Plant Physiological Ecology - Biology 571.002 Fall Semester, 2010

INSTRUCTOR: Dr. Dennis A. Gravatt Office: S-101 Phone: 468-3601 E-mail: [email protected]

Office Hours: M-R 8:00am-9:00am, M & R 1:30pm-4:30pm. I encourage you to contact me for help. If my office hours are impossible for you to meet, I will arrange an alternate time to meet.

TEXTBOOK

Physiological Plant Ecology: Ecophysiology and Stress Physiology of Functional Groups. Walter Larcher. 2003. 4th edition. Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg New York. ISBN 3-540- 43516-6.

Objectives: 1) to understand how plants respond, physiologically and evolutionarily, to apparent extremes in environmental conditions; 2) to think of such plant responses in a mechanistic, reductionist way, and 3) to apply this knowledge to new, unknown problems.

TESTING AND GRADING PROCEDURE Two two-hour exams (mid-term and final exam) worth 100 points each will be administered. P.E.B.C. questions and/or homework will count for 100 points. Two journal papers will be assigned worth 100 points. The group presentation will be worth 100 points. The laboratory portion of the course will be worth 100 points. Therefore, you will attempt 600 points in the course.

2 exams at 100 points each ...... 200 points P.E.B.C ...... 100 points Papers...... 100 points Group Presentations ...... 100 points Laboratory Exercises ...... 100 points 600 points

Letter grade determination: A = 100 - 90.0%; B = 89.99 - 80.0%; C = 79.99 - 70.0%; D = 69.99 - 60.0%; F= 59.99% or below

Note: This is not an easy course. The materials and exams are meant to be challenging. Please try to stay on top of the material.

NATURE OF ALL EXAMS Exams are short answer and essay. You will not be tested strictly on the ability to memorize facts. Exams will be written such that you must be able to apply the concepts covered in the lecture.

HOMEWORK Twice during the semester the class will be assigned a plant ecophysiology question for you to answer, a.k.a., PEBC (Plant Ecophysiology Brain Cracker). The questions chosen will require you to think beyond the material covered in class. Based on what you learned in class you will consult at least three sources in the recent scientific literature to adequately answer the question. Use proper citation for all you work. You will be given the choice of writing two short or one long paper in this course. For each of the short papers, you will read a paper which I have selected from a respected journal which publishes papers in physiological plant ecology. Your paper (2 pages, typed double- space) will criticize the research, suggest alternative views, suggest better approaches, extrapolate ramifications, or anything else that indicates that you read and thought about the research paper. A simple summary of the authors’ findings will not suffice! Those of you who opt for the long paper will pick a topic of interest from an ecophysiological perspective, read several appropriate journal articles, and write a paper evaluation of this topic. The topic must be approved in advance.

CLASS CONDUCT Proper classroom behavior is expected of all students enrolled in this course. You are expected to be in your seats and in an appropriate condition that enable you to participate in all classroom activities when the class starts. Any student leaving early, or coming in late, is considered distracting to the class and will be dealt with accordingly. Other troublesome behaviors are listed on the last page of this course policy and should be read thoroughly. I reserve the right to ask any student to leave the lecture room in order to prevent a student from distracting myself or the class. Any student who does not conform to this class policy, and is asked to leave the classroom, will be required to visit with me in my office before being allowed to return to the regularly scheduled lecture classes. There will be no exceptions to this policy.

In particular, the use of cellular phones, including text messaging, will not be tolerated. If you bring a cell phone into my classroom, be sure that it is turned off! At my discretion, a cell phone that audibly rings, is clearly visible, or is used in any way during lecture will either be turned over to me until the end of class, or the student will be required to leave the classroom for that lecture period. Any student that has a cell phone at their desk that audibly rings, or any student who uses a cell phone for ANY purpose during an examination, will receive a zero (0) for the examination. NO EXEPTIONS!

POLICY ON ABSENTEEISM Regular and punctual attendance is expected. The value of a college education depends upon the student’s full participation. Because students are expected not merely to receive information passively or to pass examinations but to participate actively in class, it is important that unnecessary class absences be avoided. Students are expected to be present for all classes and no absence will be automatically excused. Students will be responsible for all missed work. If you come in late you must check with me after class in order to clear any record of absence for that day. This is your responsibility. Reoccurring tardiness should be explained.

