Four-year Undergraduate Programme
Subject: Botany
Semester: Fifth
Course Name: Plant Ecology, Phytogeography and Climate Change
Existing Base Syllabus: UG CBCS Syllabus
Course Level: 300-399, and subsequent level as per NEP structure
THEORY [Total marks: 60] Credit: 03; Total No. of classes: 45
Unit no. Unit content No. of classes Marks
Ecology and Ecosystem: Ecology: Basic concepts,
Levels of organization, Inter-relationships between
the living world and the environment. Ecosystem:
Unit 1 8 8
Structure, functions, and types, trophic
organisation, food chains and food webs, ecological
pyramids, homeostasis.
Ecological Factors: Climatic, Edaphic and Biotic
Factors, Factorial interactions, Plant adaptation to
environmental factors (light, temperature, wind, and
Unit 2 8 8
fire); autotrophy, heterotrophy; symbiosis,
commensalism, ammensalism, parasitism,
parasitoidism. Aquatic ecology- concept.
Population ecology: Population characteristics,
Growth curve, Lotka-Volterra model, population
Unit 3 7 12
regulation, r and k-selection. Types of ecological
speciation, Ecological equivalents.
Plant communities: Plant Community: Basic
concept, types, characters (analytical and synthetic),
Unit 4 Dynamics: succession – processes, types, models; 7 12
climax concepts, Habitat and Niche: concept
&types.
Functional Ecology: Principles and models of
energy flow; Production and productivity;
Unit 5 Ecological efficiencies; Ecological energetics; 7 10
Biogeochemical cycles (C, N and P) and water
cycle.
Phytogeography and Climate Change: Principles;
Unit 6 Continental drift; Theory of tolerance; Endemism; 8 10
Brief description of major terrestrial biomes (one
each from tropical, temperate & tundra);
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Phytogeographical division of India;Vegetation
types of NE India with special reference to Assam.
Climate change: Basic concepts; global warming,
causes and consequences (Rise in Sea levels,
Glacier melting, Biodiversity Loss), Adaptation,
Mitigation, Global and National Efforts, Concept on
Sustainable Development, Sustainable
Development Goals (SDGs).
PRACTICAL [Credit: 01]
1. Determination of minimal quadrat size and number for
the study of herbaceous vegetation in the college
campus by species area curve method (species to be
listed).
2. Quantitative analysis of herbaceous vegetation for
density and abundance in the college campus.
3. Quantitative analysis of herbaceous vegetation in the
college campus for frequency and comparison with
Raunkiaer’s frequency distribution law.
4. Study of instruments used to measure microclimatic
variables: Soil thermometer, maximum and minimum
thermometer, anemometer, psychrometer/hygrometer,
rain gauge and lux meter.
5. Analysis for carbonates, chlorides, nitrates, sulphates, 30 40
organic matter and base deficiency from two soil
samples by rapid field tests.
6. Determination of dissolved oxygen of water samples
from polluted and unpolluted sources.
a) Study of morphological adaptations of
hydrophytes and xerophytes (four each).
b) Study of biotic interactions of the following:
Stem parasite, Root parasite, Epiphytes,
Predation (Insectivorous plants).
7. Local field visit to nearby areas to familiarise students
with various plant communities.
8. Soil respiration study in two agricultural systems to
determine the CO2 evolution.
Reading list:
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