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Plant Biology (24 credits)

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Offered by: Natural Resource Sciences     Degree: Bachelor of Science (Agricultural and Environmental Sciences)

Program Requirements

This specialization emphasizes the study of plants from the cellular to the organismal level. The structure, physiology, development, evolution, and ecology of plants will be studied. Most courses offer laboratory classes that expand on the lecture material and introduce students to the latest techniques in plant biology. Many laboratory exercises use the excellent research and field facilities at the Morgan Arboretum, ¿´Æ¬ÊÓƵ Herbarium, Emile A. Lods Agronomy Research Centre, the Horticultural Centre and the Plant Science greenhouses as well as ¿´Æ¬ÊÓƵ field stations. Students may undertake a research project under the guidance of a member of the Plant Science Department as part of their studies. Graduates with the specialization may continue in post-graduate study or work in the fields of botany, mycology, molecular biology, ecology, conservation or environmental science.

Specialization Adviser: Professor Marcia Waterway
Raymond Building 2-021b
Telephone: 514-398-7864

Required Courses (12 credits)

  • PLNT 353 Plant Structure and Function (3 credits)

    Offered by: Plant Science (Agricultural & Environmental Sciences)

    Overview

    Plant Science : The general anatomy and physiology of vascular plants with emphasis on the cells, tissues, organs, chemical components of plants and the physiological processes associated with their function.

    Terms: Fall 2010

    Instructors: Bede, Jacqueline (Fall)

    • Fall
    • 2 lectures and one 3-hour lab
    • Prerequisites: PLNT 201 or AEBI 210 and FDSC 211 or LSCI 211
  • PLNT 358 Flowering Plant Diversity (3 credits)

    Offered by: Plant Science (Agricultural & Environmental Sciences)

    Overview

    Plant Science : Principles of classification and identification of flowering plants and ferns, with emphasis on 35 major families of flowering plants and the habitats in which they grow.

    Terms: Fall 2010

    Instructors: Waterway, Marcia J (Fall)

    • 2 lectures, one 3-hour lab, plus a 4-day field week held the week preceding the start of classes
    • A $50 fee is charged to all students registered in this course, which has a fieldwork component prior to the beginning of classes in August. This fee is used to support the cost of excursions, a hand lens, instructional handouts and identification aids. Students who have already received a hand lens may request a reimbursement of a portion of this charge through their department.
    • Prerequisites: PLNT 201 or AEBI 210 or ENVR 202 or permission of instructor
  • PLNT 426 Plant Ecophysiology (3 credits)

    Offered by: Plant Science (Agricultural & Environmental Sciences)

    Overview

    Plant Science : Investigates of the complex interactions between plants and their environment, focusing on the mechanisms underlying plant physiological processes. Plasticity of plants to their ecological environment; topics include phytoremediation, plant stress responses, plant-symbiosis and plant-insect interactions.

    Terms: Winter 2011

    Instructors: Bede, Jacqueline (Winter)

  • PLNT 460 Plant Ecology (3 credits)

    Offered by: Plant Science (Agricultural & Environmental Sciences)

    Overview

    Plant Science : Theory and practice of plant ecology with an emphasis on the interaction between patterns and ecological processes and the dynamics, conservation and management of plant populations and communities over a range of temporal and spatial scales.

    Terms: Fall 2010

    Instructors: de Blois, Sylvie (Fall)

    • 3 lectures and one 3-hour lab
    • Prerequisite: AEMA 310 or permission of instructor.

Complementary Courses (12 credits)

12 credits of complementary courses selected from:

  • BINF 511 Bioinformatics for Genomics (3 credits)

    Offered by: Plant Science (Agricultural & Environmental Sciences)

    Overview

    Bioinformatics : Bioinformatics methods and reasoning in relation to genomics, proteomics and metabolomics strategies with an emphasis on functional genomics data. The course will cover introduction to UNIX, Perl programming, data processing and integration, file parsing, relational database design and implementation, angled towards solutions relevant for genomics.

    Terms: This course is not scheduled for the 2010-2011 academic year.

    Instructors: There are no professors associated with this course for the 2010-2011 academic year.

    • Prerequisite: Understanding of cell and molecular biology (equivalent to a cell or molecular biology course) or permission from instructor.
  • CELL 500 Techniques Plant Molecular Genetics (3 credits)

    Offered by: Plant Science (Agricultural & Environmental Sciences)

    Overview

    Genetics : Plant biotechnology, recombinant DNA techniques, transgenic plant generation (genetically modified plants) as well as gene and gene product analysis.

    Terms: Fall 2010

    Instructors: Charron, Jean-Benoit (Fall)

  • CELL 501 Plant Molecular Biology and Genetics (3 credits)

    Offered by: Plant Science (Agricultural & Environmental Sciences)

    Overview

    Genetics : Photosynthesis, plant development, plant genome mutagenesis and analysis, and plant stress are discussed. Journal articles and reviews on all aspects of plant molecular biology and genetics.

    Terms: This course is not scheduled for the 2010-2011 academic year.

    Instructors: There are no professors associated with this course for the 2010-2011 academic year.

