COURSE SYLLABUS FOR NATIVE FLORA OF
BIOLOGY 208, SPRING 2008
8 JANUARY 2008
INSTRUCTOR: Dr. Paul T. Arnold
OFFICE:
TELEPHONE: 706-379-5131
E-MAIL: ptarnold@yhc.edu
WEB PAGE: www.yhc.edu – run your cursor over “academics” then “mathematics & science” and then “biology” on the purple bar near the top of the page, afterwards, click on “Course web pages”, and finally on “Biology 208 - Arnold”. Also, on the YHC biology homepage is a link to the "YHC Plant Image Database". This resource will have images of many of the plants that we will encounter in the field.
OFFICE HOURS: MWF 8:15 - 8:55 a.m., 11 – 12 noon
TuTh 10 - 12 noon
Other hours by appointment.
CLASS HOURS AND LOCATION: 2 - 4:55 p.m. Tu Th, Maxwell 109
(Most days we will meet for two hrs, the three hour time slot will be needed for many of our field trips! On lecture days, we will usually take a short break between the first and second hour.)
COURSE DESCRIPTION:
This course will attempt to introduce the student to plant taxonomy as
it applies to the flora of the southern Appalachian biogeographic region. Terminology applicable to the use of a
taxonomic key will be learned, and the use of a taxonomic key will be
practiced. Other botanical concepts,
e.g. nomenclature, basic plant anatomy & physiology, ecology, herbalism,
and biogeography, will be learned. Field
work will emphasize the identification of native flora of the
COURSE OBJECTIVES: Upon completion of this course, the student should:
1. Be familiar with the botanical terminology relative to the use of a taxonomic key.
2. Be familiar with the basic anatomy of the flower, inflorescence, leaf, stem, root, and other specialized plant structures.
3. Be able to use a taxonomic key in order to identify plants.
4. Be able to identify perennial plants in winter condition by using twig, bark, and other structural characteristics.
5. Be familiar with
at least 100 species of plants found in the
6. Be able to classify the above plants in their correct plant families.
7. Understand how plants are taxonomically categorized.
8. Should understand the scientific naming process of plants.
9. Should understand the fundamentals of plant ecology, and be able to perform basic ecological experiments.
10. Should understand the fundamentals of herbalism and it's application to medicine and folk culture.
11. Should understand the fundamentals of plant biogeography, and be able to recognize different biomes and plant associations.
12. Should be able to properly identify, collect, and prepare plants for the purpose of making herbarium specimens.
REQUIRED MATERIALS:
1. Radford, A., H. Ahles and C. Bell.
1968. Manual of the Vascular
Flora of the
2. Peterson, R. and
M. McKenney. 1968. A Field Guide to Wildflowers of the
Northeastern and North-central North America. Houghton Mifflin Co.,
RECOMMENDED MATERIALS: A good pocket knife, a good pair of walking shoes or boots, a mm ruler, and a magnifying lens.
GRADING PROCEDURES: During the course of the semester, there will be seven quizzes, each worth 50 pts. The lowest of these quiz scores will be dropped from consideration in grading. A 100 pt. final will be given that is comprehensive. There will also be a 50 pt. participation grade and a 50 pt. collection project. The participation grade will take into account attendance and participation in the lab and the field in the identification of plants. This is a subjective grade. More information on the collection project will be forthcoming. There will also be the possibility of 10 pts. extra credit, in the form of a paper (typed, double-spaced, 3 - 5 pages, 4 or more references listed in a bibliography: at least one reference should be electronic, and at least one reference should be non-electronic, topic deadline is one week before paper deadline) on a topic involving botany. This could include herbalism, ecology, or other factors dealt with in this course. If you wish, you could choose a topic that has not been covered in this course. All topics must be cleared with the instructor beforehand. These will be due Friday, April 18, 5 p.m. The points in this course will be tallied as follows:
7 Quizzes (lowest grade dropped) 300 pts.
1 Final Exam 100 pts.
Plant collection 50 pts.
Participation 50 pts.
Laboratory Work 40 pts.
TOTAL 540 pts.
Possible 10 pt. extra credit paper +10 pts.
GRADING SCALE: TOTAL POINTS EARNED LETTER GRADE
484 - 540 A
430 - 483 B
376 - 429 C
322 - 375 D
321 and below F
LATE WORK: Any assignment that is handed in late will be docked one letter grade per day it is late (this includes non-class days). Therefore, if an assignment would have earned an "A" on Friday, it will receive a "D" on Monday!
