Botany 233- Plant Biology Course Outline

A. Evolution of plants and the life cycle

B. Diversity Among the Algae

• General characteristics of algae • Algal diversity • Alternation of generations in the life cycles of some algae C. Terrestrial Adaptations of Non-Vascular and Non-Seed Plants

I Structural /reproductive adaptations made colonization of land possible: an overview of plant evolution

• The transition to land • General characteristics of plants • Alternation of generations - a review • Highlights of plant phylogeny • Adaptations to shallow water prepared plants for living on land • Classification of plants

II Bryophytes are embryophytes that lack vascular tissue and require environmental water to reproduce

• Characteristics of the bryophytes • Three groups of bryophytes

III Other adaptations that allowed for colonization to land

IV Vascular Plants

• The first vascular plants were seedless • Classification of vascular plants • The coal forests

1 D. Reproductive adaptations resulted in success of seed plants

• Three life cycle modifications • The sprorophyte dominant life cycle and the evolution of the seed

I Gymnosperms dominated landscape as climates became drier at the end of the Paleozoic era

A. Four Divisions of modern gymnosperms B. Life history of a pine

II Evolution of flowers / fruits contributed to adaptive radiation of angiosperms

A. The flower B. The fruit C. Angiosperm life cycle D. Monocots and dicots E. Rise of the angiosperms

E. Embryo growth and development

A. Embryogenesis in plants B. Structure of mature seeds C. Seed dormancy D. Fruit development E. Germination: from seed to seedling F. Asexual reproduction

F. Plant form and function

I Plant roots and shoots are adaptations to living on land

A. The root system B. The shoot system

2 II Plant cells and tissues

A. The diversity of plant cells B. The three tissue systems of plants

III Anatomy of plant growth

A. Primary growth B. Secondary growth

G. Transport in plants

I Water potential and water transport II Phloem transport moves sugars from sources to sinks

H. Plant Nutrition

I Nutritional requirements of plants II Availability of soil water/minerals III Nitrogen fixation IV Other nutritional adaptations

I. Sensory Systems in Plants

A. Gravitropisms and phototropisms and signalling B. Chemical Signals - Five classes of plant hormones

J. Plant Molecular Biology and Biotechnology

A. Molecular techniques and Arabidopsis as a model plant B. Plant biotechnology C. Genetic transformation

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