Plant Biology: Understanding the World of Plants - Lecture Notes for BIO 1503 - Prof. Bobb, Study notes of Biology

Download Plant Biology: Understanding the World of Plants - Lecture Notes for BIO 1503 - Prof. Bobb and more Study notes Biology in PDF only on Docsity! “DR BENNETT “BIOLOGY OF mee *BIO 1503 - bbennett@astate.edu The Blackboard Release 8 • http://blackboard.astate.edu/webapps/login/ • Or go to ASU website: www.astate.edu  Click on students  Click on Blackboard  Click on Blackboard release 8  Click login - Type in your email address and email password. Introduction Botany As A Science • At first, interest in plants was practical.  Centered around the production of food, fibers, fuel, and medicine. • Eventually, an intellectual interest arose.  Science involves the observation, recording, organization, and classification of information. I. What Is a Plant? A. Characteristics 1. Multicellular plants, from mosses to redwood trees 2. Have cellulose cell walls, perform photosynthesis 3. Unique ability to split water and in the process release oxygen 4. Autotrophic and eukaryotic 5. Makes life as we know it possible on this planet. 6. More than 250,000 species 7. The oldest living organism - "Methuselah" at 4,767 years, 8. Some with flowers, and others cones, and still others that produce swimming sperm (ferns and moss) I. What is a plant? B. Land Adaptations 1. Waxy cuticle — reduces water loss 2. Ability to absorb water from a variety of sources 3. Enclosed reproductive organs, called gametangia, in which gametes form 4. Enclosed sporangia in which spores form II. Human and Animal Dependence on Plants • Plants are the source of multiple products of human society:  Food  Perfumes  Dyes  Beverages  Lumber  Paper  Clothing Much of modern society is estranged from the natural world; people living in large cities often spend 90% of their time indoors and have little contact with nature. Urbanized society is far removed from the source of many products that make civilization possible. Most food is purchased in large supermarkets , most medicines are purchased at pharmacies and most building supplies are purchased at lumber yards. Society’s dependence on nature, especially plants is forgotten. III. Scientific Method A. The scientific method is the way scientists approach a question: 1. Focus on a single answerable question — reductionism 2. Based on observations, either with our senses or instruments 3. Create a hypothesis or model — “a guess of how things work” that also makes predictions 4. Test the hypothesis, are predictions right? •1 Observation of a phenomena •2 Generate a Hypothesis and predictions - has to be testable •3 Design (Methods) & complete experiment - collect quantitative data •4 Interpret data (RESULTS) •5 Accept/Reject hypothesis (Conclusion) •6 revise hypothesis if necessary (Retest?) III. Scientific Method B. “The steps” (RED=Science Paper) III. The Scientific Method E. Experiments • Procedure may be carried out under controlled conditions (or “in situ”)  Experimental Group – a variable is changed: problem is that there may be multiple variables  Controls: a version of the experiment that is the same except for the variable being tested — minus drug, for example  Replicates, because each organism is unique; Then compare averages with statistics III. The Scientific Method F. Results • Results of scientific tests may support a hypothesis, but cannot prove it! • Results may accept or reject a hypothesis = Does the data support the hypothesis? • May require redesign of experiment III. The Scientific Method G. Theory/Principle • 1. Group of related hypotheses that have withstood rigorous experimental testing.  A well tested hypothesis  A hypothesis that has stood the test of intensive investigation  A very powerful idea that is widely excepted  A biologist’s term that is close to a law • 2. Principle - Useful generalization derived from experimental data. IV. Diversification of Plant Study • Genetics  Science of Heredity - Enormous potential for further development of better agricultural, medicinal, and other useful plants. • Cell Biology  Science of cell structure and function. IV. Diversification of Plant Study • Economic Botany and Ethnobotany  Examines practical uses of plants and plant products. - Still vast amounts of botanical information yet to be discovered. Review • Human and Animal Dependence on Plants • Botany as a Science  Scientific Method • Diversification of Plant Study