General introduction

Introduction

Plants are organisms characterized by the following traits:

Despite their enormous variation from a tiny moss to a giant tree, all plants are multicellular and eukaryotic (i.e., each cell possesses a membrane-bound nucleus that contains the chromosomes).
Plants are autotrophic organisms able to synthetize their own food by using photosynthesis process.
Plants are fixed in the substratum and depend on the environmental conditions and adapt by the cellulosic cell wall, the protective tissues and some molecules such lignin which give a stiff form to plants.
Plants have few differentiated tissues or organs and for that they have an indefinite growth and a high capacity of reproduction (sexual reproduction, vegetative propagation).
Unlike to animals, plants have two alternating life generations: the diploid sporophyte which produces spores and the haploid gametophyte which produces gametes.
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Learning objectives

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Block 1:Principles of plant classification and nomenclature

Introduction

Classification enables establishing relationships among organisms, knowing the characteristics of groups of organisms and providing an organized way of studying them. While classifying, one will require using appropriate names at each level of classification. In this block, the general principles of classification are outlined but also the rules followed in naming organisms. The basic concepts developed in this block are very important to better understand the content of the next blocks of this module.

Learning objectives

At the end of this block, students will be able to:

- explain the principles followed in classifying and naming plants;

- discuss the heterogeneity and evolution of plants;

- discuss the significance of plant classification and nomenclature;

- P ropose reliable criteria to be used for a coherent classification system.

Block 2: Algae

Introduction

Alga is a collective term for all chlorophyll bearing organisms which are thalloid. Their body is showing no differentiation into true tissues or organs (such as roots, leaves or stem) and is thus called a thallus. This term is used even if the plant is unicellular. Algae have chloroplasts and produce their own carbohydrates by photosynthesis, as plants do. Due to their phylogenetic position, the green algae are considered as ancestors of plants and older classification systems placed Algae in the Plantae kingdom. However, algae lack tissue differentiation and thus have no true roots, stems, or leaves. Despite those differences, this group will be studied in this module which is normally allocated to true plants.

Learning objectives

By the end of this block, you will be able to:

- enumerate the general characteristics of algae

- distinguish between the basic forms of algae

- classify algae in different major groups and give examples of algae from each group

- discuss the importance of algae in aquatic ecosystems

Block 3: Bryophytes or non vascular plants

Introduction

Bryophytes are small and inconspicuous plants. They have no vascular tissue or wood to lend them structural support, nor do they have large leaves or showy cones or flowers. This does not mean that mosses are not important. Due to its phylogenetic position, we will study this group before the remaining plant groups.

Learning objectives

By the end of this block, you will be able to:

- enumerate the general features of bryophytes

- distinguish between major groups of bryophytes according to their characteristics

- discuss the phylogenetic position of bryophytes

- discuss the ecological importance of bryophytes

Block 4: Tracheophytes or Vascular plants

Introduction

Vascular plants also known as Tracheophytes and also higher plants, form a large group of plants that are defined as those land plants that have lignified tissues (the xylem) for conducting water and minerals throughout the plant. They also have (non-lignified) tissue to conduct products of photosynthesis. Beside these major characteristics, vascular plants exhibit other features that enable them to be considered as the most adapted to land life. This block is an overview of the major vascular plant groups with their adaptive characteristics their ecological and economic importance.

Learning objectives

At the end of the block, students will be able to:

- enumerate the general characteristics of vascular plants

- explain the life cycles of different groups of vascular plants

- discuss adaptations of vascular plants to land life

- state examples of common plants from each group of vascular plants

Block 5: Plant external structures

Introduction

The plant structure can be studied externally or internally. The external study deals with description of the physical form and external structures of plants while internal study concerns investigations of plant anatomy which refers to internal plant structures at the cellular level, and often involves the sectioning of tissues and microscopy for detailed observation.

Learning objectives

At the end of the block, students will be able to:

- describe the morphology of plant organs

- discuss the functions of the plant organs

- label a drawing showing the external parts of a monocot and dicot organ

Block 6: Plant internal structures

Introduction

Plant anatomy is the study of internal structure of plant organs by technique of section cutting. This study is facilitated by the use of microscope by which the structure of the cells and tissues can be observed and described. Modern plant anatomy tries to relate structure to function, ecological adaptation, and evolution.

Learning objectives

At the end of the block, students will be able to:

- describe the internal structure of a seed plant;

- locate the different plant tissues in dicots and monocots;

- label a drawing showing the internal parts of a monocot and dicot organ;

- explain primary and secondary growth in monocots and dicots;

- associate the function to the structure of each type of plant tissue;

prepare anatomical sections in various plant organs and describe tissues under light microscope

Block 7: Plant Growth and Development

Introduction

Growth is an irreversible increase in size (length, volume, mass, dry weight). Development is the coordinated sequence of cell divisions, growth, and differentiations leading to the formation of new organs and tissues.

During development there is a progressive change toward a more specialized (different) state.

In this block the orderly progression from zygote to seedling of a flowering plant will be discussed.

Learning objectives

At the end of the block, students will be able to:

- explain the flower development process;

- describe sexual reproduction in plants;

- describe the different stages of embryo development in angiosperms;

- describe morphological changes in seed germination and seedling development ;

- discuss regulation of growth and plant development.

Block 8: Plant nutrition

Introduction

Plant nutrition is the study of the chemical elements and compounds that are necessary for plant growth, and also of their external supply and internal metabolism.

Every organism is an open system connected to its environment by a continuous exchange of energy and materials. In the energy flow and chemical cycling that keep an ecosystem alive, plants and other photosynthetic autotrophs perform the key step of transforming inorganic compounds into organic ones. At the same time, a plant needs sunlight as its energy source for photosynthesis and raw materials, such as CO₂ and inorganic ions, to synthesize organic molecules. The root and shoot systems extensively network a plant with its environment.

This block focuses on how gases are exchanged and how nutrients are transported and used by the plant to manufacture their organic molecules.

Learning objectives

At the end of the block, students will be able to:

- explain the mechanism of water absorption and mineral nutrition;

- explain the role of macro-elements and micro-elements of the nutrition of plants;

- explain the mechanism of plant transpiration;

- describe the role that chlorophylls and the other pigments found in chloroplasts play to initiate the light-dependent reactions;

- explain the role of the two energy-carrying molecules produced in the light-dependent reactions (ATP and NADPH) in the light-independent reactions;

- describe the Calvin-Benson cycle in terms of its reactants and products;

- explain how C-4 photosynthesis provides an advantage for plants in certain environments;

measure physiological processes in plant under given environmental conditions.

BIO 102:Plant diversity structure and Function

Section outline

General introduction

Introduction

Learning objectives

Block 1:Principles of plant classification and nomenclature

Introduction

Learning objectives

Block 2: Algae

Introduction

Learning objectives

Block 3: Bryophytes or non vascular plants

Introduction

Learning objectives

Block 4: Tracheophytes or Vascular plants

Introduction

Learning objectives

Block 5: Plant external structures

Introduction

Learning objectives

Block 6: Plant internal structures

Introduction

Learning objectives

Block 7: Plant Growth and Development

Introduction

Learning objectives

Block 8: Plant nutrition

Introduction

Learning objectives

Topic 9

Topic 10

Main content blocks

Section outline

Introduction

Introduction

Learning objectives

Introduction

Learning objectives

Introduction

Learning objectives

Introduction

Learning objectives

Introduction

Learning objectives

Introduction

Learning objectives

Introduction

Learning objectives

Introduction

Learning objectives