SEM IV (Major)

 Title of the Course: Plant Ecology and Phytogeography 
Nature of course: Core/Major-V 
Course code: 
Total Credits: 04
 Distribution of Marks: 60+40=100

Course outcomes: 

1. Understanding Plant Ecological Principles 

2. Interpret of Plant Adaptations 

3. Examine Ecosystem Dynamics

 4. Explain Phytogeographical Concepts 

Learning outcomes: 

1. Describe the plant ecological concepts 

2. Discuss plant adaptations concerning the environment 

3. Interpret the dynamics of ecosystems 

4. Explain the concept of vegetation in different geographical regions

Unit I: Introduction (03 classes) 

Basic concepts; Levels of organization. Inter-relationships between the living world and the environment, the components and dynamism, homeostasis. 

Unit II: Environmental factors (08 classes) 

Soil: Importance; Origin; Formation; Composition; Physical; Chemical and Biological components; Soil profile; Role of climate in soil development. Water: Importance: States of water in the environment; Atmospheric moisture; Precipitation types (rain, fog, snow, hail, dew); Hydrological Cycle; Water in soil; Water table. Light, temperature, wind and fire : Variations; adaptations of plants to their variation. 

Unit III: Biotic interactions (07 classes) 

Trophic organization, basic source of energy, autotrophy, heterotrophy; symbiosis, commensalism, parasitism; food chains and webs; ecological pyramids; biomass, standing crop.

Unit IV: Population Ecology (08 classes)

Characteristics and Dynamics. Ecological Speciation Concept of ecological amplitude; Habitat and niche; Characters: analytical and synthetic; Ecotone and edge effect; Dynamics: succession – processes, types; climax concepts. 

Unit V: Ecosystems (10 classes) 

Structure; Processes; Trophic organization; Food chains and Food webs; Ecological pyramids. Principles and models of energy flow; Production and productivity; Ecological efficiencies; Biogeochemical cycles; Cycling of Carbon, Nitrogen, and Phosphorus. 

Unit VI: Phytogeography (09 classes)

Principles; Continental drift; Theory of tolerance; Endemism; Brief description of major terrestrial biomes (one each from tropical, temperate & tundra); Phytogeographical division of India; Local Vegetation.

Lab/field activities

1. Study of instruments used to measure microclimatic variables: Soil thermometer, maximum and minimum thermometer, anemometer, psychrometer/hygrometer, rain gauge and lux meter. 

2. Analysis for carbonates, chlorides, nitrates, sulphates, organic matter and base deficiency from two soil samples by rapid field tests. 

3. Determination of dissolved oxygen of water samples from polluted and unpolluted sources. 

4. Study of morphological adaptations of hydrophytes and xerophytes (four each). 

5. Quantitative analysis of herbaceous vegetation for density and abundance in the college campus

Suggested Readings 

1. Odum, E.P. (2005). Fundamentals of ecology. Cengage Learning India Pvt. Ltd., New Delhi. 5 th edition. 

2. Singh, J.S., Singh, S.P., Gupta, S. (2006). Ecology Environment and Resource Conservation. Anamaya Publications, New Delhi, India. 

3. Sharma, P.D. (2010). Ecology and Environment. Rastogi Publications, Meerut, India. 8th edition. 

4. Wilkinson, D.M. (2007). Fundamental Processes in Ecology: An Earth Systems Approach. Oxford University Press. U.S.A. 

5. Kormondy, E.J. (1996). Concepts of ecology. PHI Learning Pvt. Ltd., Delhi, India. 4th edition. 

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Title of the Course: Angiosperm Systematics 
Nature of course: Core/Major-VI 
Course code : 
Total Credits: 04 
Distribution of Marks: 60+40=100

Course outcomes 

1. identify the diversity of angiosperms, including major families, genera, and species. 

2. develop proficiency in using taxonomic keys, morphological features, and molecular data to classify and identify angiosperms. 

3. ability to interpret phylogenetic trees and understand their implications for classification and evolution 

4. evaluation of phylogenetic analyses, and taxonomic controversies within angiosperm

Learning Outcomes: 

1. identify angiosperm taxa at the family, genus, and species levels using morphological, anatomical, and molecular characters

2. classify the local angiosperm flora based on their morphological, anatomical, and molecular characters 

3. analysis of the evolutionary relationships among angiosperms and major clades of angiosperms 

4. examine the phylogenetic analyses, and taxonomic controversies within angiosperm

Unit 1: Significance of Plant Systematics (9 classes) 

Introduction to systematics; Plant identification, Classification, Nomenclature. Evidences from palynology, cytology, phytochemistry and molecular data. Field inventory; Functions of Herbarium; Important herbaria and botanical gardens of the world and India; Virtual herbarium; E-flora; Documentation: Flora, Monographs, Journals; Keys: Single access and Multi-access.

