Plant Biology

Description

What is your “Botanical Sense of Place”? Throughout this program we will explore this question as a framework for examining the diversity of the Plant Kingdom and the fundamental concepts of plant biology from cells to ecosystems. All life depends on plants. Yet many of us don’t understand the importance of plants in our everyday lives. This course is designed to increase your awareness and appreciation of the biological, cultural, and economic importance of plants, both locally and globally. Through this awareness and appreciation of plants you can begin to develop your “Botanical Sense of Place”.

We will begin the quarter by reflecting on your personal experiences with plants from youth to the present. These experiences are the foundation of your botanical knowledge and they will serve as tool for connecting the major concepts we learn in class with your real-life experience of plants. We will continue to develop our “Botanical Sense of Place” by surveying the major groups of green plants found in and around the Evergreen State College campus. Through lectures, labs, and field trips, we will examine the morphological, physiological, and chemical adaptations that have led to the success of these taxa within the context of their surroundings. We will also draw on contemporary scientific journals and news articles to help you gain in-depth understanding of certain biological concepts and to apply this understanding to current events.