Objectives: The most basic objective of this course is that the student will understand the correlation between plant form and function. Plants are very complex organisms, and thus the study of their function will be broken down into smaller units. Among the topics that will be covered are mineral nutrition, water relations, transport, photosynthesis, hormones, and reproduction. In addition to the theoretical exposure in the class, students will have the chance to physically engage these topics through a series of laboratory exercises. One section of this course is offered during the spring semester of even-numbered years.

Prerequisites: General Botany (Biol 201) and Organic Chemistry I (Chem 201)

Credit Value: 3

Contact Time: Two 50 minute lectures and one three hour laboratory per week.

Outcomes: Upon the successful completion of this course a student should:

• understand basic structural and functional relationships in plants
• understand osmosis and water relations
• understand how water moves from the soil to the top of the highest trees
• be able to distinguish between micronutrients and macronutrients and their roles in plants
• be able to explain the functioning of stomata
• understand the basic biochemistry of photosynthesis and cellular respiration
• be able to distinguish among the various plant hormones (auxins, gibberellins, and cytokinens) and their roles in plant growth and development
• understand tropism in plants
• understand photoperiodism
• understand how plant respond to environmental stress
• have an appreciation for how plants are involved in the biotechnology revolution
• be able to perform basic laboratory experiments illustrating basic physiological principles

Assessment:

• Term tests
• Laboratory assignments
• Class/laboratory attendance
• Final examination

Lecture Schedule:

• Syllabus and introduction
• Water uptake and movement
• Nutrient uptake
• Photosynthesis
• Hormones
• Plant stress
• Plant biotechnology
• Tropisms

Laboratory Schedule:

• Introduction to the lab
• Nutrient shortages
• Xylem modeling
• Ectomycorrhizae
• Photosynthesis modeling
• Hormones
• Review of nutrient shortages
• Review of hormones
• Plant biotechnology
• Selected topics
• Presentations on selected topics