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Department of Biology

Photo: UHH/Rohwer

Systematics & Evol. of Plants

BSc in Biology

In the BSc biology curriculum, we offer or are involved in the following teaching units:

Please note: All our teaching sessions in the BSc biology curriculum are in German.  Of course we can switch to English in individual cases, but considering the large numbers of German students this will remain an exception.

Biodiversity of Plants

  • Contact: Jens G. Rohwer
  • Target groups: BSc biology students, 4th semester

61-033  Synopsis of the Plant Kingdom (lecture)

Dieter Hanelt, Jens G. Rohwer

We present an overview of the most important groups of organisms that are tradionally the subject of botany (i.e., more than just "plants"): cyanobakteria ("blue-green algae"), the most important groups of algae, mosses, liverworts, ferns and other pteridophytes, gymnosperms and angiosperms, as well as the most important groups of fungi, including lichens.  The basic questions answered are:

  • Which are the most important evolutionary lineages?
  • How can they be recognized?
  • What are the stages of their reproductive cycles?
  • What are the scientific terms for their most important structures?
  • In which way are they related?
  • What makes one group more successful than another?
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Light microscope photo of the cyanobacterium Anabaena azollae

Photo: UHH/Rohwer

Light microscope photo of the cyanobacterium Anabaena azollae, with heterocytes


61-034 Morphology and Systematics of Native Vascular Plants (lecture)

Jens G. Rohwer

This lecture explains the fundamentals necessary to become familiar with the native flora.  Topics include:

  • The most important structures of flowering plants
  • Terminology for description and determination of plants
  • The most important native plant families and how to recognize them
  • The most important crop plants from these groups
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Photos of root systems: allorhizal (left) and homorhizal (right)

Photo: UHH/Rohwer

Root systems: allorhizal = with a primary root and secondary roots (left) and homorhizal = with more or less equal roots (right)

61-035 / 61-036  Selected Examples from the Plant Kingdom (seminar / practical course)

Felicitas Gunter, Dieter Hanelt, Jens G. Rohwer

In this course the students have the opportunity to examine selected representatives of the groups treated in "Synopsis of the Plant Kingdom" and to familiarize themselves with the morphological details of these organisms.

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Light microscope photo of a cross section of a thallus of Laminaria in the region of a sorus

Photo: UHH/Rudolph

Laminaria, cross section of a thallus in the region of a sorus

61-037  Introduction to Plant Determination (practical course)

Jens G. Rohwer, Stefan Rust

The students will learn how plant species are determined based on morphological characters.  The necessary terminology is presented in the lecture "Morphology and Systematics of Native Vascular Plants".  Since a reliable determination requires more practice, it is recommended that students interested in organismic botany (evolution, ecology, conservation or systematics) choose "Determination of Vascular Plants" (61-705) instead of this course.

61-705 Determination of Vascular Plants (practical course)

Jens G. Rohwer, Stefan Rust

A reliable determination of plants is not only essential for research in evolution, ecology, conservation or systematics, but is also a skill in demand by many employers, such as conservation authorities, environmental NGOs, consultants and planning offices.  Here we show how that works, and the students have the opportunity to practice and to improve their skills.

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Photos of inflorescences of Liliaceae: solitary flower in Fritillaria meleagris (left), raceme in Lilium martagon (center), pseudo-umbel in Fritillaria imperialis (right)

Photo: UHH/Rohwer

Inflorescences of Liliaceae: solitary flower in Fritillaria meleagris (left), raceme in Lilium martagon (center), pseudo-umbel in Fritillaria imperialis (right)

61-038  Biological Field Course in Botany

Kai Jensen, Angela Niebel-Lohmann, Jens Rohwer, Matthias Schultz

Biologists are expected to know their ways around in nature.  Even in a city like Hamburg the diversity is much higher than most inhabitants are aware of.  On small excursion (more like open air lectures) we show an explain the most frequent and conspicuous plant species in Hamburg, plus numerous less common species in the city and in near-natural habitats around Hamburg.  We explain the living conditions in the areas visited, and sometimes make them physically tangible.

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Photos of Corylus avellana: inflorescences (left); young shoot (center); branch with immature fruit (right)

Photo: UHH/Rohwer

Common Hazelnut (Corylus avellana): inflorescences (left), mainly staminate catkins, plus one pistillate flower (at the upper margin); young shoot (center), with glandular trichomes; branch with immature fruit (right)

Field Course in the Alps

– due to lack of teaching capacity, we are no longer allowed to offer this unit –

  • Contact: Angela Niebel-Lohmann
  • Target groups: BSc Students in biology, 4th sem. (and onwards)., M.Ed. students

61-146  Seminar for the Field Course in the Alps

Angela Niebel-Lohmann

61-147  Field Course in the Alps (practical course)

Angela Niebel-Lohmann

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Campanula barbata - Behaarte Glockenblume

Photo: UHH / Niebel-Lohmann

Campanula barbata

Introduction to Molecular Systematics

  • Contact: Jens G. Rohwer
  • Target group: BSc biology students, 5th semester

Macromolecular methods, particularly DNA sequencing, revolutionized systematics and population biology.  They allow the reconstruction of relationships with unprecedented precision – but they also have their pitfalls.  We guide you through all necessary steps from collecting of plant material to calculation of the most probable phylogenetic tree for the species investigated.  Special emphasis is placed on the fundmental methods, their practical application, data analysis and possible sources of error.  The different parts of this teaching unit are closely interlinked.

61-163  Introduction to Molecular Systematics (lecture)

Jens G. Rohwer

61-164  Lab work in Molecular Systematics (practical course)

Felicitas Gunter

61-165  Analysis of Sequence Data (exercise)

Jens G. Rohwer, Felicitas Gunter

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Photo of thermocyclers in the PCR lab

Photo: UHH/Rohwer

Thermocyclers in our PCR lab

Introduction to Plant Geography

  • Contact: Jens G. Rohwer
  • Target group: BSc biology students, 5th semester

61-173  Introduction to Plant Geography (lecture)

Jens G. Rohwer

This lecture presents an overview of the natural plant cover of the world.  A short introduction to terminology and basic methods of floristics and vegetation science is followed by an overview of the floristic realms that can be recognized based on the distributions of certain plant groups.  The main part of the lecture then consists of detailed descriptions of the main vegetation formations (e.g., tundra, desert, rainforest) and the conditions of life in these biomes, including climatic, edaphic and biotic factors.  The lecture is richly illustrated, predominantly with photos by the lecturer.

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Photos of Myristica fatua as example of Myristicaceae, a pantropical tree family

Photo: UHH/Rohwer

Myristica fatua as example of Myristicaceae, a pantropical tree family

 

 

Functional Morphology of Plants

  • Contact: Stefan Rust
  • Target group: BSc biology students, 3rd semester

61-024  Fundamentals of Botany (practical course)

Kristin Ludewig, Angela Niebel-Lohmann, Stefan Rust, Klaus von Schwartzenberg, Anna Voggenreiter-Sander

The external appearance of plants is more or less familiar to most people, much less their internal structures.  The question why these structures look the way they do can throw new light upon the seemingly self-evident.  In the teaching unit ‘Functional Morphology of Plants’ we examine the challenges for plant life on land and the evolutionary “inventions” that helped to master these challenges, based on selected examples.  In the context of structure and function we get to know the morphology and anatomy of the fundamental organs of higher land plants, in order to acquire the foundation for a physiological comprehension of these organisms.

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Light microscope photo of a cross section of a leaf of Ruellia makoyana

Photo: UHH/Rohwer

Light microscope photo of a cross section of a leaf of  Ruellia makoyana