Plants and Climate Change course
Online course
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Online short course
This free online course is for anyone who wants to know more about climate change, how it relates to plants and what you can do about it.
This course is for everyone from young adults upwards.
We recommend 4-5 hours to work your way through all four sections of the course.
See below for information on the content of this course and how to register. This course is hosted on PropaGate Learning, RBGE's online learning environment.
If you already have a PropaGate Learning account, you do not need to register and can enrol yourself on to this course on the PropaGate site.
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What does this course cover?
- The climate and climate change
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The first section looks at what climate and climate change is, and at why climate change is happening. It then discusses some of the effects and impacts of climate change. This is followed by a brief overview of biodiversity and its relationship with a changing climate.
- How are plants impacted by a changing climate?
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The second section gives a brief overview of some of the many ways in which plants are impacted by a changing climate and focuses in more detail on a few of these. Plants are heavily dependent on the climate of the areas in which they live and have adapted through evolution to their environment. Some are more flexible in their habitat requirements and some are adapted to very specific conditions. In this section we will see some effects of changing climatic conditions on the lives of plants.
Pinus sylvestris in the Cairngorms, Scotland. Image by Peter Mulligan used under CC BY 2.0 (cropped from original)
- How do plants have an effect on the climate?
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The third section looks at some ways in which plants themselves have an effect on the climate and focuses more closely on a few examples. Plants store carbon as solid matter. This carbon is released upon their death and decay (or destruction). This makes plants both sources and 'sinks' for carbon.
Peatlands are a habitat for species like this sundew (Drosera). These plants survive in the nutrient-poor peat by catching and digesting insects and absorbing the nutrients in their bodies.
- How can we help reduce climate change and its effects?
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The final section explores the many ways in which we can all help reduce climate change and its effects, from individual and local actions through to regional and global measures. This section gives you suggestions for taking positive action. Even small things add up to make a difference! We will show you that there are many ways in which you can contribute to limiting climate change.
- How do I apply?
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If you already have a PropaGate account, you can self enrol for the course by logging into your account.
If you do not already have a PropaGate account, you can register by filling out the application form.
New students will be registered onto the course and given access after 4pm on the Wednesday afternoon after applying.