BIOL 110 - Botany

4 Credit: (3 lecture, 2 lab, 0 clinical) 5 Contact Hours: [Reading Level 3  and Writing Level 3  and Math Level 2 ]

Objectives:

1. List the four characteristics that distinguish the Kingdom Fungi.
2. Identify the microscopic anatomical features of fungus.
3. Identify the macroscopic anatomical features of fungus.
4. Describe the economical, medical, and ecological importance of fungi.
5. Describe the biology, the ecological importance, and evolutionary importance of lichens.

Goal 2:  Explain the structures and characteristics of Kingdom Plantae.

Objectives:

1. List the characteristics that distinguish the Kingdom Plantae.
2. Explain how primitive plants differ from advanced plants.
3. Distinguish angiosperms from other plants.
4. Explain the physiological processes of plants: photosynthesis, cellular respiration, and transpiration.
5. Explain alteration of generations.
6. Describe the functions and interrelationships of roots, stems, leaves and flower structures.
7. Identify the microscopic anatomical features of both primitive and modern plants.
8. Identify the macroscopic anatomical features of both primitive and modern plants.

Goal 3:  Explain the ecological importance of Kingdom Plantae.

Objectives:

1. Recognize the different habitats and environmental conditions of native plant communities.
2. Observe and record the phenological progress of deciduous plants.
3. Recognize interactions/relationships between plants and animals and their importance.
4. Describe the economical, medical, and commercial importance of plants
5. Describe the ecological and evolutionary importance of plants.
6. Observe and record the impact of human activity on plant communities and individual species.

Goal 4:  Use two or more dichotomous plant keys effectively to identify local flora/fungi to Family and Genus level.

Objectives:

1. Distinguish the different leaf types of angiosperms.
2. Determine leaf arrangement.
3. Identify flower types and structures.
4. Identify various fruits.
5. Identify unknown angiosperms, gymnosperms, ferns, club mosses, horsetail, mosses and fungi.

Goal 5:  Complete a herbarium collection.

Objectives:

1. Preserve specimens according to standard procedure.
2. Mount specimens according to standard procedure.
3. Collect representative specimens from 5 different Divisions: angiosperms, gymnosperms, fungi, lichens, ferns, mosses, club mosses, horsetails, or liverworts.
4. Present a collection of at least 20 different specimens representative of 10 different Families.
5. Record date, location, scientific name and habitat for each specimen collected.

Goal 6:  Contribute to the scientific body of botanical knowledge.

Objectives:

1. Inventory a specific number of plants in existing MCC Herbarium collection.
2. Identify and preserve 10 specimens in area of concentration from the class field project site.
3. Present information on class field project specimens in a written and oral format.

Goal 7: Demonstrate an understanding of the scientific method as it relates to botanical studies.

Objectives:

1. Define hypothesis, theory, law, independent variable, dependent variable, and control.
2. Describe the steps of the scientific process (method).
3. List characteristics of good scientific methodology and experimentation.
4. Identify variables, controls, and constants in a given experiment.
5. Interpret data presented in different formats (text, table, graph, etc.).
6. Draw valid conclusions from data.
7. Discuss application of research as it relates to horticulture and conservation.