspects including food
• harmful processes including toxins and bio-deteriorationﾠ

Learning outcomes

After successfully completing this course you should be able to:

Assessment

Assessment summary

A hurdle is an assessment requirement that must be satisfied in order to receive a specific grade for the course. Check the assessment details for more information about hurdle requirements.

Assessment details

Weekly quiz

• Online

Mode

Written

Category

Quiz

Weight

10%

Due date

Week 1, Fri 2:00 pm

Week 3, Fri 2:00 pm

Week 4, Fri 2:00 pm

Week 5 (Mid Sem break ends Wed), Fri 2:00 pm

Week 7, Fri 2:00 pm

Week 8, Fri 2:00 pm

2pm on the due dates via Blackboard.

Other conditions

Student specific, Time limited.

See the conditions definitions

Learning outcomes

L01, L02, L03, L04, L05

Task description

Submission guidelines

Via Blackboard quiz.

Deferral or extension

You may be able to apply for an extension.

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. 

Late submission

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.

Even if the submission is late, the quiz is still available as a learning tool.

Fungal Descriptions of Samples from Prac Class

• Identity Verified
• Online

Mode

Product/ Artefact/ Multimedia

Category

Paper/ Report/ Annotation, Project

Weight

20%

Due date

20/12/2024 2:00 pm

Other conditions

Student specific.

See the conditions definitions

Learning outcomes

L01

Task description

Submission guidelines

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.

Deferral or extension

You may be able to apply for an extension.

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. 

Late submission

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.

Descriptions of two lichens from practical class

• Identity Verified
• Online

Mode

Written

Category

Paper/ Report/ Annotation

Weight

10%

Due date

17/01/2025 2:00 pm

Other conditions

Student specific.

See the conditions definitions

Learning outcomes

L01, L02

Task description

Submission guidelines

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.

Deferral or extension

You may be able to apply for an extension.

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. 

Late submission

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.

Fungal Collection

• Identity Verified
• Online

Mode

Product/ Artefact/ Multimedia

Category

Project

Weight

20%

Due date

24/01/2025 2:00 pm

Other conditions

Student specific.

See the conditions definitions

Learning outcomes

L01, L02

Task description

Submission guidelines

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.

Deferral or extension

You may be able to apply for an extension.

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. 

Late submission

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.

Final Theory Exam

• Hurdle
• Identity Verified

Mode

Written

Category

Examination

Weight

40%

Due date

End of Semester Exam Period

1/02/2025 - 8/02/2025

Learning outcomes

L01, L02, L03, L04, L05

Task description

Hurdle requirements

Exam details

Submission guidelines

Deferral or extension

You may be able to defer this exam.

Course grading

Full criteria for each grade is available in the Assessment Procedure.

Additional course grading information

COURSE GRADING RULES AND ASSESSMENT HURDLES

Students must obtain 50% or greater in the Final Exam to pass this course, in addition to an overall mark of 50% or greater for the entire course assessment.ﾠ

If a student obtains an overall percentage greater than the cut-offs set to achieve a 4 or higher for the course based on marks from a combination of progressive assessment and the final exam and the student does NOT score a passing mark for the Final Exam, they are unable to achieve a grade higher than a 3 (failing grade) for the course.

Supplementary assessment

Supplementary assessment is not available for some items in this course.

The practical exercise is a major part of this course and provides a hands-on understanding of the theoretical knowledge you will gain though the lectures. Demonstration of the laboratory techniques is compulsory and it is not possible to reproduce the activities for supplementary assessment. All other assessment items can be supplementary assessed.

Additional assessment information

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 Student Integrity and Misconduct Policy / Document / Policy and Procedure Libraryﾠ

Please note the following when writing your assignments: You must not re-use past work from previous assessments in your assignments

Results

Unless specifically indicated by the lecturer involved, every attempt will be made to have the results for progressive assessment tasks available within 3 weeks of submission. For items of assessment submitted in the last 2 weeks of the semester, the results will be available before the day of your end of semester examination in the course, unless otherwise indicated by the Course Coordinator. Results and feedback availability for progressive assessment will be announced via the course Blackboard site.ﾠ

Feedback in this course

Feedback is welcome in this course as any information on how students find this learning experience is constructive.

Please use the evaluation form provided to you at the end of semester - or if you are enrolled internally, a course evaluation process will occur in the last few weeks of semester.

Re-mark Applications – refer to the University's Re-mark Policy to check your eligibility

Learning resources

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

Find the required and recommended resources for this course on the UQ Library website.

Additional learning resources information

In addition to practical classes held in weeks 2 and 6, a designated microscope room will be available to students enrolled in this course from week 2. Details will be provided following attendance in the week 2 practicals.ﾠ The intention is that students will make use of this facility when carrying out the independent project where a fungal collection is required.

Learning activities

The learning activities for this course are outlined below. Learn more about the learning outcomes that apply to this course.

Policies and procedures

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:

• Student Code of Conduct Policy
• Student Integrity and Misconduct Policy and Procedure
• Assessment Procedure
• Examinations Procedure
• Reasonable Adjustments - Students Policy and Procedure

Learn more about UQ policies on my.UQ and the Policy and Procedure Library.