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This course provides an introduction to plant science, covering the evolution of plant diversity, physiology, applications in biotechnology, and more. It is taught by Professor Loreta Gudynaite-Savitch and will evaluate students with assignments, a midterm, and a final exam. The course material will be presented in sections starting with plant biodiversity and evolution, then moving to physiological concepts like photosynthesis, growth, and biotechnology applications.

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96 views

Out

This course provides an introduction to plant science, covering the evolution of plant diversity, physiology, applications in biotechnology, and more. It is taught by Professor Loreta Gudynaite-Savitch and will evaluate students with assignments, a midterm, and a final exam. The course material will be presented in sections starting with plant biodiversity and evolution, then moving to physiological concepts like photosynthesis, growth, and biotechnology applications.

Uploaded by

Benjamin Tallman
Copyright
© Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as DOC, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Bio 2137, Introduction to Plant Science: Biodiversity to Biotechnology Description: Evolution of the diversity of plants, physiological and anatomical

concepts, recent applications in natural products, medicine, ecology and biotechnology. Rationale: The purpose of this course is to better prepare students for the rapidly changing field of Plant Science while still providing a background in basic concepts. Instructor: Professor Loreta Gudynaite-Savitch [email protected] Office hours: After class Text: Raven, Evert and Eichorn, Biology of Plants, 7th edition, WH Freeman and Company Publishers OR Evert and Eichorn, Biology of Plants, 8th edition, Worth Publishers Evaluation of lecture portion: (worth 60% of final mark) Midterm: 30% Assignment: 10% Final: 60%

Course material will be posted on blackboard Important Dates 2013: Oct. 9 Assignment is due Oct. 13-19 reading week, no classes Oct. 22 Midterm Exam Final exam date tbd during exam period Policies: 1) Web-based notes are provided as a useful study aid, but attending class, taking notes in class and reading the textbook are essential to doing well in this course. 2) E-mail is for emergencies only. Please ask questions in or after class. 3) The midterm exam may be excused without penalty only if medical or other official papers are provided. There is no deferred midterm for those who miss the exam. The final exam is compulsory and administered by the Faculty of Science.

Course outline (subject to change) BIO 2137 Introduction to Plant Science: Biodiversity to Biotechnology (Chapters for Raven, Evert and Eichorn, 7th edition)

Section 1. Plant Biodiversity and Evolution of Major Plant Groups 1.1 Introduction to plant evolution and biodiversity: 1.1.1 Evolution. Are evolutionary processes in plants different from animals? (Chapter 11) 1.1.2 How many plants are there? World biodiversity resources, systematics (Chapter 12) Intro to phylogeny and your assignment 1.2 Prokaryotes and Fungi: 1.2.1 Early organisms: evolution of bacteria and bacterial photosynthesis, the atmospheric oxygen revolution and blue-greens, viruses, bacterial natural products (Chapter 13) 1.2.2 Smuts, rots, blights and a few good fungi. Fungal toxins, hallucinogens and drugs. Fungal biotechnology (Chapter 14) 1.3 Algal biodiversity: 1.3.1 Evolution of alga (Symbiotic theory). Biodiversity and ecological adaptation of phytoplankton: unicellular eukaryote algae: diatoms, euglenas, dinoflagellates and chrysophytes, harmful algal blooms (Chapter 15) 1.3.2 The Cambrian explosion and evolution of differentiated multicellular algae, modern greens, reds and browns forming underwater forests and prairies. Useful algal polysaccharides (Chapter 15)

1.4 Terrestrial plants 1.4.1 Mosses and liverworts (Chapter 16) 1.4.2 Early conquest of land and vascular spore plants: club mosses and ferns (Chapter 17) 1.4.3 Climate change provokes evolution of conifers and related gymnosperms (Chapter 18). Medicinal uses of conifers. 1.4.4 Flowering plants become a dominant life form by co-evolution with insects (Chapter 19, 20) 1.4.5 Diversity of economic plants: agricultural and medicinal species (21, various) Section 2. How Higher Plants Work 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 Photosynthesis and phytochemical defenses in leaves (Chapter 7, 21) Water, mineral nutrition, nutrient uptake and roots (Chapter 29, 24) Growth and transport of nutrients in stems - xylem and phloem (Chapter 26, 30 ) Flowers, control of flowering and seed development (Chapter 28) Plant biotechnology: brave new world of Molecular Farming and GMO

Special lecture - tentative time Oct 25th: Topic - Molecular methods in taxonomy and biodiversity Invited speakers from Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Eastern Cereal and Oil Seed Center, Ottawa Dr. Tyler Smith, Taxonomy of Canadian native crops Dr. Keith A. Seifert, Biodiversity (Mycology and Microbiology) More details will follow.

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