NVCC COLLEGE-WIDE COURSE CONTENT SUMMARY
BIO 110 - GENERAL BOTANY (4 CR.)
COURSE DESCRIPTION
Emphasizes plant life cycles, anatomy, morphology, taxonomy, and evolution. Considers the principles of genetics, ecology, and physiology. Lecture 3 hours. Recitation and laboratory 3 hours. Total 6 hours per week.
GENERAL COURSE PURPOSE
This is a transferable one-semester, freshman-level course designed to:
A.
provide the student with both a classical and practical understanding of plant
science
B. provide the prerequisite to higher level
courses in plant science curricula
C. offer an alternative to BIO 102 -
"General Biology II’ by presenting similar topics from a botanical point
of view
ENTRY LEVEL COMPETENCIES
Prerequisites: BIO 101 - "General Biology I" or equivalent. The entering student should know how to use a microscope and should have an average or above level of mastery of BIO 101 objectives. It is also recommended that the student be able to read and write on a college freshman level as measured by the English Placement Test.
COURSE OBJECTIVES
Upon completion of this course, the student will be able to:
A.
describe evolutionary trends in the Kingdom Plantae and list differences
between major taxonomic groups
B. describe the significance of evolutionary
trends: from non-vascular to vascular plants; and from non-flowering to
flowering plants
C. describe haplontic, diplontic and
diplohaplontic life cycles
D. use vegetative structures of vascular plants
as examples to describe, identify or know the functions of:
1.
primary tissues, primary growth, secondary tissues, secondary growth
2. root morphology, root physiology and root
modifications
3. stem morphology, stem physiology including modified
stems
4. leaf morphology and physiology, modified
leaves
5. vegetative reproduction: cuttings, grafts,
tissue culture
E.
describe the process of photosynthesis, including the anatomical structures
involved, the physical components and the biochemical pathways
F. describe the morphology and adaptations of
reproductive structures:
1.
Anthophyta (angiosperms): flowers, modifications, pollination, fertilization,
life cycle
2. Non-flowering plants: reproductive
mechanisms, life cycles
G.
describe seed morphology, seed germination and the factors which affect
germination
H. describe the development of a vascular plant
from seed to adult
I. describe the function and control of
plant-soil-water relationships, including essential nutrients, soil, water
movement, cohension, adhesion, transpiration, stomatal regulation, and
adaptations to reduce water loss
J. apply nutrient and growth requirements to
plant health/vigor: light, temperature, fertilizer, water and soil
K. cite the action of certain plant growth
factors or hormones: auxins, cytokinins, gibberellins, abscisic acid, ethylene,
phytochrome, hormone interactions, plant tropisms
L. give examples of typical plants in various
biomes, ex. tropical rain forests
M. give examples of the ecological roles of
plants: ex. on climate, the biosphere, oxygen-carbon dioxide balance, the
carbon, nitrogen and water cycles, tropic levels, food chains, food webs,
ecological succession and recolonization
N. cite examples of importance of plants to
humankind in economics, aesthetics and recreation, science and technology,
sociopolitical considerations, the world food supply, conservation and
environmental quality
O. Plant evolution: cite index fossils of major
phylogenetic trends.
MAJOR TOPICS TO BE COVERED
A. Introduction
to botany
B. Classification of the major groups of plants
and organisms traditionally regarded as plants
C. The Vegetative Body of Vascular Plants:
primary tissues, primary growth; secondary tissues, secondary growth
D. Root morphology, root physiology and root
modifications
E. Stem morphology, physiology, modified stems
F. Leaf morphology and physiology
G. Photosynthesis
H. Vegetative reproduction: cuttings, grafts,
tissue culture
I. The flower: reproductive structures of
Anthophyta (Angiosperms); modifications, pollination, fertilization, life
cycles
J. Reproductive mechanisms of non-flowering
plants; life cycles
K. Fruit and seed development in Anthophyta
(Angiosperms); morphology and physiology
L. Seed morphology and germination; factors
governing
M. Development of vascular plants from seed to
adult
N. Plant-soil-water relationships: essential
nutrients, soil, water movement, cohesion, adhesion, transpiration, stomatal
regulation, and adaptations to reduce water loss
O. Nutrient and growth requirements of plants:
light, temperature, fertilizer, water and soil
P. Plant growth factors or hormones: auxins,
cytokinins, gibberellins, abscisic acid, ethylene, phytochrome, hormone
interactions, plant tropisms
Q. A survey of the Plant Kingdom: vascular and
non-vascular plants
R. Plant evolution: major phylogenetic trends;
index fossils
S. Biomes of the world
T. The ecological role of
plants on climate, the biosphere, oxygen-carbon dioxide balance, the carbon,
nitrogen and water cycles, trophic levels, food chains, food webs, ecological
succession, and recolonization.
U. The importance of plants to humankind: economics, aesthetics and recreation, science and technology, sociopolitical considerations, the world food supply, conversation and environmental quality.
LABORATORY TOPICS
Laboratory topics will coincide with lecture topics.
EXTRA TOPICS WHICH MAY BE COVERED
A. A collection of plants identified by
using a dichotomous key and properly mounted as herbarium specimens
B. Plant hybridization: techniques,
importance
C. Field trips
Revised 1/97