BIO310
Syllabus
Plant Morphology/Embryology
Fall, 2007
Next offering Fall 2009
Extension 1263
bsmith@ycp.edu
Bruce B. Smith, Ph.D.
LS 235
Objectives and Course Description
Plant Morphology/Embryology will have as its primary objective the understanding that a flowering plant
species represents the zenith in terrestrial plant evolution. Because of this, knowledge of its development from
seed to seed is essential. A selected species will be studied from seed germination through development of the
next generation’s seed. Vegetative development, roots, flowers, pollen, ovules, pollination and embryogenesis
will be the focus in lectures. The laboratory will stress techniques of growing, harvesting, collecting and
microscopic analysis of selected tissues.
4-Credits
Lecture:
Laboratory:
Text References1:
TTH: 2:00-3:15
W:
11:00-1:45,
Bowman, J. Editor.1994. Arabidopsis, An Atlas of Morphology and
Development. Springer-Verlag. New York. (AAMD)
This atlas is intended as a reference book, both for scientists already familiar with plant
anatomy and for those utilizing Arabidopsis having come from other disciplines.
Johri, B.M. et. al.1992. Comparative Embryology of Angiosperms,(Vols.1 and 2).
Springer-Verlag. New York (CM)
This text is a review of the developmental processes leading to sexual reproduction in
flowering plants, and provides illustrated source material on sexual reproduction,
primitive and advanced embryological characters, and phylogenetic relationships.
1
Lecture and laboratory materials will be taken from these references. There is not a text available for
this course. You will need to take notes in both lecture and lab and make arrangements, if you feel it necessary,
to peruse these references.
Cristi, M. and A. Tiezzi. (Editors). 1992. Sexual Plant Reproduction. SpringerVerlag. New York. (SPR)
This book includes all the lectures presented during a course held in Siena, Italy in 1991.
It provides an overview of the state of the art of plant sexual reproduction known at that
time.
Cristi, M. et. al. (Editors). 1992. Atlas of Sexual Reproduction in Flowering
Plants. Springer-Verlag. New York. (ASR)
This atlas contributes to our understanding of plant reproductive cell structure, and gives
a striking portrayal of images throughout embryogenesis.
Raven, P.H. et. al. 1999. 6th Edition. Biology of Plants. W.H. Freeman and
Company Worth Publishers. New York (BOP)
Raven, et.al.2008. 8th Edition. Biology. McGraw-Hill. New York, NY.
A standard text for botany throughout the world and is the text for our 200 level botany.
The second Raven book is the book we chose to use in BIO I and II this year. Should you
need a general reference, I have copies. Copies may be available in Schmidt Library or
you could purchase them.
Besides the books mentioned above there would be many other references made
available on the major foci of this course. Lecture material is gleaned from these and
other sources. Please come by my office should you need to review any of these
references.
GRADING: ½ of your grade comes from the average of the lecture exams including any final exam, and the
other ½ comes from your laboratory work.
Attendance: You are expected to attend all scheduled lectures and laboratories.
Classroom Behavior: The student handbook should be consulted. The biology department’s academic honesty
and safety policies are attached to this syllabus.
8/28
8/30
9/4
9/6
9/11
9/13
9/18
9/20
9/25
9/27
10/2
10/4
10/91
10/11
10/18
10/23
10/25
10/30
11/1
11/6
11/8
11/13
11/15
11/20
11/27
11/29
12/4
12/6
12/11
TBA
Lecture Schedule
Vegetative Development:(BOP,C23)(AAMD, C1) Introduction,
Plant Form, Ch.36 ppt.
Vegetative Development (Continued),
Vegetative Development Vegetative Plant Development Ch. 37.
Vegetative Development (Continued) Flowers: Introduction,
Inflorescence
Vegetative Development Plant Reproduction, Ch. 42
Roots: Introduction; Flowers: (continued) Floral Organs, Nectaries
Roots: (Continued) Root Hairs; Pollen Introduction
Roots: (Continued) Root Growth; Ovules: Introduction, Ovule
development Ovules: (Continued) Megasporogenesis, Zygote and
Early Embryo Development
Exam #1
10.1_AAMDSeedling, Seed Shoot.ppt
(Con’t)
11.2_AAMDRoots.ppt
(con’t)
12.3_AAMDFlowers.ppt
Fall Break, Sat., 10/13-Tues., 10/16
(Con’t)
13.4_AAMDPollen.ppt
Exam #2
(Con’t)
14.5_AAMD Ovules.ppt
(Con’t)
15.6_AAMD POLLINATION.ppt
16.7_Embryogenesis.ppt
Developmental Reports, Power Point Presentations
Developmental Reports, Power Point Presentations
Thanksgiving Vacation, Wednesday, 11/21-Sunday, 11/25
Developmental Reports, Power Point Presentations
Developmental Reports, Power Point Presentations
Developmental Reports, Power Point Presentations
Developmental Reports, Power Point Presentations
Developmental Reports, Power Point Presentations
Final Exam, ½ from previous exams, ½ from material after exam #2
8/29
9/5
9/12
9/19
9/26
10/3
10/10
10/17
10/24
10/31
11/7
11/28
12/5
Laboratory Schedule
Laboratory orientation: preparation for keeping Laboratory
Journal and drawings. Arabidopsis, Introduction to plant,
preparations for germination and planting.