ACADEMIC HONESTY: It is expected of all students to uphold the integrity expected from an academic institution. Any cheating or dishonesty in any form will be grounds for failure. This includes, but is not limited to, giving or receiving unauthorized information regarding exams or assignments, copying or allowing copying of any assignment, lab write-up, or test, or plagiarism from copyrighted material. Violators of this policy will receive a “zero” on the assignment involved, AND will have their name and evidence of cheating submitted to the Academic Dean for possible further action (following the procedure in the Young Harris College Honor Code), which could lead to course failure! I have enforced this policy in the past, and I will continue to do so if the need arises. I will not tolerate cheaters!!!! Please consider the consequences, you will not be given another chance!
MAKE-UP POLICY: Quizzes cannot be made up!! If you miss a quiz it will automatically be turned into your dropped quiz grade. Remember . . DON'T PLAN DROP GRADES! If you skip a quiz, and then later miss a quiz because you are sick, you will still NOT be allowed to make up a quiz!!!!!
COMMENTS ON THIS COURSE: This course will spend a large amount of time in the great outdoors, our natural laboratory. Since this is the case, this course is unique in some of its demands. First of all, come prepared to WALK, as we will be doing a lot of searching for new flora. Second of all, dress in clothes that you won't mind ripping on briars (as we will be encountering many noxious and obnoxious weeds). Thirdly, BE PREPARED TO WORK! Please do not take this course unless you are prepared to participate!!! The following summarizes other concerns:
1. Watch out for POISON IVY. We will learn this plant as soon as leaves emerge!
2. DO NOT PICK ANY FLOWERS unless permitted to by the instructor. This area contains many exceptionally rare species of plants, many of them protected by law! Guidelines will be given to you regarding plant collections.
3. DO NOT CUT CLASS UNLESS YOU ARE SICK! Remember that every class you miss will take a big chunk out of your participation grade (i.e. it is hard to participate if you're not there!).
4. DO NOT BE TARDY! We will frequently leave for jaunts right on the hour. If you don't make it in time you may be left behind!
5. DO NOT SNEAK AWAY DURING CLASS! This would damage your participation grade more than anything else.
6. If you are allergic to bees, wasps, etc. DO NOT GO ON ANY FIELD TRIP unless you have checked with a doctor about allergy kits. This is YOUR RESPONSIBILITY! The instructor and the college are NOT RESPONSIBLE for the consequences of allergic reactions in the field if you fail to take the proper precautions!!!
7. BE CAREFUL IN THE WOODS! This area contains steep inclines, cliffs, copperheads, etc. Anybody acting in a way to endanger themselves or someone else will be removed from the course.
8. RESPECT the land and other people you
encounter. You are representatives of
9. SILENCE AND PUT AWAY ALL ELECTRONIC DEVICES during lectures, labs and while on the trail.
10. PLEASE NO TALKING while the instructor is describing plants in the field. . . you may miss important information, or you may prevent others from getting important information!
11. PLEASE STAY WITHIN “EARSHOT” of the instructor while on the trail. Otherwise you will miss much information that will be valuable to you for field quizzes, etc.
12. Since most of the places we will go
will not have “restroom facilities”, it is STRONGLY ADVISIBLE to visit these
facilities before we leave!!!!!!
13. Because of the dependence upon the weather, this schedule is purely tentative.
CALENDAR
FOR BIOLOGY 208, SPRING 2008
WEEK
#1
8 January 2008 -- Review of Syllabus, Introduction to Botany & Classification
10 January 2008* -- Field Day -- On campus study of gymnosperms
(Friday, 11
January 2008 is the last day to Drop/Add!)
WEEK
#2
15 January 2008 -- Common vs. scientific names, Floral terminology
17 January 2008 -- Flower Lab (Meet in Maxwell 109) - Turn
in your lab sheets at the end of the laboratory.
WEEK
#3
22 January 2008 -- Quiz #1 over classification, common and scientific names and floral terms; Lecture on Terminology of Inflorescences, Underground Parts of Plants, Stem and Leaf Terminology
24 January 2008 -- Stem and Leaf Lab (Meet in Maxwell 109) -
Turn in your lab sheets
at
the end of the laboratory.
WEEK
#4
(Monday, 28
January 2008 is the Georgia Tuition Equalization Grant Deadline!)