A seating chart will not be utilized in this course. Instead, an attendance sheet will be passed around on which you will put your signature next to your name. It is your responsibility to see that the role sheet is signed before leaving the lecture class. Do not sign in for another student, doing so will result in a significant reduction in your course grade and the assignment of seats for all students in the class.

Some appropriate reasons for absenteeism are: an illness with dated medical notes; death in the immediate family with clippings from a newspaper announcing the death; scheduled athletic events; scheduled academic events. Other reasons can be discussed, but may not be excused. You are responsible to know what was announced and what material was covered in class during your absence. Lecture notes are not available from your instructor.

MAKE-UP EXAMS: Make ups for hour exams will only be allowed in the case of a University approved absence (illness with a doctor's note, a family crisis, or a religious holiday) see Class Attendance and Excused Absence Policy (A-10); http://www.sfasu.edu/policies/class_attendance_excused_abs.asp . YOU MUST NOTIFY ME WITHIN 24 HOURS OF A MISSED EXAM TO BE ELIGIBLE FOR A MAKE UP EXAM. It is your responsibility to inform me that you missed the exam and why.

In any other case, it is your responsibility to inform me that you missed the exam and why as soon as possible. All make up exams are at my discretion and will be given during dead week.

ACADEMIC HONESTY: Academic integrity is a responsibility of all university faculty and students. Faculty members promote academic integrity in multiple ways including instruction on the components of academic honesty, as well as abiding by university policy on penalties for cheating and plagiarism.

Definition of Academic Dishonesty Academic dishonesty includes both cheating and plagiarism. Cheating includes but is not limited to (1) using or attempting to use unauthorized materials to aid in achieving a better grade on a component of a class; (2) the falsification or invention of any information, including citations, on an assigned exercise; and/or (3) helping or attempting to help another in an act of cheating or plagiarism. Plagiarism is presenting the words or ideas of another person as if they were your own. Examples of plagiarism are (1) submitting an assignment as if it were one's own work when, in fact, it is at least partly the work of another; (2) submitting a work that has been purchased or otherwise obtained from an Internet source or another source; and (3) incorporating the words or ideas of an author into one's paper without giving the author due credit.

Please read the complete policy at http://www.sfasu.edu/policies/academic_integrity.asp

I expect everyone to do his or her own, original work. This includes all homework assignments, exams and quizzes. I will take appropriate disciplinary action, as described in the University Student Handbook, against anyone that does not comply with this policy. It is my policy that anyone caught cheating on an exam, or plagiarizing a laboratory report, will receive a failing grade for the course (i.e., an ‘F’ will be posted as your final course grade). (A-9.1; http://www.sfasu.edu/upp/pap/academic_affairs/academic_integrity.html).

Withheld Grades Semester Grades Policy (A-54) Ordinarily, at the discretion of the instructor of record and with the approval of the academic chair/director, a grade of WH will be assigned only if the student cannot complete the course work because of unavoidable circumstances. Students must complete the work within one calendar year from the end of the semester in which they receive a WH, or the grade automatically becomes an F. If students register for the same course in future terms the WH will automatically become an F and will be counted as a repeated course for the purpose of computing the grade point average.

The circumstances precipitating the request must have occurred after the last day in which a student could withdraw from a course. Students requesting a WH must be passing the course with a minimum projected grade of C.

Students with Disabilities To obtain disability related accommodations, alternate formats and/or auxiliary aids, students with disabilities must contact the Office of Disability Services (ODS), Human Services Building, and Room 325, 468-3004 / 468-1004 (TDD) as early as possible in the semester. Once verified, ODS will notify the course instructor and outline the accommodation and/or auxiliary aids to be provided. Failure to request services in a timely manner may delay your accommodations. For additional information, go to http://www.sfasu.edu/disabilityservices/.

Troublesome Behavior in the Learning Environment (Adopted from the Stephen F. Austin State University, Civitas Program, Judicial Office, 468-2703)

Troublesome behavior may be classified as anything that disturbs or disrupts the learning environment. By avoiding the following negative behaviors, instructors and students can cooperatively establish a setting more conducive to learning:

 Use of cellular phones and beepers  Inappropriate or poorly-timed challenges to authority  Demanding unwarranted preferential treatment  Exhibiting an “I paid for this…” mentality  Eating and drinking in the classroom  Excessive tardiness  Leaving early  Making intentionally offensive remarks  Using vulgar language or gestures  Missing deadlines  Holding private side conversations  Reading unrelated publications  Talking out of turn  Dominating discussions  Shuffling backpacks and notebooks  Overt inattentiveness or sleeping  Poor preparation  Use of personal computers for other than note-taking

Important Notice: The lecture classroom is not a movie theater. Be respectful on not only your professor but of your fellow classmates by not displaying any of the troublesome behaviors listed above. In the event any inappropriate behavior is displayed, I reserve the right to ask any student(s) to leave the lecture room in order to prevent them from distracting myself or the class. Any student who does not conform to this class policy, and is asked to leave the classroom, will be required to visit with me in my office before being allowed to return to the regularly scheduled lecture classes. There will be no exceptions to this policy.

