BIOLOGY COURSE MATERIALS | MERRYLEA

Botany of Seed Plants

Purpose of Course

Botany of Seed Plants presents the anatomy (stems, roots, leaves, flowers, fruits and seeds and their adaptations) the physiology (growth, transport, photosynthesis and respiraton) and identification of selcted vascular plants. Prerequisite: Biol 100-101 or permission of instructor.

This course lays the foundations for students who will major in Environmental Science as well as those who plan to major in biology or education. Subsequent courses in resource management, ecology, entomology, and plant taxonomy draw on the fundamentals we'll cover during the semester.

Class Sessions

Most sessions will be in Science Hall. Our meetings will utilize information and illustrations from the text, photographs in powerpoint, laboratory observations and field study to create a rich, integrated learning experience. We'll spend as much time in the field in the Goshen area and at Merry Lea as our schedules permit. Likewise, if personal scheules permit, we'll arrange for longer trips to botanical gardens and conservatories.

The class schedule calls for lecture and laboratory periods, but our time together will not necessarily be segmented into either lecture or lab.

We learn most when we teach. You can expect to be called upon to participate in group investigations and reporting to the class. Questions are encouraged. Our approach to topics will involve research and problem solving. As you see, the format is such that your presence at all sessions will be important since the way the subject for the day develops will be influenced by our corporate interaction.

Group study and after hours practice is encouraged, and your instructor will also be available as schedules permit.

Evaluation

Your final grade will be based on your scores on quizzes, a mid-term and final examination, group presentations, and recitation. The purpose of testing is to provide you with information about how well you have mastered the learning objectives. We'll use that information to further enhance your learning.

Objectives
Because of its foundational role, I want every student enrolled in Botany of Seed Plants to "know their botany forwards and backwards" by the time they complete the course.
Therefore, I'll do my best to see that every experience, every drill, every moment in class, every casual conversation in the hall helps to strengthen your general knowledge of the botanical world.
It is assumed that your study in Bio Principles or other courses have introduced you to :

• the names of cellular organelles and their function,
• how cell membranes work,
• how DNA is replicated and the processes of mitosis and meiosis (replication and reduction division),
• how proteins are synthesized (transcription, translation),
• how enzymes work,
• Mendelian genetics

We will review these concepts in the first few class sessions before we proceed with the botanical applications. Let me know if you feel that you need additional review on these topics, and we'll see that you receive the necessary background.

Specific learning objectives for Botany of Seed Plants include :

1. acquiring general knowledge about the rich history of botany over the ages including the past century at Goshen College,
2. acquiring general knowledge about the chartacteristics of the nonvascular plants
3. being able to identify and know the common and scientific names of about 70 of the most common native trees and shrubs in northern Indiana,
4. knowing and understanding the terminology associated with the botanical subjects covered,
5. knowing and understanding the basic anatomy of conifers and monocots and dicots,
6. knowing and understanding the morphology and anatomy of stems, roots, leaves, and flowers,
7. knowing their characteristics and understanding the relationship of selected plant families based on the morphology of their flowers,
8. knowing and understanding the function of the parts of the plant cell,
9. knowing and understanding the organization and function of plant tissues,
10. knowing and understanding the key reactions and molecules involved in photosynthesis,
11. knowing and understanding the key reactions and molecules involved in plant cellular respiration,
12. knowing and understanding the role of plant hormones,
13. knowing and understanding the basics of plant nutrition and soil chemistry,
14. knowing the origins and culture of plants that are significant sources of food, fiber and medicine
15. recognizing the roles that vascular plants have in ecosystems

Over the years I've found that successful botany students:

1. Read and reflect on relevant passages and illustrations in their textbook
2. Attend all classes (you've already paid for them)
3. Actively contribute to group projects
4. Participate in class discussions (this includes insisting on explanation and clarification about points that are unclear)
5. Review notes and reading and bring questions to the next scheduled session.
6. Maintain a list of key points and terms as well as a glossary of new words.
7. Are alert to the plants around them
8. Are alert to news and information about plants

 

Schedule for Botany of Seed Plants Fall, 2004 Meet at 3pm M,W,F; Tuesday's sessions are from 8-9:50 am

NOTE: The schedule for Botany of Seed Plants for Fall 2006 will be posted as soon as the information becomes available. The sequence of topics is expected to be be similar to that of 2004.

