Biology 215L Botany Syllabus Fall Term 2016
______
Text: Evert & Eichhorn (2013). Raven Biology of Plants, 8e. W.H. Freeman & Co.
(some pp. are repeated for different sections & should be reread; read all assignments prior to lecture; some chapters are not in the book but are available online at MacMillan Launchpad with access code for book)
W Sep 7 Importance of biodiversity, appreciation of history (pp. 234-243; Chapt. 1, review Chapt. 2)
F Sep 9 Water movement in plants (pp. 75-80, Chapt. 30, old Chapt. 33 pp. 804-05 on Moodle)
M Sep 12 Mineral nutrition, nutookrient cycling (Chapt. 29, old Chapt. 32 pp. 782-83 on Moodle)
Laboratory 1—Biodiversity Field Trip 1, Bryophytes
W Sep 14 Turgor movements, imbibition (pp. 80-81, 678-682, old Chapt. 33 p. 809 on Moodle)
F Sep 16 Meristems, primary development (pp. 538-541)
M Sep 19 Cells and tissues (pp. 38-44, 541-557)
Laboratory 2—Identification 1
W Sep 21 Root anatomy, mycorrhizae (Chapt. 24; pp. 692-700, 614-619; Gundale 2002)
F Sep 23 Shoot anatomy (pp. 579-592, 607-612)
M Sep 26 Shoot development (pp. 619-635, 642-645, 676-678)
Laboratory 3—Biodiversity Field Trip 2
W Sep 28 Exam 1 (75 pts)
F Sep 30 Leaf anatomy (pp. 592-602, 607-612; Heslop-Harrison 1978)
M Oct 3 Leaf physiology, abscission (pp. 45-49, 604-607, 647-649; Schaefer & Wilkinson 2004)
Laboratory 4—Identification 2
W Oct 5 Flower anatomy (pp. 457-465) (Snapple essay due: 25 pts)
F Oct 7 Pollination I (pp. 477-492)
M Oct 10 Trinity Days—No class and lab
W Oct 12 Pollination II (pp. 477-492 continued)
F Oct 14 Fertilization (pp. 465-475)
M Oct 17 Seeds & fruits (pp. 492-500)
Laboratory 5—Biodiversity Field Trip 3
W Oct 19 Seed dispersal (pp. 493-495; Young 1991)
F Oct 21 Dormancy, germination (Chapt. 22; pp. 450-453, 674-676) (1/2 herbarium: 20 bonus pts)
M Oct 24 Germination (Mitton & Grant 1996; Temple 1977; Quammen 1996—Chapts 98-99) Laboratory 6—Germination & Seed Longevity
W Oct 26 Seed longevity
F Oct 28 Exam 2 (100 pts)
M Oct 31 Control of vegetative development (pp. 672-673, 602-603)
Laboratory 7—Identification 3
W Nov 2 Photoperiodism (pp. 668-673)
F Nov 4 Vernalization (pp. 673-674)
M Nov 7 Growth responses (pp. 660-668, 678-680)
Laboratory 8—Identification 4
W Nov 9 Energy, enzymes, photosynthesis (Chapt. 5, pp. 122-135)
F Nov 11 C3/C4 metabolism (pp. 135-145)
M Nov 14 CAM (pp. 145-149)
Laboratory 9—Natural History Field Trip
W Nov 16 Environmental control of metabolism
F Nov 18 Exam 3 (125 pts)
M Nov 21 Ecosystems (old Chapt. 32 on Moodle for this and succeeding lectures)
Laboratory 10—Identification 5 (L9 Essay due: 50 pts)
Nov 23-Nov 27 Thanksgiving break
M Nov 28 Competition (Harris 1988; Malecki et al. 1994; Gillis 1992)
Laboratory 11—Identification 6
W Nov 30 Plant ecology (Quammen 1996—Chapt. 96)
F Dec 2 Predation/herbivory (L6 lab report due: 50 pts)
M Dec 5 Stability, succession (Luken & Thieret 1996)
Laboratory 12—Identification 7 (Herbaria due: 70 pts)
W Dec 7 Controls in ecosystems (Hardin 1968)
F Dec 9 A Pattern of Destruction—“The Buffalo & the Sioux” (Briggs et al. 2005; Allen 1994)
M Dec 12 “The Buffalo & the Sioux” Part 2
Laboratory 13—Mandatory Cleanup
M Dec 19 Exam 4 (150 points) during final examination period, 12:00 noon.
n.b., this is not a comprehensive final exam, just a longer hourly exam
*** An 89.5% or better average of 1st three exams makes the 4th exam optional. ***
Lecture total = 450 points (or 300 if excused from Exam 4)
______
Laboratory
Total = 200 points (30% of 650 points, 40% of 500 if excused from the last exam)
Late lab reports/essays/projects devalued at the rate of 2 pts/day
Non-medical absenses of identification labs devaluate your herbarium grade by 10 pts/lab
______
Non-text readings (Trinity Library online journals or pdf files on 215 Moodle site)
1. Gundale, M.J. 2002. Influence of exotic earthworms on the soil organic horizon and the rare fern Botrychium
mormo. Conserv. Biol. 16: 1555-1561. [Moodle]
2. Heslop-Harrison, Y. 1978. Carnivorous plants. Sci. Amer. 238: 104-115. [Moodle]
3. Schaefer, H.M. & Wilkinson, D.M. 2004. Red leaves, insects and coevolution: a red herring? TREE 19: 616-
618. [Moodle]
4. Young, J.A. 1991. Tumbleweed. Sci. Amer. 264: 82-87. [Moodle]
5. Mitton, J.B. & Grant, M.C. 1996. Genetic variation and the natural history of quaking aspen. BioScience 46:
25-31. [online journal]
6. Temple, S. 1977. Plant-animal mutualism: Coevolution with dodo leads to near extinction of plant. Science
197: 885-886. [online journal]
7. Quammen, D. 1996. Song of the Dodo. Touchstone Books, Simon & Schuster. [Moodle]
8. Harris, P. 1988. Environmental impact of weed control insects. BioScience 38: 542-548. [Moodle]
9. Malecki, R.A. et al. 1993. Biological control of purple loosestrife. BioScience 43: 680-686. [online journal]
10. Gillis, A.M. 1992. Keeping aliens out of paradise. BioScience 42: 482-485. [online journal]
11. Luken, J.O. & Thieret, J.W. 1996. Amur honeysuckle, its fall from grace. BioScience 46: 18-24. [online
journal]
12. Hardin, G. 1968. Tragedy of the commons. Science 162: 1243-1248. [online journal]
13. Briggs, J.M. et al. 2005. An ecosystem in transition: causes and consequences of the conversion of mesic
grassland to shrubland. Bioscience 55: 243-254. [online journal]
14. Allen, W.H. 1994. Reintroduction of endangered plants. Bioscience 44: 65-68. [online journal]