Plant Structure and Function, Biodiversity and Conservation

Plant Cell Structure and UltrastructureSign up

know the structure and ultrastructure of plant cells including cell wall, chloroplast, amyloplast, vacuole, tonoplast, plasmodesmata, pits and middle lamella; compare with animal cells · understand the function of each plant-cell structure listed above · recognise plant organelles in electron microscope (EM) images

Cellulose, Plant Fibres and Plant Tissue MicroscopySign up

understand the structure and function of starch and cellulose, including the role of hydrogen bonds between β-glucose molecules in cellulose microfibrils · understand how the arrangement of cellulose microfibrils and secondary thickening in plant cell walls contributes to the physical properties of xylem vessels and sclerenchyma fibres · know the similarities and differences between sclerenchyma fibres (support), xylem vessels (support and water/mineral transport) and phloem (translocation of organic solutes), and their positions in the stem · CORE PRACTICAL 7: use a light microscope to make labelled plan diagrams of transverse sections of roots, stems and leaves; identify sclerenchyma fibres, phloem, sieve tubes and xylem vessels

Plant Fibres for Sustainability; Water and Inorganic IonsSign up

understand how the uses of plant fibres and starch may contribute to sustainability, including plant-based replacements for oil-based plastics · understand the importance of water and inorganic ions (nitrate, calcium, magnesium) to plants · CORE PRACTICAL 8: determine the tensile strength of plant fibres

Plants as Drug Sources and the History of Drug TestingSign up

understand the conditions required for bacterial growth · know that substances derived from plants can have antimicrobial and other therapeutic properties · CORE PRACTICAL 9: investigate the antimicrobial properties of plants, including aseptic techniques for the safe handling of bacteria · understand the development of drug testing from historic to contemporary protocols, including William Withering's digitalis soup, double-blind trials, placebos and three-phased testing

Classification and the Three-Domain SystemSign up

understand that classification organises the variety of life using phenotypic and genotypic differences, built around the species concept · understand the importance of critical evaluation of new data by the scientific community, leading to new taxonomic groupings based on molecular evidence (three-domain system: Archaea, Bacteria, Eukarya) · know that, over time, the variety of life has become extensive but is now being threatened by human activity

Biodiversity and How It Is MeasuredSign up

understand the terms biodiversity and endemism · know how biodiversity within a habitat is measured using species richness, and within a species using genetic diversity via the heterozygosity index = number of heterozygotes / number of individuals · understand how biodiversity is compared between habitats using the index of diversity D = N(N−1) / Σn(n−1)

Niches, Hardy-Weinberg and Reproductive IsolationSign up

understand the concept of niche; discuss adaptations of organisms (behavioural, anatomical, physiological) · understand how the Hardy-Weinberg equation tracks allele frequency changes in a population over time · understand that changes in allele frequency arise from mutation and natural selection · understand that reproductive isolation can lead to accumulation of different genetic information in populations and the formation of new species

Conservation: Zoos and Seed BanksSign up

evaluate the methods used by zoos and seed banks in conserving endangered species and their genetic diversity, including scientific research, captive breeding programmes, reintroduction programmes and education