BULLETIN FALL 2002 VOLUME 48 NUMBER 3 Plant Blindness: “We have Met the Enemy and He is Us.” (David Hershey)..........................78 News from the Society P Annual Reports President..............................................................................................................85 Past President......................................................................................................86 President-Elect.....................................................................................................86 Secretary.............................................................................................................86 Treasurer.............................................................................................................87 Program Director.................................................................................................88 The American Journal of Botany........................................................................89 Plant Science Bulletin.........................................................................................89 Webmaster..........................................................................................................90 Committees Committee on Committees....................................................................91 BSA Conservation................................................................................92 Darbaker Prize.....................................................................................93 Education.............................................................................................93 Elections..............................................................................................93 Financial Advisory................................................................................93 Karling Awards....................................................................................94 Membership and Appraisal....................................................................94 Merit Awards.......................................................................................95 Jeannette Siron Pelton Award...............................................................95 BSA Publications..................................................................................95 Web Page............................................................................................96 Sections...............................................................................................................96 Council of Society of Scientific Presidents.............................................................98 Natural Science Collections Alliance.....................................................................98 Letter to the Editor...................................................................................................98 Personalia In Memoriam: Judith Lee Gerow Croxdale, Plant Morphologist, 1941-2002..............100 Sherwin Carlquist Awarded Linnean Medal.............................................................101 Announcements Symposia, Conferences, Meetings Diversity and diversification processes in high mountain ecosystems: bridging the gap between population,phylogenetics, and ecological approaches....102 The Botanical Society of America: for ALL Plant Biologists Janet Meakin Poor Research Symposium: Invasive Plants - Global Issues, Local Challenges...........................................................102 Wetland Stewardship: Changing Landscapes and Interdisciplinary Challenges.......103 SSB/SSE/ASN Joint Annual Meeting..................................................................103 PLANT SCIENCE Positions Available Cycad Biologist..................................................................................................103 Harvard University Bullard Fellowships in Forest Research..................................103 Book Reviews....................................................................................................................104 Books Received.................................................................................................................122 Botanical Society of America Logo Items............................................................................124 Editor: Marshall D. Sundberg Department of Biological Sciences Emporia State University 1200 Commercial Street, Emporia, KS 66801-5707 Telephone: 620-341-5605 Fax: 620-341-5607 Email: [email protected] ISSN 0032-0919 Plant Blindness: “We Have Met the Enemy and He is Us” Wandersee and Schussler (1999, 2001) coined the term “plant blindness” to describe the widespread lack of awareness of plants and neglect of plants both in biology education and in the general population. This seems a very useful term to focus attention on those problems. It is well established that “plants are the most important, least understood, and most taken- for-granted of all living things” (Wilkins 1988). The article on “Plant Blindness” by Wandersee and However, Wandersee and Schussler (2001) have Schussler in volume 47 (1) of Plant Science Bulletin also hypothesized that plant blindness can also be struck a chord with many readers. I continue to take almost literally as a human “default condition” due receive positive comments about the article and it was to limitations in human visual perception of plants. To frequently mentioned at the Education Forum that avoid confusion, I will use the first definition of plant preceded the Botany 2002 meeting in Madison. blindness in this article. Wandersee and Schussler Although the article was directed primarily to those of (2001) make many interesting points in their discussion us who teach, it also had wider interest and applicability. of visual principles relating to plant blindness, however, One could speculate, for instance, on the degree to they do not eliminate plant neglect and zoochauvinism which plant blindness afflicts our elected as causes of plant blindness. representatives and decision makers at funding agencies. To my eyes we clearly have a problem! Case for Visual Perception Causing Plant Blindness In this issue’s lead article, David Hershey provides some additional insight into the problem of “seeing” The literature cited by Wandersee and Schussler plants. David suggests that some additional related (2001) on the limits to human visual perception factors may be at least as important as “Plant apparently contains no specific experiments on human Blindness” and makes some suggestions for things perception of plants. Zoochauvinism, plant neglect, we can do as individuals to address the problem. and other causes of plant blindness have substantial More importantly, he has several suggestions for concrete evidence to support them. Wandersee and Society activities that could make a dramatic and Schussler (2001) present a very circumstantial case positive impact on the public - - Executive committee for a visual perception limitation as the main cause of take note! Wouldn’t it be fun, for instance, to periodically plant blindness. Much of their evidence could also be see Michael Christensen on the Jay Leno show “talking used to support zoochauvinism and plant neglect as plants” with an exotic plant or two to show the audience important reasons for plant blindness. or to hear Karl Niklas “talking plants” as a regular feature on “All Things Considered?” David may be While the conclusion that people typically know less correct in paraphrasing Pogo - - “We have met the about plants than animals seems reasonable, it could enemy and he is us.” However, we are also the ones be caused solely by plant neglect and zoochauvinism. that can do something about it. Lets get started! It is not necessarily related to the figure that under - editor 2.5% of the U.S. population is directly involved in raising farm crops. The percentage of the population PLANT SCIENCE BULLETIN ISSN 0032-0919 Published quarterly by Botanical Society of America, Inc., 1735 Neil Ave., Columbus, OH 43210 The yearly subscription rate of $15 is included in the membership dues of the Botanical Society of America, Inc. Periodical postage paid at Columbus, OH and additional mailing office. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: Address Editorial Matters (only) to: Johanne Stogran, Business Manager Marsh Sundberg, Editor Botanical Society of America Dept. Biol. Sci., Emporia State Univ. 1735 Neil Ave. 1200 Commercial St. Columbus OH 43210-1293 Emporia, KS 66801-5057 Phone/Fax: 614/292-3519 Phone 620-341-5605 email: [email protected] email: [email protected] 78 involved in raising farm animals is probably not that far The argument that people who have had few meaningful from 2.5%. The 2.5% figure may be misleading experiences with plants may pay little attention to because it probably does not include people who plants seems reasonable but it could just be caused process and sell farm crops; those who produce and by plant neglect or zoochauvinism because the person sell flowers, turfgrass, nursery plants, bulbs, forest never had a plant mentor. tree seedlings and gardening supplies; those who build and maintain landscapes, parks, arboreta, The observation that although people see a lot of botanic gardens and golf courses; those who garden pennies during their lifetimes they cannot draw an outdoors or indoors, those who make and sell fertilizers, accurate picture of a penny is not directly relevant to pesticides, and other plant chemicals, etc. the situation with plants. To determine if students