BIOL 441 - Plant Physiology

Description:
A critical study of the physiological processes of plants including water relations, photosynthesis, mineral assimilation, and responses to the environment.

Prerequisites:
Prerequisites: BIOL 183 and BIOL 213 and CHEM 361.

Credits: (5)

Learner Outcomes, Activities and Assessments

Learner Outcome	Activity	Assessment
Students will be able to describe plant water relations and transport processes and predict movement of water in a biological system	Calculations and laboratory activities on plant water relations.	Graded worksheets including calculations and written examinations.
Students will be able to explain how light energy is converted, stored and transported as chemical energy through photosynthetic CO₂ assimilation processes for a variety of plant species.	Students will listen to presentations, diagram the steps of CO₂ assimilation in small groups and measure rates of CO₂ assimilation in laboratory exercises.	Graded laboratory and class worksheets and written examinations.
Students will be able to describe how plants respond to environmental and internal signals and compare and contrast these responses to those of animals	Laboratory and web-based activities to describe how plants respond to environmental signals, in-class discussion to contrast these response with those of animals	Written reflections for web-based activities. Written examinations.
Students will be able to describe cellular growth and fundamental biochemical processes for plant cells	In class presentations and laboratory exercises in which students measure biochemical reactions in plants cells	Worksheets, in-class quizzes and written examinations.
Students will be able to describe how plants assimilate minerals and identify the significance of these processes to other organisms including humans	Listening to presentations, worksheets to describe biochemical and cellular steps for mineral assimilation in plants	Written examinations and in-class quizzes.
Students will be able to carry out an investigative experiment in plant physiology, compile and analyze their data and communicate their results through a scientific paper	Laboratory exercises in which students design an experiment and collect and analyze physiological data.	Written laboratory reports in scientific format, rubric-graded by instructor.