An introduction to plants emphasizing the form and function of angiosperms. Topics include seeds, organization of the vegetative plant body, photosynthesis, water relations, transport within the plant, flowering, senescence, and how plants function in particular environments.

Principles of ecology as they apply to plants. The course deals with plant energy budgets, plant population biology and community ecology. Some emphasis will be given to interactions between plants and wildlife.

The physiology of water and nutrients, photosynthesis, transport and metabolism as related to the regulatory mechanisms of plant growth, development and survival.

Structure and development of cells, tissues and tissue systems with emphasis on experimental studies; comparative anatomy of stem, root, leaf and flower.

The morphology, identification, classification, nomenclature, modes of reproduction and economic importance of selected families of flowering plants and conifers. Labs stress interpretation of plant form applied to plant identification at the ranks of family to species.

The biology of fungi, and the importance of molds in the affairs of people.

A survey of morphology, life history and taxonomy of the algae; ecology, cytology and economic importance of selected groups.

The structure, life history characteristics, adaptive strategies and phylogenetic relationships of the major groups of land plants. Emphasis is placed on the structural-functional and reproductive features that characterize each plant group, and which allow survival and persistence in a diversity of habitats.

The physiological and biochemical aspects of the mechanisms whereby plants sustain themselves. The changing patterns of metabolism during the whole life of the plant will be followed in relation to developmental stages.

An introduction to methods of preparing plant materials for microscopy. Students will select three modules from the following: scanning electron microscopy; transmission electron microscopy; specialized techniques for light microscopy; paraffin embedding techniques; epiillumination techniques (the dissection, staining and photography of developmental stages of floral and vegetative meristems); photomicroscopy; colloidal gold labelling. Students are expected to be familiar with basic plant structure.

Developmental morphology of gymnosperms and angiosperms will be considered. Emphasis will be placed on reproductive structures. Topics include architectural analysis of plants, comparative floral organogenesis, phylogenetic and serial homology, and general principles of theoretical plant morphology.

Analysis of current research problems in plant physiology requiring the use of specialized, modern techniques such as gas or high pressure liquid chromatography, gel electrophoresis or cell and tissue culture. (Offered in even-numbered years.)

Principles and methods in plant taxonomy, including: evolutionary, phylogenetic (cladistic) and phentic approaches to classification; modes of speciation; circumscription of species; subspecific taxa and genera; uses of various kinds of data (morphological, chemical, cytological; anatomical, etc.) in classification. (Offered in even-numbered years.)

See 17-483.

These courses, normally open to students who are in semesters 7 and 8, are specifically designed to encourage senior undergraduates to conduct research in an area of Plant Biology. The courses may be taken individually or in sequence. The two-course sequence is particularly valuable for students considering graduate work. In all instances, supervisory arrangements must be made at least one semester before starting the course; registration is contingent on the availability and agreement of a faculty supervisor.