BIOL 205 - Botany

4 Credits: (3 lecture, 3 lab)

Course Description
This course is designed for biology majors. Course content includes the morphology, anatomy, physiology, ecology, and evolution of major plant groups. Representatives of the algae, fungi, bryophytes and vascular plants are studied in detail. The importance and use of plants in the fields of medicine, genetic engineering and biotechnology will be introduced. Representative specimens of the local flora will be collected and identified. 

Note Fall semester only.

Prerequisite BIOL 120 or permission of instructor

A. Recognize plant cellular and subcellular structures, including microscopic examination.

B. Describe the basic physiological functions of plants, including photosynthesis, transport, and reproduction.

C. Recognize basic comparative plant anatomy and morphology.

D. Recognize the distinguishing characteristics of groups within the Kingdom Plantae by comparing and contrasting plant-like organisms from other Kingdoms.

E. Describe the basic developmental processes in plants and the effect of light, temperature and plant hormones on developmental processes.

F. Discuss the major evolutionary advances in plant form and function, including the various anatomical and physiological adaptations of plants to diverse habitats.

G. Explain the basic concepts of plant biotechnology, plant genetic engineering, economic botany and medical botany.

H. Explain concepts of plant ecology including pollination ecology, symbioses, succession, biomes nutrient cycling in ecosystems, human impacts on ecosystems, impacts of invasive species, and interactions between plants and other organisms.

I. Use a key to identify representative plants of Pennsylvania.

J. Apply investigatory skills to experimental problems through data collection, analysis, and report writing.

Content
A. The plant cell and its metabolism

B. Plant tissues and structure

C. Development and growth

D. Plant nutrition and transport

E. Plant diversity

F Plant genetics, genetic engineering, and biotechnology

G. Plant ecology

H. Plant identification

Student Evaluation
Evaluation will be in the form of lecture exams, final, and a laboratory component that includes attendance, lab quizzes, and laboratory reports.Bibliography
Attenborough, D. (Writer), Salisbury, M. (Producer), & Lucas, N. (Director) (1995). The private life of plants [Television series]. Atlanta, GA: Turner Broadcasting.

Attenborough, D. (1995).  The private life of plants: a natural history of plant behavior. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press.

Brako, L., Rossman, A. Y., & Farr, D. F. (1995). Scientific and common names of 7,000 vascular plants in the United States (1^st ed.). St. Paul, MN: American Phytopathologic Society Press.

Gray, A., & Fernald, M. L. (Eds.). (1970). Gray’s manual of botany (8^th ed.). New York, NY: Reinhold Publishing.

Harris, J.G., & Harris, M.W. (1994). Plant identification terminology: an illustrated glossary. Genola, UT: Spring Lake Publishing.

Lewis, M. (2011). Classification of living organisms. New York, NY: Rosen Publishing.

Lieberman, B. (2010). Prehistoric life: evolution and the fossil record. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons.

Little, E. (1980). The audubon society field guide to north american trees. New York, NY: Knopf Doubleday Publishing.  LABORATORY HOLDING

Miller, H. (1978). How to know the trees. Dubuque, IA: Brown Publishing. LABORATORY HOLDING

National Research Council (1992). Plant biology research and training for the 21^st century. Washington, D.C.: National Academy Press.

Petrides, G. A. (1972).  Peterson field guides: trees and shrubs (2^nd ed.).  Boston, MA: Houghton Mifflin.  LABORATORY HOLDING

Pollan, M. (2002). The botany of desire: a plant’s-eye view of the world. New York, NY: Random House.

Rudall, P. (1992). Anatomy of flowering plants: an introduction to structure and development. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

Stidd, B. M., & Henry, R. D. (1995). Key to common woody landscape plants in the midwest. Champaign, IL: Stipes Publishing. LABORATORY HOLDING

Sumner, J. (2000). The natural history of medicinal plants. Portland, OR: Timber Press.