PEGbase, plant ecology and genetics database

Processes at the interface of genetics and ecology which develop over several years or longer play a central role in the adaptation of plants to their habitats and in their reactions to changes in habitat. An understanding of these processes is therefore an important learning goal in the Bachelor’s degree programmes in Biology and Environmental Sciences, and in the Master’s degree programme concentration Ecology and Evolution in the same departments. However, at the moment the subjects of genetics and ecology are mostly taught in separate courses, and practicals mainly involve short-term experiments.

The main goal of this project is to develop the web-based application PEGbase – Plant Ecology & Genetics database, which will link long-term ecological and genetic data. Students will collect this data in a long-term experiment begun in Autumn 2006 involving experimental plant populations of two Silene flower types on different substrata. PEGbase will be used in a series of courses in-volving 70-110 students per year. Students will be able to access data from a period of several years and add new data. In this way they can, via a research-based project, gain an understanding for perennial genetic and ecological processes. PEGbase will also contain introductory and specialist texts, plus conventional teaching materials, making possible independent, asynchronous repetition and development of content.

• Link between research data and teaching
• Simple application

This project makes data from a long-term experiment accessible to students and allows its use in teaching.

The database as originally conceived is too complicated and user-unfriendly. It should be replaced by a simpler database.

Students appreciate being able to work with data from a long-term experiment.

The simpler the operation, the better for students and lecturers.