Biology 203 - Survey of the Plant Kingdom

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lecturer:

Danny J. Gustafson, Ph.D. (Office phone: 953-7876, email: danny.gustafson@citadel.edu)

Office:

Duckett 301

 

 

Office Hours:

MW 9:00-10:00, F 10:00-11:00 or by appointment

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lecture:

MWF 8:00-9:00 in Bond 316

 

Lab:

M 13:00 - 15:50 in Duckett 201

 

 

 

 

 

 

Textbook:

Biology of Plants (6th edition) by Raven, Evert, and Eichorn. Freeman / Worth Publishers,

 

New York, NY. ISBN: 1-57259-041-6. Laboratory material will be provided by DJG.

 

 

 

 

 

Course Goals:

The focus of this course is to give the students a basic understanding of plant biology.

 

The course is divided up into three sections that roughly correspond to molecular/cellular,

 

organismal, and population/community.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Exams:

Each exam will cover the material presented in lecture and the assigned book chapters.*

 

There will be three hourly exams, each following approximately 13 lectures. Each of these

 

exams and the comprehensive final exam will be worth 100 points each. The lowest exam

 

score will be dropped, hence there WILL BE NO MAKE-UP EXAMS OFFERED.

 

Total points from the exams = 300.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Grading:

The course grade will consist of the total of your three exams (300 pts) plus laboratory

 

evaluation (150 pts) for a total of 450 pts possible.

 

 

A = 90-100% (405-450 pts)

 

 

B = 80-89% (360-404 pts)

 

 

C = 70-79% (315-359 pts)

 

 

D = 60-69% (270-314 pts)

 

 

F = <60% (less than 270 pts)

 

 

 

 

 

 

Attendance:

According to Citadel policy, class attendance takes priority over all other normal activities.

 

If absences exceed 20% of the total meetings, the student can receive a grade of F.

 

Excused absences may be permitted if and only if I have been give prior notice.

 

The Citadel's honor system applies to all functions related this course.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Date

 

Topic

 

Chapter(s)

 

Molecular / Cellular

 

Aug. 27-29

Pre-Exam (not for a grade) Introduction to the course.

 

 

Overview of Plant Biology and evolution.

1, 13 (271-279)

 

 

 

 

 

Sept. 1-5

Molecular composition of plant cells

2

 

Plant Cell

 

3

 

Plant Cell (cont.)

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sept. 8-10

Respiration

 

6

 

Photosynthesis (basics and leaf function)

7

 

Photosynthesis (modifications to the theme)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Organismal

 

 

Sept. 15-19

Early Development

23

 

Early Development (cont.)

 

 

Plant Cell Types

24

 

 

 

 

 

Sept. 22-26

Plant Tissues

 

 

 

Exam 1 (Friday 26, 100 pts)

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sept. 29-Oct 3

Root System

 

25

 

Root System (cont.)

 

 

Shoot System

 

26

 

 

 

 

 

Oct. 6-10

Shoot System (cont.)

 

 

Secondary Plant Growth

27

 

Secondary Plant Growth (cont.)

 

 

 

 

 

 

Oct. 13-17

Plant Hormones

28

 

Abiotic Factors and Plant Growth

29

 

Plant Nutrition

 

30

 

 

 

 

 

Oct. 20-24

Plant Water Relations

31

 

Exam 2 (Friday 24, 100 pts)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Population / Community

 

Oct. 27-31

Reproduction

 

Supplemental

 

Pollination and seed dispersal

 

 

 

 

 

 

Nov. 3-7

Plant Population Biology

Supplemental

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Nov. 10-14

Plant / Animal Interactions

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Nov. 17-21

Structuring Plant Communities

Supplemental

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Nov. 24-28

No Classes - Thanksgiving Holiday

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dec. 1-5

Plant Conservation

Supplemental

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dec. 8

Post Exam (not for grade) and review for exam 3 and final.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dec. 15

At 13:00 in Bond 316. Exam 3 (100 pts., 50 min.) followed by comprehensive

 

final exam (100 pts., 50 min.).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

* I would suggest focusing on the ideas and concepts discussed in lecture, using the book to supplement

or clarify. All of the information in the textbook chapters are valuable and potential exam material, but I

tend to test on ideas that I thought were important enough to lecture about or discuss in class / lab.