Unit 2: Taxonomic hierarchy (5 classes) 

Concept of taxa (family, genus, species); Categories and taxonomic hierarchy; Species concept (taxonomic, biological, evolutionary). 

Unit 3: Botanical nomenclature (06 classes) 

Principles and rules (ICN); Ranks and names; Typification, author citation, valid publication, rejection of names, principle of priority and its limitations; Names of hybrids. 

Unit 4: Systems of classification (10 classes) 

Major contributions of Theophrastus, Bauhin, Tournefort, Linnaeus, Adanson, de Candolle, Bessey, Hutchinson, Takhtajan and Cronquist; Classification systems of Bentham and Hooker (upto series) and Engler and Prantl (upto series); Brief reference of Angiosperm Phylogeny Group (APG IV) classification. 

Unit 5: Biometrics, numerical taxonomy and cladistics (7 classes)

 Characters; Variations; OTUs, character weighting and coding; Cluster analysis; principles of numerical taxonomy, Phenograms, cladograms (definitions and differences). 

Unit 6: Phylogeny of Angiosperms (8 classes) 

Terms and concepts (primitive and advanced, homology and analogy, parallelism and convergence, monophyly, Paraphyly, polyphyly and clades). Origin and evolution of angiosperms; Co-evolution of angiosperms and animals; Methods of illustrating evolutionary relationship (phylogenetic tree, cladogram).

Lab activities 

1. Study of vegetative and floral characters of the following families as per the availability of local specimens 

    h. Magnoliaceae 

    i. Brassicaceae

    j. Malvaceae 

    k. Lamiaceae 

    l. Solanaceae 

    m. Asteraceae 

    n. Poaceae

2. Mounting of a properly dried and pressed specimen of any wild plant with herbarium label (to be submitted in the record book).

Suggested Readings 

1. Singh, (2012). Plant Systematics: Theory and Practice Oxford & IBH Pvt. Ltd., New Delhi. 3rdedition. 

2. Jeffrey, C. (1982). An Introduction to Plant Taxonomy. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge. 

3. Judd, W.S., Campbell, C.S., Kellogg, E.A., Stevens, P.F. (2002). Plant Systematics-A Phylogenetic Approach. Sinauer Associates Inc., U.S.A. 2nd edition. 

4. Maheshwari, J.K. (1963). Flora of Delhi. CSIR, New Delhi. 

5. Radford, A.E. (1986). Fundamentals of Plant Systematics. Harper and Row, New York.

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Title of the Course: Plant Anatomy and Embryology 
Nature of course: Core/Major-VII 
Course code : 
Total Credits: 04 Distribution of Marks: 60+40=10

Course outcomes; 

1. Recognize anatomical parts of plant and different embryological stages of plant 

2. Explain the adaptive and protective systems of plants 

3. Examine the developmental stages of plants 

Learning outcomes: 

1. Understand the basic anatomical and embryological features of plants 

2. Discuss the adaptive and protective systems of plants 

3. Distinguish the developmental patterns of plants 

Unit 1: Differentiation of tissues and organs Simple and complex tissues, Root and shoot apical meristems, Root development: organization of root apical meristem (RAM), initiation of lateral roots, Shoot development: organization of shoot apical meristem (SAM), Structure of dicot and monocot root, stem and leaf. Mechanism of vascular tissue differentiation, secondary growth, wood development in relation to environmental factors; Leaf growth and determination of phyllotaxy, differentiation of stomata & trichomes. 

Unit 2: Adaptive and Protective Systems Epidermis, cuticle, lenticels, hydathodes; General account of adaptations in xerophytes and hydrophytes. 

Unit 3: Structural organization of flower Structure of anther and pollen; Structure and types of ovules; Types of embryo sacs, organization and ultrastructure of mature embryo sacs. 

Unit 4: Pollination and fertilization Pollination mechanisms and adaptations; Double fertilization; Seed-structure appendages and dispersal mechanisms.

Unit 5: Embryo and endosperm Endosperm types, structure, and functions; Dicot and monocot embryo: structure and development, Embryo endosperm relationship, Apomixis, and polyembryony: definition, types and Practical applications.