Date	Day	Subject	Activity	Reference in Text
25-Aug	Wed	Introduction to Botany of Seed Plants	Get acquainted with one another and the subject	Ch 1
26-Aug	Thur
27-Aug	Fri	Botany at Goshen College, Leaf Identification	Review history of botany at GC, prepare for leaf work
30-Aug	Mon	Leaf Identification	Practice with specimens	Figure 26-1 p. 610 TreeFinder, Leaf key Refer to Tree List for Botany 201 List of Trees in Witmer WoodsLeaf key
31-Aug	Tue	Tree Identification	Meet in Witmer Woods, Leaf Teams will help us with the identifications	Leaf key
1-Sep	Wed	Tree Identification	Practice with specimens	Leaf key
2-Sep	Thur
3-Sep	Fri	Leaf Identification Test
6-Sep	Mon	Plant Systematics; Survey of Plant Kingdoms	Review Relationships in the Eukaryotic Kingdoms	Ch 13; Fig 13-8; Table 13-3; Fig 13-4 with emphasis on pp275-280
7-Sep	Tue	Seedless Vascular Plants	Structure of the Plant body; Mega and Microsporogenesis	Ch 19
8-Sep	Wed	Gymnosperms	Ovule formation; Pine life cycle	Ch 20
9-Sep	Thur
10-Sep	Fri	Gymnosperms	Ovule formation; Pine life cycle	Ch 20
13-Sep	Mon	Introduction to Angiosperms (Flowering Plants) QUIZ	Flower Structure	Ch 21
14-Sep	Tue	Life Cycle of Angiosperms	Microsporogenesis and Megasporogenesis	Ch 21 pp 503-515
15-Sep	Wed	Evolution of Angiosperms	Relationship of Plant Families	Ch 22
16-Sep	Thur
17-Sep	Fri	Families of Flowering Plants	Phylogeny; RanunculaceaeRosaceae;	Ch 22
20-Sep	Mon	Families of Flowering Plants	Fabaceae, Brassicaceae,	Ch 22
21-Sep	Tue	Families of Flowering Plants	Asteraceae, Graminae	Ch 22
22-Sep	Wed	CELEBRATE SERVICE DAY
23-Sep	Thur
24-Sep	Fri	Biology of the Plant Cell,	Review the basics of cellular structure (Bio 110-110 info) with special emphasis on the unique molecular and structural features of the plant cell	Chapter 3
27-Sep	Mon	Biology of the Plant Cell QUIZ	Unique molecular and structural features of the plant cell	Chapter 3
28-Sep	Tue	The Vascular Plant Body	Intro to Meristems & Early Development	Ch 23
29-Sep	Wed	The Vascular Plant Body	Embryo Development	Ch 23
30-Sep	Thur
1-Oct	Fri	The Vascular Plant Body	Embryo Development; Seed Germination	Ch 23
4-Oct	Mon	The Vascular Plant Body	Cells and Tissues of the Plant Body	Ch 24
5-Oct	Tue	Comprehensive Mid-Term Examination	Leaf Identification, Cells and Tissues, Flower Structure, Mega and MicroSporogenesis, Plant Families
6-Oct	Wed	Roots	Examine root structure	Ch 25
7-Oct	Thur
8-Oct	Fri	Roots	Examine adaptive roles of roots	Ch 25
11-Oct	Mon	Mid Term Break
12-Oct	Tue	Mid Term Break
13-Oct	Wed	Mid Term Break
14-Oct	Thus
15-Oct	Fri	Shoot- Primary Structure	Examine the organization of primary growth	Ch 26
18-Oct	Mon	Stems - Secondary Growth	Origins of Secondary Growth	Ch 27
19-Oct	Tue	Stems - Secondary Growth	Adaptive Secondary Growth	Ch 27
20-Oct	Wed	Stems - Secondary Growth	Wood identificaiton	Ch 27
21-Oct	Thus
22-Oct	Fri	Plant Energetics QUIZ	Oxidation-reduction reactions Enzyme action	Chapter 5
25-Oct	Mon	Biology of the Plant Cell;	Membrane structure and function in relation to diffusion and osmosis	Chapter 4
26-Oct	Tue	Respiration	Glycolysis, Krebs Cycle, Oxidative Phosphorylation	Chapter 6
27-Oct	Wed	Respiration	Glycolysis, Krebs Cycle, Oxidative Phosphorylation	Chapter 6
28-Oct	Thus
29-Oct	Fri	Photosynthesis QUIZ	Components, reactions, C3-C4 pathways, Carbon Cycle	Chapter 7
1-Nov	Mon	Photosynthesis	Components, reactions, C3-C4 pathways	Chapter 7
2-Nov	Tue	Photosynthesis	Components, reactions, C3-C4 pathways	Chapter 7
3-Nov	Wed	Respiration and Photosynthesis - the Connections	Carbon Cycle	Ch 5,6,7
4-Nov	Thus
5-Nov	Fri
8-Nov	Mon	Regulating Growth and Development	Plant Hormones	Ch 28
9-Nov	Tue	Regulating Growth and Development	Plant Hormones	Ch 28
10-Nov	Wed	Regulating Growth and Development	Herbicides	Ch 28
11-Nov	Thus
12-Nov	Fri	External Factors and Plant Growth QUIZ	Tropisms	Ch 29
15-Nov	Mon	Plant Nutrition and Soils	Soil structure	Ch 30
16-Nov	Tue	Plant Nutrition and Soils	Nitrogen Cycle	Ch 30
17-Nov	Wed	Movement of Water and Solutes in Plants	Translocation of Water	Ch 31
18-Nov	Thus
19-Nov	Fri	Movement of Water and Solutes in Plants	Translocation of Solutes	Ch 31
22-Nov	Mon	Communities and Ecosystems	Interactions between plants and their environment	Ch 32
23-Nov	Tue	Communities and Ecosystems	Interactions between plants and their environment	Ch 33
24-Nov	Wed	Plant-Human Interactions	Ethnobotany	Ch 34
25-Nov	Thus	Thanksgiving
26-Nov	Fri	Thanksgiving Break
29-Nov	Mon	Plant-Human Interactions	Genetic Engineering	Ch 34
30-Nov	Tue	Plant-Human Interactions	Sustainable Agriculture and Sabbath Keeping	Ch 34
1-Dec	Wed
2-Dec	Thus
3-Dec	Fri	Review and Reading Day
6-8-Dec		Final Examination (comprehensive)