Tree Physiology
Forestry 414/514
Instructor: Jennifer Franklin
jafranklin@utk.edu
Syllabus Spring 2007
Office: 134 PBB, 974-2724,
Credit hours: 3
2 hours lecture, 3 hours lab per week
Prerequisites: Biology 101/102, or Botany 110/120
Course description: A study of tree structure, growth and development, and function,
and how these are related to the environment and to cultural practices. Students may not
receive credit for both 414 and 514.
Course objectives: By the end of the course, students should be able to identify and
understand the function of all tissues of the tree. Students should understand how
environmental variables influence plant growth and distribution, and how forest
management practices affect plant growth and function through manipulation of the
environment. Students will have an understanding of the methodology and equipment
used in physiological measurements, and will also be able to critically review a paper in
the area of ecological physiology.
Suggested Text: Kozlowski, T. T. and S. G. Pallardy, 1997. Physiology of Woody
Plants, Second Edition. Academic Press, San Diego. (PWP) (On reserve in Pendergrass
Library)
Supplemental texts:
Kozlowski, T. T. and S. G. Pallardy, 1997. Growth control in Woody Plants. Academic
Press, San Diego. (GC) (On reserve in Pendergrass Library)
Raven, P. H. , R. Evert and S.E. Eichorn, 2005. Biology of Plants. (On reserve in
Pendergrass Library).
All reserve materials are available to be checked out for 2 hours or overnight, at the AgVet library.
Course exams and assignments:
Final exam (35%)
The final will be a take-home exam, given on the last day of classes and due at the
scheduled time of the final exam. It will consist of essay style questions.
Paper reviews (20%)
Each Wed. we will review a current paper in tree physiology. You should read the paper,
and make a list of things you did not understand, and strengths and weaknesses of the
paper. Bring this to class to use as a framework for our discussion, and I will collect
them at the end of the class period. Each student will lead a discussion on one of the
assigned papers. You will be assessed 10% for the paper discussion you lead, and a total
of 10% for weekly reviews and participation in discussions led by others. Discussion
leaders should begin with a summary of the paper, defining any unfamiliar terminology
and techniques, and pointing out the important results. Questions may address the theory,
methodology used, experimental design or statistics, how results are presented or what
they mean. I will lead the first few discussions.
Anatomy (15%)
In order to understand how the tree functions, you must know all of the tissues of the tree
and what each does. You will work on this primarily on your own, but questions in class
are always welcome. The module is available online at http://trees.tennessee.edu
A self-test is available for practice on the class blackboard site. You may use it as many
times as you like, it does not record a grade. You will have an exam covering this
material in lab on Apr. 11.
Lab assignment (30%)
You will perform your own experiment from start to finish. This portion of the grade is
based on your formal report, due on Apr. 25. More instructions to come.
Class Schedule
Week
Topic (Mon.)
Jan. 10
Introduction
Jan. 15 - 17
Holiday – no class
Jan 22 – 24
Jan 29 - 31
Feb. 6 – 8
Seed dormancy
Shoot dormancy
Light
Feb. 12 – 14
Feb. 19 – 21
Feb 26– 28
Mar. 5 – 7
Mar. 12 – 15
Mar. 19 – 21
No class
Carbon use
Water relations
Mineral nutrition
Spring break
Soil properties
Mar. 26 – 28
Apr. 2 – 4
Hormones
Sensing the
environment
Reproductive
growth
Biotechnology
Apr. 9 – 11
Apr. 16 – 18
Paper
(Wed.)
None
Reference
Lab
Lecture:
growth,
anatomy
Franklin
No class
Ch 2 – 4 PWP
Biology of
Plants
Ch 2 GC
Intro to course
module / microscopy
Ch 5 PWP
IRGA, LA meter,
Spectrophotometer
Ch 6-7 PWP
Ch 11-12 PWP
Ch 10 PWP
start investigative lab
Ch 10 PWP
Tensiometer, EC,
penetrometer,
Porometer, soil resp.
No class
Franklin
Tetrazolium testing
No class
Franklin
Ch 13 PWP
Ch 13 PWP
Ch 5 GC
Ch 5 PWP
Ch 6 and 8 GC
Ch 9 GC
Lab anatomy exam
End investigative lab