Designed to enhance students’ knowledge of the basic principles
of plant physiology, including water relations, solute and
phloem transport, photosynthesis and respiration, plant genomes,
regulation of plant gene expression, phytohormone biology, and
plant growth and development.
Additional Requirements for Graduate Students: Graduate student assignments will be designed to encourage
critical thinking. Graduate students also will be required to
write a term paper on a current topic in plant physiology. The
topic for the term paper will be chosen by the student in
consultation with the instructor. Graduate students will be
required to make a presentation to the class at the end of the
semester on the above project. The term paper and the
presentation will constitute 20% of the final grade. The
traditional A-F (+/-) system of grading will be used in this
course.
Athena Title
Plant Physiology
Equivalent Courses
Not open to students with credit in PBIO 3830, HORT 4430, CRSS 4430 or HORT 6430, CRSS 6430
Non-Traditional Format
This course will be taught 95% or more online.
Prerequisite
(CHEM 1211 and CHEM 1211L) and [(BIOL 1103 and BIOL 1103L) or (BIOL 1104 and BIOL 1104L) or (BIOL 1107 and BIOL 1107L) or (BIOL 1108 and BIOL 1108L) or (PBIO 1210 and PBIO 1210L) or (PBIO 1220 and PBIO 1220L)]
Grading System
A - F (Traditional)
Student learning Outcomes
Students will be able to describe plant structure and function. Students will relate the biological, chemical, and ecological characteristics of plants and will describe how plants interact with their physical (abiotic) and living (biotic) environments. Students will comprehend the real-life applications of fundamental physiological processes such as photosynthesis, respiration, plant nutrition, water relations, and phytohormone function.
Students will assess current scientific literature and synthesize representative papers, then use the findings to support a viewpoint and argue with the opposing side.
Students will assess and interpret quantitate data and arrive at conclusions. They will synthesize their findings and write recommendations.
Students will engage in discussion with the class and share their viewpoints.
Students apply the scientific method by asking questions, formulating hypotheses, conducting experiments, analyzing data, and writing a report. They are expected to interpret their orignal findings within a broader framework of existing knowledge.
Topical Outline
Module 1: Plant and Cell Architecture
Module 2: Water and Plant Cells
Module 3: Water Balance of Plants
Module 4: Mineral Nutrition
Module 5: Solute Transport
Module 6: Photosynthesis: the Light Reactions
Module 7: Photosynthesis: the Carbon Reactions
Module 8: Photosynthesis: Physiological and Ecological Considerations
Module 9: Translocation in the Phloem
Module 10: Respiration and Lipid Metabolism
Module 11: Assimilation of Inorganic Nutrients
Module 12: Embryogenesis
Module 13: Vegetative Growth and Organogenesis
Module 14: The Control of Flowering and Flower Development