Lab activities 

1. Study of meristems through permanent slides and photographs. 

2. Tissues (parenchyma, collenchyma and sclerenchyma); Macerated xylary elements, Phloem (Permanent slides, photographs) 

3. Stem: Monocot: Zea mays; Dicot: Helianthus; Secondary: Helianthus (only Permanent slides). 

4. Root: Monocot: Zea mays; Dicot: Helianthus; Secondary: Helianthus (only Permanent slides). 

5. Leaf: Dicot and Monocot leaf (only Permanent slides).

6. Adaptive anatomy: Xerophyte (Nerium leaf); Hydrophyte (Hydrillastem). 

7. Structure of anther (young and mature), tapetum (amoeboid and secretory) (Permanent slides). 

8. Types of ovules: anatropous, orthotropous, circinotropous, amphitropous / campylotropous (permanent slides) 

9. Female gametophyte: Polygonum (monosporic) type of Embryo sac Development (Permanent slides/photographs). 

10. Ultrastructure of mature egg apparatus cells through electron micrographs. 

11. Pollination types and seed dispersal mechanisms (including appendages, aril, caruncle) (Photographs and specimens). 

12. Dissection of embryo/endosperm from developing seeds. 

Suggested readings 

1. Mauseth, J.D. (1988). Plant Anatomy. The Benjamin/Cummings Publisher, USA. 

2. Bhojwani, S.S. & Bhatnagar, S.P. (2011). Embryology of Angiosperms. Vikas Publication House Pvt. Ltd. New Delhi. 5th edition. 

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Title of the Course: Genetics and Evolutionary Biology 
Code: Core/Major-VIII 
Total Credits: 04 
Distribution of Marks: 60+40=100

Course outcomes: 

1) to interpret the basic patterns of inheritance 

2) to evaluate genetic disorders and mutations 

3) to relate evolutionary forces leading to the variations and diversification of species 

4) to examine evidences ranging from fossil records to molecular data and to establish phylogenetic relationships of species. 

Learning Outcome: 

1) to understand the concept of inheritance 

2) to analyze mutations and genetic disorders 

3) to examine forces of evolution 

4) to interpret evidence of evolution 

Course content 

Unit-I: Mendelian genetics and its extension (15 classes) 

Mendelism: History; Principles of inheritance; Chromosome theory of inheritance; Autosomes and sex chromosomes; Probability and pedigree analysis; Incomplete dominance and codominance; Multiple alleles, Lethal alleles, Epistasis, Pleiotropy, Recessive and Dominant traits; Polygenic inheritance. 

Unit-II: Extrachromosomal Inheritance (9 classes) 

Chloroplast mutation: Variegation in Four o’clock plant; Mitochondrial mutations in yeast; Maternal effects-shell coiling in snail; Infective heredity- Kappa particles in Paramecium. 

Unit-III: Linkage, crossing over, and chromosome mapping (9 classes) 

Linkage and crossing over-Cytological basis of crossing over; Genetic mapping, Sex linked, Sex influenced, Sex limited inheritances, quantitative traits/loci. 

Unit IV: Chromosomal & gene mutation (12 classes) 

Chromosomal mutation: Deletion, Duplication, Inversion, Translocation, Position effect, Euploidy and Aneuploidy Gene mutations: Types of gene mutations; Molecular basis of Mutations; Mutagens – physical and chemical (Base analogs, deaminating, alkylating and intercalating agents); Detection of mutations: ClB method; Transposons 

Unit V: Evolution (15 classes) 

Theories: Lamarck’s theory, Darwin’s theory, Weismann’s germ plasm theory; Evolution in bacteria, experimental evolution. Molecular evolution: Mutation in organisms, mechanisms, mutation rate, theories of molecular evolution (selection, neutral, nearly neutral). Population genetics: Hardy Weinberg equilibrium, factors influencing the Hardy Weinberg’s equilibrium. role of natural selection, mutation, genetic drift. Genetic variation and Speciation.

Textbook 1. Genetics: Analysis of Genes and Genomes Authors: Daniel L. Hartl and Bruce Cochrane Jones and Bartlett Publishers, Inc; 9th Revised edition edition (30 November 2017) 

Suggested readings 

1. Genetics: Analysis & Principles Author: Robert J. Brooker Publisher: McGraw-Hill Science Engineering; 4 edition (21 January 2011) 

2. Concepts of Genetics Authors: William S. Klug, Michael R. Cummings, Charlotte A. Spencer, Michael A. Palladino, Darrell KilliannPublisher: Benjamin-Cummings Pub Co; Student edition (19 November 2014)

3. Introduction to Genetic Analysis (Introduction to Genetic Analysis (Griffiths)) Hardcover – Import, 16 Feb 2007 Authors: Anthony J. F. Griffiths, Susan R. Wessler , Richard C. Lewontin, Sean B. CarrollPublisher: WH Freeman; 11th ed. 2016 edition (12 January 2015).