Introduction to references. Assignment of articles to obtain and
discuss. Continue Aribidopsis Seeding development studies
from previous week. Equipment orientation (microscopes).
Introduction to clearing technique, preparation of vegetative
tissues from seed germination, preparation of solutions needed,
“raj”slide preparation
Continue observations of developing plants, Dissection of
whole preserved flowers of Brassica sp. (Discuss Articles)
Collection of materials from growing Aribidopsis and Brassica
sps., Procedures of fixing, dehydrating tissues. (Discuss
Articles)
Analysis of selected, cleared tissues. Use both dissecting and
phase microscopes (Discuss Articles)
Dissection of ovules from selected Brassica sp.(Discuss
Articles)
Procedures for capturing images using Image grabber software.
Storing and retrieving files.
Continue use of procedures to collect, fix, and clear tissues.
(Discuss Articles)
Continue work on individual project for Journal2
Continue work on individual project for Journal
Thanksgiving Vacation, Wednesday, 11/21-Sunday, 11/25
Continue work on individual project for Journal
Continue work on individual project and turn in Journal
LABORATORY GRADE: Attendance and participation in discussion of primary articles will account for
1/3, neatness, completeness, and accuracy of laboratory journal accounts for 2/3.
2
You will need to purchase a journal notebook from the bookstore and keep impeccable notes and records of all your laboratory work
which will be handed in at the end of the semester and represents a portion of your lab grade.
LAB RULES:
™
No eating, drinking, gum/tobacco chewing
™
No open toed shoes, sandals, flip flops
™
Wear appropriate personal protection
™
Clean up spills and broken glass immediately
™
Know the location of safety equipment
™
Label all chemicals
™
Report unsafe situations to your instructor
™
Wash hands when you leave the lab
™
If you’re not sure, ASK!
STAY SAFE !
ACADEMIC HONESTY IN THE YORK COLLEGE
DEPARTMENT OF BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
Science and the teaching of science represent a search for truth and they rest on ethical behavior and
intellectual honesty. As such, both the Department of Biological Sciences and York
College of Pennsylvania unequivocally condemn academic dishonesty. Academic
dishonesty is defined in the York College Student Handbook as “all situations where a
student makes use of the work of others and claims such work as his/her own.” Because
the Department of Biological Sciences maintains high expectations for all students and is
committed to stringent standards of academic honesty, we contend that all published
information, in any form, must not be used unless rigorously paraphrased and properly
cited. Moreover, all tests, projects, assignments, and lab reports require a solo effort
unless specifically noted otherwise by the instructor. This means that the sharing of
text, images, tables, figures, or data analyses with classmates is a breach of academic
honesty. Furthermore, providing such information to others will be considered as
dishonest as accepting or taking the information.
Work done in lab may involve partners, but the formal partnerships end when the laboratory period ends. At the
end of a lab, each partner should leave with his or her group’s protocols, hypotheses, data, and any information
about procedural problems. Once the in-lab work is completed, the work shifts from a group effort to a solo effort.
This does not mean that students shouldn’t discuss lab concepts, problems, and general strategies and broad
interpretations. Talking about science is healthy and is encouraged. And, it is understood that lab groups may
obtain similar or identical quantitative data for a given project. In the end, however, data analyses and report
writing as well as the overall presentation and interpretation of these data are to be done independently by the
individual and not by the group.
If work submitted by two or more students appears unexplainably and unreasonably similar, academic dishonesty
will be assumed. In this event, the instructor will provide written notification to the student, the Department
Chair, and the Dean of Academic Affairs of the charge and the sanction. Documentation related to instances of
academic dishonesty will be kept on file in the student’s permanent record. If the academic dishonesty is the
student’s first offense, the instructor will have the discretion to decide on a suitable sanction up to a grade of 0 for
the course. If the Dean of Academic Affairs determines that the academic dishonesty is the student’s second
offense. The Student Welfare Committee will automatically conduct a hearing to review the charge and decide on
an appropriate sanction, which will involve academic suspension or dismissal from the College. Students are not
permitted to withdraw from a course in which they have been accused of academic dishonesty.
If questions about academic honesty arise, see the course instructor before completing and submitting your
work. In addition, specific information about the York College of Pennsylvania Academic Dishonesty Policy can
be found in the most recent edition of the Student Handbook.
Sign below:
I, _________________________, have read this statement and the syllabus for BIO152 and I understand and accept
departmental and college expectations of academic honesty and ethical conduct.
Last updated August 2005