-SQA-SCOTTISH QUALIFICATIONS AUTHORITY. Hanover House 24 Douglas Street GLASGOW G2 7NQ NATIONAL CERTIFICATE MODULE DESCRIPTOR

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1 -SQA-SCOTTISH QUALIFICATIONS AUTHORITY Hanover House 24 Douglas Street GLASGOW G2 7NQ NATIONAL CERTIFICATE MODULE DESCRIPTOR -Module Number Session Superclass- RH -Title- PLANT PHYSIOLOGICAL PROCESSES -DESCRIPTION- Purpose This module is designed to provide experience of plant physiology to students undertaking a course where a knowledge of plant physiological processes would be desirable. This module could form part of a balanced biological programme where it could be integrated with Science Investigation Skills to provide a more practical-based approach. Preferred Entry Level Introducing Flowering Plants. Outcomes The student should: 1. investigate the vital physiological processes of higher plants; 2. interpret the physiological responses of higher plants to environmental stimuli; 3. describe adaptations to particular environments in a range of higher plants; 4. interpret the responses of higher plants to endogenous and exogenous plant growth substances. Assessment Procedures Acceptable performance in this module will be satisfactory achievement of all the Performance Criteria specified for each Outcome.

2 The following abbreviations are used below: PC Performance Criteria Instrument of Assessment Note: The Outcomes and PCs are mandatory and cannot be altered. The may be altered by arrangement with SQA. (Where a range of performance is indicated, this should be regarded as an extension of the PCs and is therefore mandatory.) OUTCOME 1 INVESTIGATE THE VITAL PHYSIOLOGICAL PROCESSES OF HIGHER PLANTS PCs (a) The description of the vital processes of higher plants is correct with respect to: the identification of the vital physiological processes; the environmental factors which influence the vital physiological processes. (b) The interpretation of data is correct with respect to: (iii) the identification of key features of the processes; the importance of the processes to the continued survival of the plant; the effect of variations of environmental factors on the rates of the physiological processes. Structured questions 4 structured questions to assess the student's ability to investigate the vital physiological process of plants. The questions should be allocated as follows: 1 question on photosynthesis 1 question on respiration 1 question on transpiration 1 question on translocation Each question should be structured so that each part of the Performance Criteria are met. Satisfactory achievement of the Outcome will be demonstrated by the student achieving the correct responses to all the questions. 2

3 OUTCOME 2 INTERPRET THE PHYSIOLOGICAL RESPONSES OF HIGHER PLANTS TO ENVIRONMENTAL STIMULI PCs (a) The identification of the responses as belonging to one of the following categories is correct: (iii) (iv) tropic responses; nastic responses; photoperiodic responses; phytochrome mediated responses. (b) (c) (d) The naming of the environmental stimulus for the response is correct. The statement of purpose or advantage of the response is correct. The statement of either mechanism of detection or mediation of the response is correct according to current theory. Structured Questions 7 structured questions to assess the student's ability to interpret the physiological responses of higher plants to environmental stimuli. The questions should be allocated and structured so that each part of all Performance Criteria are met. Satisfactory achievement of the Outcome will be demonstrated by the student correctly identifying: 2 tropic responses 2 nastic responses 1 photoperiodic response 2 phytochrome mediated responses in accordance with Performance Criterion (a) and satisfying Performance Criteria (b), (c) and (d) in relation to those answers. OUTCOME 3 DESCRIBE ADAPTATIONS TO PARTICULAR ENVIRONMENTS IN A RANGE OF HIGHER PLANTS PCs (a) The descriptions of the adaptations of a named variety of plant to particular environments is correct with respect to the features of the adapted structures or life cycle/lifestyle. (b) The descriptions of the adaptations of a named variety of plant to particular environments is correct with respect to the advantages confered by the adaptation. 3

