SYLLABUS

BI 102 - Plant Biology

BI 102: Plant Biology (5). Lec. 4, Lab 3.
All quarters. The morphology, physiology, relationships, distribution, and importance of plants. This course is designed specifically for the science-oriented curriculum. Credit will not be allowed for both BI 102 and BI 106 or BI 107.

Prerequisites: BI 101 or BI 171

Textbooks
Biology of Plants, Raven. 5th edition/ 1992 / Worth Publishers. 0-87901-532-3 Guide and Key to Alabama Trees, Davis. 3rd/ 1986 / 0-8403-3867-8 \ Kendall Hunt Publishing Company. Plant Biology Laboratory Manual, Peterson and Dute, 3rd edition/Kendall Hunt Publishing Company.

Topical Outline
(Introduction)
Major Characteristics of Green Plants, Ontogeny, Growth, Differentiation, Development. 

(Primary Growth)
Apical Meristems, Primary Meristematic Tissues, Vegetative Organs. 

(Primary Growth of Roots)
General Morphology, Root Apical Meristems, Growth Zones, Primary Tissues, Cell Types. 

(Primary Growth of Shoots)

General Morphology of Shoot Apex, Shoot Apical Meristems, Primary Tissues, Cell Types. 

(Primary Growth of Leaves)

Origins, External Morphology, Leaf Types, Vascular Tissue Patterns, Primary Tissues, Cell Types. 

(Secondary Growth)

Lateral Meristems, Growth Habit, Vascular Cambium, Phellogen. 

(Secondary Growth of Stems)

Vascular Cambium Activities, Tissues of Woody Stems, Annual Growth Rings. 

(Secondary Growth of Roots)

Origin of Vascular Cambium, Secondary Vascular Tissue Patterns. 

(Periderm)

Cell Types, Lenticels. 

(Structure of Wood)

Tissue Systems, Wood Section Types. 

(Plant Hormones)

Definitions, Growth Regulators, Classes of Plant Hormones, Effects of Plants, Model of Action. 

(Tropisms)

Types of Tropisms, Phototropism, Geotropism. 

(Photoperiodism)

Daylength, Phytochrome, Chemical Basis, Florigen, Circadian Rythms. 

(Plant Water Relations)

Cuticular Transpiration, Stomatal Transpiration, Leaf Structure and Function, Transpiration Process, Quantity of Water Transpired. 

(Water Conduction)

General Characteristics, Theory, Conduction Process, Evidence Supporting Theory. 

(Absorption)

Process, Mechanisms. 

(Translocation)

Pathways of Food Movement, Rates of Food Movement, Mass-Flow Hypothesis, Objections to Mass Flow, Alternatives to Mass Flow. 

(Plant Classification)

Purpose of Studying, Basic Methods of Classification, Binomial Nomenclature, Modern Classification Systems, Organic Evolution, Prokaryotes, Eukaryotes. 

(Kingdom Monera)

Bacteria, Cyanobacteria (blue-green algae), Cellular specialization, Endosymbiont Hypothesis. 

(Kingdom Protista)

General Characteristics, Classification, The Algae. 

(The Green Algae)

General Characteristics, Evolutionary Lines, Chlamydomonas Life Cycle, Asexual Reproduction, Sexual Reproduction, Patterns of Growth Habits. 

(Kingdom Fungi)

General Characteristics, Classification, Vegetative Morphological Characteristics, Reproductive Morphological Characteristics, Class Oomycetes, Class Zygomycetes, Class Ascomycetes, Class Basidiomycetes. 

(Kingdom Plantae)

Classification, Evolutionary Origin and Relationships. 

(Division Bryophyta)

Characteristics, Classification, Comparison to Green Algae, Terrestrial Characteristics, Class Musci, Class Hepaticae, Class Anthocerotae, Evolutionary Origins and Relationships. 

(Division Tracheophyta)

Major Characteristics, Evolutionary Advancements, Evolution of Seed Habit. 

(Lower Vascular Plants)

Psilopsida, Lycopsida, Sphenopsida. 

(Homospory vs. Heterospory)

Intermediate Vascular Plants, Life Cycle Relationships, Filicopsida. 

(Seed Plants)

Primitive Gymnosperms, Coniferopsida, Conifer Life Cycle, Evolutionary Relationships. 

(The Flowering Plants)

Major Characteristics, Dicots vs. Monocota, Angiosperm Evolution, Angiosperm Adaptation, Flower Morphology, Flower Evolution, Differences Between Angiosperms and Gymnosperms, Angiosperm Life Cycle, Sporogenesis, Gametogenesis, Advanced Angiosperm Families, Agents of Evolution, Fruits, Seeds. 

Laboratory Topics:
    1. Tree Identification
    2. Seeds, Seedlings, and Roots
    3. The Shoot-Primary and Secondary Growth Control of
    4. Plant Growth
    5. The Leaf-Anatomy, Physiology, and Water Relations
    6. Bacteria, Fungi and Lichens
    7. The Blue-Green and Green Algae
    8. Evolution of Terrestrial Plants - The Bryophyta and
    9. Tracheophyta (Ferns)
    10. Evolution of Heterospory and the Seed in the Tracheopyta
    11. Evolution of the Flower, Fruit, and Seed in the
    12. Angiosperms

Evaluation
Evaluation of student performance is based on cumulative scores of a 500-point total with two major lecture tests @ 50%, laboratory tests (2) and performance @ 20% and the comprehensive final exam @ 30%. Final course grades are determined on a 10% scale (90-100% or 450 - 500 points earns an A, etc.)