29 January 2008 -- Plant & Surface Terminology, General Terminology, Fruit & Seed Terminology
31 January 2008 -- Fruit and Seed Lab (Meet in Maxwell 109)
- Turn in your lab sheets at the end of the laboratory
WEEK
#5
5 February 2008 -- Quiz #2 over inflorescences, underground parts, stems, leaves, surfaces, and general terms; Key Usage Exercise
7 February 2008* -- Field Day -- Winter Identification of Plants, On campus
WEEK
#6
12 February 2008 -- Plant families
14 February 2008* -- Field Day -- Winter Identification of Plants, On campus
WEEK
#7
19 February 2008 -- Quiz #3 over fruits, seeds, and plant families; Plant Ecology lecture
21 February 2008* -- Field Day -- Winter Identification of Plants, On campus
WEEK
#8
26 February 2008 -- Quiz #4 on Key Usage (No lecture after the quiz)
28 February 2008 -- Plant Ecology
WEEK
#9
4 March 2008* -- Ecology Field Exercise -- Analysis of Ecological Succession (on campus)
6 March 2008 -- Herbalism, Turn in Exercise from
previous day
SPRING
BREAK !!!!!!!!!!
WEEK
#10
18 March 2008 -- Quiz #5 over herbalism and plant ecology; Lecture on Plant Biogeography (Last Day to Withdraw with an Automatic "W" is Wednesday 19 March 2008!)
20 March 2008* -- Field Day (
HAPPY
EASTER!!!!!
WEEK
#11
25 March 2008 -- Quiz #6 -- Field Identification Quiz (No lecture after quiz)
27 March 2008 -- Plant Biogeography
WEEK
#12
1 April 2008* -- Field Day (High Shoals)
3 April 2008* -- Field Day (Sosebee Cove)
WEEK
#13
8 April 2008* -- Field Day (Vogel)
IDEAS Symposium Day – 10 April
2008 – No Class!
Topic Deadline for Extra Credit Paper, Friday, 11
April 2008 at 5 p.m.
WEEK
#14
15 April 2008* -- Field Day (
17 April 2008* -- Field Day (Arkaqua Trail, Trackrock area)
Extra Credit Paper Due Friday, 18 April 2008 at 5 p.m.
WEEK
#15
22 April 2008* -- Quiz #7 -- Field Identification Quiz (No lecture after quiz)
24 April 2008* -- Field Day (Brasstown Bald)
Plant Collections Due, Friday, 25 April 2008 at 5 p.m.
WEEK
#16
30 April 2008 (Wednesday) -- Final Exam, 2 p.m.
HAVE
A GREAT SUMMER!!!!!!
* indicates that the entire 3 hr slot may be needed!
FIELD TRIP DATES AND DESTINATIONS ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE!!!!
CLASS ATTENDANCE POLICY
2007-2008
It is the policy of
When a student violates the attendance policy set by the instructor, the instructor notifies in writing both the student and the academic dean that the student has been withdrawn from the course. In cases where excessive absences have been caused by extremely extenuating circumstances--such as personal or family illness or death in the immediate family--a student who has been withdrawn from a course may appeal the decision of the instructor to the academic dean. This appeal must be made on a form obtained from the academic dean. It must be submitted no later than the class day following the day of notification. During the appeal procedure, the student continues to attend meetings of the class in question. The decision of the academic dean is final.
Students have the responsibility of keeping a record of their absences, of removing absences from the class roll on days when they are unavoidably tardy, and of making up all work missed in their absence.
Students who register for a course after the first class meeting should check with the instructor regarding their absences prior to enrollment.
===========================================================================
Instructor: Dr. Paul T. Arnold Course: Biology 208
Semester: Spring 2008 Period: TuTh 2 - 4:55 p.m.
Total number of absences allowed in this course: 7
____________ Excused
____________ Unexcused
____________ Tardy arrivals will count as one absence
Additional comments or instructions:
I have found, as an instructor, that there is usually
a direct correlation between attendance and course performance. Hence, it is unwise, and a waste of money, to
cut classes. Laboratories and quizzes
CANNOT BE MADE UP!!!!! Each absence from
class will result in a zero for that day’s participation grade! If you sign up for this course, plan to be
here every single day!
TALLY SHEET (Percentage can be determined by dividing "points earned" by "points possible" and multiplying the result by 100)
QUIZZES: PTS.
