intro to botany (ppt)

• Botany


  The scientific study of plants; also called plant biology
• Plants are photosynthetic, eukaryotic, multicellular organisms that contain chloroplasts with chlorophylls a and b, have cellulosic walls, are sessile, and produce embryos
• Plants


  • Photosynthetic
  • Eukaryotic
  • Multicellular
  • Contains chloroplasts with chlorophylls a and b
  • Have cellulosic walls
  • Sessile
  • Produce embryos
• People at work who can see plants report significantly greater job satisfaction than those who can't
• Plants produce most of the oxygen we breathe and most of the chemically stored energy we consume as food and burn for fuel
• Plants fix carbon dioxide into energy-rich molecules we animals can use as food
• Plants convert CO2 gas into sugars through the process of photosynthesis
• Reasons to study plants

  • To help conserve endangered plants and threatened environments
  • To learn more about the natural world
  • To better harness the abilities of plants to provide us with food, medicines, and energy
• Plants and other organisms take in and use energy through photosynthesis and cellular respiration
• Plants respond to stimuli in their environment, such as root growth and gravitropism
• Plants undergo growth and development, and form new individuals through asexual or sexual reproduction
• DNA molecules transmit genetic information from one generation to the next in plants and other organisms
• Populations of plants and other organisms change or adapt to survive in changing environments
• Properties of Life

  • Order
  • Energy processing
  • Growth and development
  • Regulation
  • Reproduction
  • Response to the environment
  • Evolutionary adaptation
• Criteria of Science


  • Consistent
  • Observable
  • Natural
  • Predictable
  • Testable
  • Tentative
• The scientific method is an objective and logical process by which we ask questions and find answers
• Botany follows the scientific method
• Scientists are committed to the truthfulness of their research findings and reports, and consider the potential benefits and ethical issues of their research
• plant molecular biology


  structures and functions of important biological molecules (proteins, nucleic acids)
• plant biochemistry

  chemical interactions within plants plus the chemicals they produce
• plant cytology (cell biology)


  structures, functions, and life processes of plant cells
• plant anatomy


  plant internal features (cells and tissues) a s revealed through dissection
• plant morphology

  plant external features (physical form and structures)
• plant physiology


  how plants function (photosynthesis, mineral nutrition, etc)
• plant ecology 


  interrelationships among plants, and between plants and their environment
• plant genetics


  plant heredity and variation
• paleobotany


  biology and evolution of plants in the geologic past (plant fossils)
• phytogeography/geobotany


  geographical distribution of plants
• plant taxonomy


  plant classification, identification, description, nomenclature, diversity
• phycology


  algae biology and taxonomy
• bryology


  non-vascular plants (mosses, liverworts, hornworts) biology and taxonomy
• mycology


  fungi biology and taxonomy
• pteridology


  ferns and fern allies biology and taxnomy
• palynology


  scientific study of living and fossil spores and pollen grains
• ethnobotany


  scientific study of traditional knowledge and customs of people concerning plants and their medical, religious, and other economic uses
• forestry


  forest conservation and forest products, e.g. lumber, ntfp
• agronomy


  field crops and soils
• horticulture


  the science and art of growing fruits, vegetables, flowers, or ornamental plants
• economic botany


  plants with commercial importance, e.g. spices, fibers
• pharmacognosy


  a branch of pharmacology dealing with medicinal substances of biological origin and especially medicinal substances obtained from plants