4 Restricted Response Questions 8 restricted response questions to assess the student's ability to compare adaptations to particular environments in a range of higher plants. One question should be allocated to each of the following: (iii) (iv) (v) (vi) (vii) (viii) Mesophytes Xerophytic adaptations Halophytic adaptations Hydrophytic adaptations Adaptations for food storage Adaptations against high levels of insolation Adaptations against predation Adaptations to low-oxygen environments. Satisfactory achievement of all the Outcome will be demonstrated by the student achieving all the Performance Criteria for all the questions. OUTCOME 4 INTERPRET THE RESPONSES OF HIGHER PLANTS TO ENDOGENOUS AND EXOGENOUS PLANT GROWTH SUBSTANCES PCs (a) The description of the presumed natural role of the plant growth substance in relation to the structure affected is correct. (b) The interpretation of the responses of higher plants to plant growth substances is correct in terms of: the proposed mechanism by which the plant growth substance exerts its influence; the concentration at which the plant growth substance is applied or is thought to occur naturally. Structured Questions 5 structured questions to assess the student's ability to interpret the responses of higher plants to endogenous and exogenous plant growth substances. The questions should be allocated as follows: 1 question on 1AA and other auxins 1 question on Gibberellins 1 question on Abscisic Acid 1 question on Cytokinins 1 question on Ethylene Each question should be structured so that each part of the Performance Criteria are met. 4

5 Satisfactory achievement of the Outcome will be demonstrated by the student achieving the correct response to all 5 questions. 5

6 The following sections of the descriptor are offered as guidance. They are not mandatory. CONTENT/CONTEXT 1. The vital processes of Respiration, Photosynthesis, Transpiration and Translocation should form the core of this Outcome. Investigation of these processes either directly or by reference to published data should illustrate the "Scientific Method" and good investigative technique. The relationships of each of the four processes with temperature, light intensity, light wavelength, relative humidity, windspeed and osmotic potential, should be investigated in sufficient depth to allow the student to make simple predictions regarding the effects which varying one of the parameters would have on the physiology of the plant. Secondary effects of the vital processes such as the uptake and transport of nutrients within the transpiration stream, the role of respiration in the maintenance of root pressure and the role of photosynthesis in the maintenance of osmotic balances within the plant should also be covered. 2. Suitable content for this Outcome should be drawn from the following: Phototropism, geotropism, hydrotropism, thigmotropism epinasty, hyponasty, nictinasty, seismonasty, photonasty and thermonasty. Photoperiodism as related to plant or bud dormancy in perennating structures and flowering. Seed dormancy and germination could be either discussed under Outcome 3 or as part of the phytochrome mediated responses of this Outcome. 3. The adaptations of plants can be seen to operate on several levels ranging from the ways in which broad groups of plants such as mesophytes, xerophytes, halophytes and hydrophytes are generally adapted to their environment, to specific anatomical and morphological features possessed by certain species within these groups. On a second level the growth habits adopted by different species reflect the adaptations of these species to survive within their niche while consideration of the life-cycle ranging from inhibition by the seed through germination to growth and flowering can be viewed as a third level of operation. As well as those features mentioned above, aspects of seed dormancy and germination, growth, flowering and fruit ripening controlled by phytochrome and the various plant growth substances could also be included. 4. Suitable content for this section would include: The effects of A and other auxins, Gibberellins, Abscisic Acid, Cytokinins and Ethylene on various plant structures; the proposed roles of these plant growth substances in the living plant and their uses in horticultural and agricultural situations. 6

7 Variations in observed responses to ranges of concentration of applied plant growth substances as well as synergistic interactions could be mentioned. SUGGESTED LEARNING AND TEACHING APPROACHES During the work of the module students should have several opportunities to practise their skills. Each student should be assessed at appropriate points throughout the module. Where a student is unsuccessful in achieving an Outcome, provision should be made for remediation and reassessment. It is suggested, in view of the considerable overlap between the content of various Outcomes, that an integrated approach could be adopted within this module. An overview could be taken where the habitats available to plants, and the advantages and disadvantages of these habitats are considered. Specific problems such as those required to satisfy the criteria for life could be explored followed by a more detailed exploration of plant physiology as a series solutions to problems faced by plants as they develop from seeds through to mature, reproductive individuals. While discovery learning would be the preferred approach to each of the Outcomes, time constraints and the breadth of the subject area may make recourse to published data necessary. On occasions where these are used students should be encouraged to demonstrate their appreciation of the underlaying "Scientific Method" by appropriate questioning. Copyright SQA

-SQA- SCOTTISH QUALIFICATIONS AUTHORITY. Hanover House 24 Douglas Street GLASGOW G2 7NQ NATIONAL CERTIFICATE MODULE DESCRIPTOR

-SQA- SCOTTISH QUALIFICATIONS AUTHORITY Hanover House 4 Douglas Street GLASGOW G 7NQ NATIONAL CERTIFICATE MODULE DESCRIPTOR -Module Number- 31715 -Session- 199-93 -Superclass- RC -Title- CIRCULAR MOTION