EARNED PTS. POSSIBLE
Quiz #1 __________ 50
Quiz #2 __________ 50
Quiz #3 __________ 50
Quiz #4 __________ 50
Quiz #5 __________ 50
Quiz #6 __________ 50
Quiz #7 __________ 50
SUBTOTAL(drop low score) ___________ 300
Final Exam ___________ 100
Collection ___________ 50
Participation ___________ 50
Flower Lab ___________ 10
Stem & Leaf Lab ___________ 10
Fruit & Seed Lab ___________ 10
Succession Exercise ___________ 10
Extra Credit ___________ 0
TOTAL ___________ 540
PLANT
COLLECTION INFORMATION
ASSIGNMENT: Collect at least twenty specimens of plants, press them, dry them, mount them on herbarium sheets, and provide the appropriate information on the herbarium gum labels. The twenty plants must be collected with the following requirements in mind:
1. No plant may be collected from private property without permission.
2. No endangered or threatened plant species may be collected (See attached list).
3. Do not collect a plant unless there are many in the area you are collecting.
4. Do not collect plants from wilderness areas or other restricted park areas.
5. At least 5 of the specimens must be from trees.
6. At least 1 of the specimens must be a fern or fern relative.
7. At least 2 of the specimens must be gymnosperms (these can also count as two of your trees!).
8. At least 1 of the specimens must be from a shrub.
EVALUATION OF SPECIMENS: Each plant specimen will be evaluated and judged using the following criteria:
1. Is the plant adequately dried and pressed? (0.5 pt deduction per plant if not)
2. Is the plant itself a good specimen representative of the species? (0.5 pt deduction per plant if not)
3. Were all of the criteria of the assignment followed? (2.5 pts deduction per plant if not)
4. Is the plant correctly identified with a common and technical (scientific) name? (2 pts deduction per plant if not)
5. Is the plant placed in the correct family? (1 pt deduction per plant if not)
6. Is the herbarium label completely filled out with correctly spelled information? (1 pt deduction for every item on label left blank, except for “altitude” which may be left blank, and 0.5 pt deduction if item is not spelled correctly, 2 pt deduction maximum per plant)
Each plant will be worth 2.5 pts. You may (and in fact are encouraged to) collect more plants than just twenty if you wish, however, a maximum of 55 pts. will be offered.
HINTS ON COLLECTION PROCEDURES:
1. Seek out plants with flowers (in the case of angiosperms), or good typical leaf specimens (in the case of trees). Choose a good specimen and take one for pressing and another for keying. Ideally, as you become more experienced, you will key plants as they are found. Generally, persons who work with plants regularly are able to recognize the family of a plant and proceed quickly through the keying process. Good sources of plants are in unmowed areas along edges of lots, vacant lots, railroad rights-of-way, edges of wooded areas, embankments, areas in fallow, the woods on the YHC campus, roadsides, and other suitable areas, but be sure that you are not collecting on private property or land where regulations prohibit collection of plants. Also, try to avoid collecting plants in residential areas or near homes (without permission), since many people enjoy roadside wildflowers and will be offended if someone picks them! DEFINITELY, do not collect endangered, threatened or sensitive species, species that are few in number at that locality. If possible, using an old table knife, heavy belt knife, trowel, special digging tool, etc., take enough of the root system of the plant to identify whether it is a taproot or fibrous system and clean as much of the soil as possible from the specimen. In the case of tree specimens, a branch with a few typical leaves would be ideal. Place the specimen in a folded single thickness of newspaper in the press with driers and ventilators placed to absorb and allow the transfer of moisture from the specimen. If the plant is too long for the press and to mount on the herbarium sheet with a margin of one inch, fold or (less desirable) cut the plant to fit. Place a label with the plant or write pertinent information on the margin of the newspaper. Kneel on the press or have another person press down on the press while you fasten the straps to place pressure on the specimens.
2. As soon as possible, identify the fresh specimen that you have placed in the plastic bag. Dried specimens can be keyed by first soaking them in water or wetting the flowers to make them pliable. Bagged specimens can be kept for some time in a refrigerator. If a group is collecting together, a cooler will maintain the freshness of the plants and has other uses to recommend it to a thirsty collector.
3. Keep the pressed plants in the press for AT LEAST 3 days for proper drying. Larger plants, or plants with thick leaves may take as long as 10 DAYS for drying. Also, wet weather may prolong the drying time. It is very important on this project to not wait until the last minute to do your collecting for obvious reasons. The secret to drying is to keep your press in a warm/hot & dry environment!
4. Remove plants from the press one at a time. Spread a thin layer of white glue on a glass plate using a finger or roller. Too heavy a coating will cause glue to flow over the top surface of the plant but can be removed by dabbing with a tissue. Too thin a coating will leave parts of the plant not sticking to the herbarium sheet, but glue can be dabbed in place to hold those portions down. When the glue becomes tacky or lumpy, wash the plate and form a new layer. Wash the plate when you are finished with your mounting session.