Official University Statement on Acceptable Student Behavior

Classroom behavior should not interfere with the instructor’s ability to conduct the class or the ability of other students to learn from the instructional program (see the Student Conduct Code, policy D-34.1). Unacceptable or disruptive behavior will not be tolerated. Students who disrupt the learning environment may be asked to leave class and may be subject to judicial, academic or other penalties. This prohibition applies to all instructional forums, including electronic, classroom, labs, discussion groups, field trips, etc. The instructor shall have full discretion over what behavior is appropriate/inappropriate in the classroom. Students who do not attend class regularly or who perform poorly on class projects/exams may be referred to the Early Alert Program. This program provides students with recommendations for resources or other assistance that is available to help SFA students succeed. BIO 571.002: PLANT PHYSIOLOGICAL ECOLOGY FALL 2010 TENATIVE LECTURE SCHEDULE AND TEXT CHAPTERS

TEXT DATE* TOPIC READINGS

Aug. 28 INTRODUCTION Handouts History of PPE

Aug. 28 ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS 1-18

Aug. 28 ENERGY BALANCE 32-67

Aug. 28 LIGHT UTILIZATION 69-77 Action spectra Light Reactions Chlorophyll fluorescence Energy efficiency

Sept. 11 CARBON UTILIZATION Carbon Metabolism 77-90 C3, C4 and CAM Gas Exchange 91-134 Stomata morphology & movement Stomata regulation Parameters and calculations

Sept. 25 WATER RELATIONS Components and Theory 231-239 Water Uptake and Transpiration 239-270 Translocation (Box 2.2) 151-155

Sept. 25 MINERAL ELEMENTS – NITROGEN 203-224

Oct. 9 PLANT STRESS Stress: Disturbance and Patterns 345-356 Solar 357-364 Temperature 364-395 Oxygen 396-400 Drought 401-416 Pollutants 428-450

Oct. 9 SELECTED BIOMES OF NORTH AMERICA Southeast Coastal Plain Handout Deserts Handout Rocky Mountains Handout Others if time allows Handout * Tentative dates only, actual pace will depend on course progress during each meeting day. BIO 571 Plant Ecophysiology Physiology

Course Description: Plant ecophysiology is concerned with the function and performance of plants in their natural environment. It bridges the gap between plant physiology and ecology. The course will consider physiological and ecological aspects of adaptation to different environments. Plants are remarkably well adapted to growing in a range of environments from the Antarctic to hot dry deserts. Ecophysiology is the scientific study of the processes that enable them to do so. By the end of the unit you should be able to discuss analytically the key physiological processes affecting plants growing in the natural environment. Examples are drawn from forests, agricultural systems and the natural environment and most will relate to plants at the individual or stand scale. Sessions will cover plant water relations, stomatal physiology, transpiration, photosynthesis, global change, below-ground processes and predictive modeling.

Pre-requisites: Good standing in biology and permission of instructor

Course Objectives:  understand how plant structure relates to function;  understand how and why water and ions are transported through plants;  understand plant strategies in the capture of light;  recognize different methods plants use to sequester nutrients;  understand different plant strategies in the utilization of nutrients;  understand and give examples of plant adaptations to different environments and disturbances; like climate change scenarios and their impacts on plant physiology;

Student Learning Outcomes (Course Competencies): Knowledge and Understanding  By the end of the course you should fully understand the course content.  Specifically you should be able to:  Understand which are the key environmental influences on plants.  Explain how photosynthesis, stomatal conductance, transpiration, water relations, and below ground processes are influenced by environmental variability.  Describe how naturally occurring stable isotopes can contribute to an understanding of plant ecophysiological processes.  Explain why modeling is important to the understanding of how plants influence the environment and how the environment influences plants.  Discuss the current and future impact of global change and understand how this may affect plants and the environments in which they live.