Biology 213 - Plant Form & Diversity

Plants are one of the most successful and abundant groups of organisms on earth, comprising the majority of terrestrial biomass, being integral to ecosystem structure, and providing humans with food, shelter, and materials. Yet plants face extraordinary challenges given their relative immobility and, in response, have evolved a surprising suite of behaviors and morphologies. Plants can tolerate extreme abiotic environments, manipulate animals for services (protection, pollination, dispersal), and travel to the far corners of the planet. In this course, we will explore the range of plant diversity, form and function. This will include an introduction to basic principles of plant function including physical processes occurring in plants, water relations in whole plants and plant tissues, cell physiology and biochemistry, and growth and development. In the laboratory, students will explore plant diversity and anatomy, as well as conduct genetic, biochemical, and physiological studies. The course includes three hours of lecture and three hours of laboratory per week.

Requisite: BIOL 181. Recommended: BIOL 191. Limited to 16 students. Not open to first-year students. Fall semester. Professor Pater.