5. Attach the plant to the herbarium sheet at the bottom first, then carefully smooth it in place moving toward the top of the sheet and toward the sides. A good mount should be attached everywhere, should be neat in appearance and should stand considerable handling. Attach your label, lean back and breathe a sigh of relief at a job well done.
6. Manila folders will be provided to you. After you mount your specimens and the glue has dried, place all of the specimens in a folder and put your name on the cover before you turn your collection in. Your collection will be returned to you, with the grade, at the final exam.
ENDANGERED
& THREATENED PLANT SPECIES
The following is a list of plants considered protected by
the Georgia Department of Natural Resources which could be found in the area of
north
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Animals -- 43 |
|
|
Listing |
|
|
E |
Acornshell, southern ( Epioblasma
othcaloogensis) |
|
T(S/A) |
Alligator, American ( Alligator
mississippiensis) |
|
T |
Bankclimber, purple ( Elliptoideus
sloatianus) |
|
E |
Bat, gray ( Myotis
grisescens) |
|
E |
Bat, |
|
E |
Clubshell, ovate ( Pleurobema
perovatum) |
|
E |
Clubshell, southern ( Pleurobema
decisum) |
|
E |
Combshell, upland ( Epioblasma
metastriata) |
|
E |
Darter, amber ( Percina
antesella) |
|
T |
Darter, Cherokee ( Etheostoma
scotti) |
|
E |
Darter, Etowah ( Etheostoma
etowahae) |
|
T |
Darter, goldline ( Percina
aurolineata) |
|
T |
Darter, snail ( Percina
tanasi) |
|
T |
Eagle, bald (lower 48 States) ( Haliaeetus
leucocephalus) |
|
E |
Kidneyshell, triangular ( Ptychobranchus
greeni) |
|
E |
Logperch, Conasauga ( Percina
jenkinsi) |
|
E |
Manatee, West Indian ( Trichechus
manatus) |
|
T |
|
|
E |
Moccasinshell, |
|
E |
Moccasinshell, Gulf ( Medionidus
penicillatus) |
|
E |
Moccasinshell, Ochlockonee ( Medionidus
simpsonianus) |
|
E |
Pigtoe, oval ( Pleurobema
pyriforme) |
|
E |
Pigtoe, southern ( Pleurobema
georgianum) |
|
T |
Plover, piping (except |
|
T |
Pocketbook, finelined ( Lampsilis
altilis) |
|
E |
Pocketbook, shinyrayed ( Lampsilis
subangulata) |
|
T |
Salamander, flatwoods ( Ambystoma
cingulatum) |
|
T |
Sea turtle, green (except where
endangered) ( Chelonia
mydas) |
|
E |
Sea turtle, hawksbill ( Eretmochelys
imbricata) |
|
E |
Sea turtle, Kemp's ridley ( Lepidochelys
kempii) |
|
E |
Sea turtle, leatherback ( Dermochelys
coriacea) |
|
T |
Sea turtle, loggerhead ( Caretta
caretta) |
|
T |
Shiner, blue ( Cyprinella
caerulea) |
|
T |
Snake, eastern indigo ( Drymarchon
corais couperi) |
|
E |
Stork, wood (AL, FL, GA, SC) ( Mycteria
americana) |
|
E |
Sturgeon, shortnose ( Acipenser
brevirostrum) |
|
T |
Tern, roseate (Western
Hemisphere except |
|
E |
Three-ridge, fat ( Amblema
neislerii) |
|
T(S/A) |
Turtle, bog (southern) ( Clemmys
muhlenbergii) |
|
E |
Whale, finback ( Balaenoptera
physalus) |
|
E |
Whale, humpback ( Megaptera
novaeangliae) |
|
E |
Whale, right ( Balaena
glacialis) |
|
E |
Woodpecker, red-cockaded ( Picoides
borealis) |
|
|
|
|
Plants -- 22 |
|
|
Listing |
|
|
T |
Amphianthus, little ( Amphianthus
pusillus) |
|
E |
Rattleweed, hairy ( Baptisia
arachnifera) |
|
E |
Coneflower, smooth ( Echinacea
laevigata) |
|
T |
Pink, swamp ( Helonias
bullata) |
|
E |
Quillwort, black spored ( Isoetes
melanospora) |
|
E |
Quillwort, mat-forming ( Isoetes
tegetiformans) |
|
| |