  • ENVB 313 Phylogeny and Biogeography (3 credits)

    Offered by: Natural Resource Sciences (Agricultural & Environmental Sciences)

    Overview

    Environmental Biology : Phylogeny reconstruction; principles of systematics; predictive power of phylogenetic trees; theory and principles of biogeography; historical biogeography of plants and animals; role of abiotic and biotic factors in shaping distributions.

    Terms: Fall 2010

    Instructors: Wheeler, Terry A; Waterway, Marcia J (Fall)

    • Fall
    • Prerequisite: AEBI 212 or WILD 212
    • Restriction: Not open to students who have taken WILD 313
  • NUTR 512 Herbs, Foods and Phytochemicals (3 credits)

    Offered by: Human Nutrition (Agricultural & Environmental Sciences)

    Overview

    Nutrition and Dietetics : An overview of the use of herbal medicines and food phytochemicals and the benefits and risks of their consumption. The physiological basis for activity and the assessment of toxicity will be presented. Current practices relating to the regulation, commercialization and promotion of herbs and phytochemicals will be considered.

    Terms: Fall 2010

    Instructors: Johns, Timothy A (Fall)

    • Fall
    • 3 lectures and a project
    • Prerequisites (Undergraduate): FDSC 211 or LSCI 211 or BIOL 201 or BIOC 212
  • PLNT 203 Economic Botany (3 credits)

    Offered by: Plant Science (Agricultural & Environmental Sciences)

    Overview

    Plant Science : Study of plants which are useful or harmful to humans, their origins and history, botanical relationships, chemical constituents which make them economically important; their roles in prehistoric and modern cultures and civilization and possible impact in the future.

    Terms: Fall 2010

    Instructors: Watson, Alan K (Fall)

  • PLNT 310 Plant Propagation (3 credits)

    Offered by: Plant Science (Agricultural & Environmental Sciences)

    Overview

    Plant Science : Principles and practical aspects of plant propagation are examined. The course consists of two parts. The first third deals with sexual propagation; the production, processing storage certification and analysis of seeds. The remaining two-thirds deals with vegetative propagation; cutting, budding, grafting, layering, and tissue culture.

    Terms: Winter 2011

    Instructors: Donnelly, Danielle J (Winter)

    • 3 lectures and one 3-hour lab
  • PLNT 315 Herbs and Medicinal Plants (3 credits)

    Offered by: Plant Science (Agricultural & Environmental Sciences)

    Overview

    Plant Science : Biochemistry and ecophysiology of the active ingredients in medicinal plants. Links between cultivation practices and plant compounds. The effect of propagation and environmental factors on active compounds are examined using greenhouse experiments, followed by quantification of active ingredients by analytical techniques and analysis of bioactivity.

    Terms: This course is not scheduled for the 2010-2011 academic year.

    Instructors: There are no professors associated with this course for the 2010-2011 academic year.

    • Prerequisite: AEBI 210 or PLNT 201 or permission of instructor.
  • PLNT 424 Cellular Regulation (3 credits)

    Offered by: Plant Science (Agricultural & Environmental Sciences)

    Overview

    Plant Science : An overview of the cellular mechanisms used by prokaryotes and eukaryotes to regulate biosynthetic pathways. Topics covered range from control of gene transcription to the regulation of enzyme activity to the role of signal transduction pathways in the control of metabolic flux through cellular pathways.

    Terms: Winter 2011

    Instructors: Bede, Jacqueline (Winter)

    • Prerequisites: FDSC 211 or LSCI 211, AEBI 202 or LSCI 202 or permission of the instructor.
  • PLNT 435 Plant Breeding (3 credits)

    Offered by: Plant Science (Agricultural & Environmental Sciences)

    Overview

    Plant Science : Principles and practices of plant breeding, including reproduction of crop plants; plant hybridization; sources of genetic variation; selection methods used for self- and cross-pollinated crops and for clonally reproduced crops; breeding for diseases and pest resistance; applications of biotechnology in plant breeding.

    Terms: Winter 2011

    Instructors: Singh, Jaswinder (Winter)

    • Winter
    • Prerequisites: PLNT 201 or AEBI 210 and CELL 204 or LSCI 204
    • Restriction: Not open to students who have taken PLNT 535.
  • PLNT 489 Project Planning and Proposal (1 credit)

    Offered by: Plant Science (Agricultural & Environmental Sciences)

    Overview

    Plant Science : Preparation of a literature review and research plan for the project course (PLNT 490).

    Terms: Fall 2010, Winter 2011

    Instructors: Waterway, Marcia J (Fall) Waterway, Marcia J (Winter)

    • Restriction: Not open to students who have taken PLNT 490D1, PLNT 490D2, PLNT 490N1 or PLNT 490N2.
  • PLNT 490 Research Project (2 credits)

    Offered by: Plant Science (Agricultural & Environmental Sciences)

    Overview

    Plant Science : Directed study on approved research project requiring both oral and written presentation.

    Terms: Fall 2010, Winter 2011

    Instructors: Waterway, Marcia J (Fall) Waterway, Marcia J (Winter)

    • Prerequisite: PLNT 489
    • Restriction: Not open to students who have taken PLNT 490D1, PLNT 490D2, PLNT 490N1 or PLNT 490N2.
Faculty of Agricultural & Environmental Sciences—2010-2011 (last updated Jan. 19, 2011) (disclaimer)
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