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Spring 2-1-2017

BIOO 433.01: Plant Physiology

Anna Sala
University of Montana - Missoula

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Sala, Anna, "BIOO 433.01: Plant Physiology" (2017). University of Montana Course Syllabi. 4739.
https://scholarworks.umt.edu/syllabi/4739

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BIOO 433 - PLANT PHYSIOLOGY – SPRING 2016 - LECTURE SYLLABUS (3 Credits)

Instructor: Dr. Anna Sala, NS 117 A; 243 6009; [email protected]

Meeting time and room: Tuesdays, Thursdays 11:00-12:20 LA 338

Recommended Texts:
1. Taiz and Zeiger 5th Ed. Plant Physiology. Sinauer. (Online Supplements)
2. Taiz, Zeiger, Møller, Murphy. 6th ed. Plant Physiology and Development. Sinauer

Office Hours: Thursday 2-4 PM or by appointment via email (write BIOO433 in subject)

Electronic Resources: Moodle

Course Description: This course is an introduction to the physiological processes underlying plant
growth and development and plant responses to the environment.

Learning Outcomes:
At the end of this course you should be able to:
1. Explain how plant growth (adding biomass) differs from that of animals
2. Explain the unique features of plant cells
3. Explain in general terms why plants need water and what they do to remain hydrated
4. Explain in general terms why plants need nutrients and how they manage to get them
5. Explain in general terms the process of photosynthesis and the goal of alternative
photosynthetic pathways
6. Provide examples of how plants manage to integrate function at the whole plant level despite
the lack of a coordinating system like a brain.
7. Provide examples of how plants sense their environment
8. Appreciate the relevance of the physiology of plants in ecology and agriculture
9. Integrate and synthesize scientific information on the physiology of plants

Course Structure:
The course consists of two 1 h 20 min lectures per week. Depending on student demand, additional
discussion sessions may be scheduled. From past experience, students benefit a lot from discussion
sessions. Because we do not follow any particular textbook (I only recommend one), class attendance
is fundamental and mandatory for this course.

Teaching style:
This is an intense course that covers the most fundamental, core concepts in plant physiology.
Realistically, there is much more material than we can cover in one semester. My philosophy is to
cover some topics in depth and just brush over other topics. My emphasis is on understanding,
critical thinking and integration of core concepts rather than on details and memorization. In some
cases, however, memorization helps people register facts that eventually become relevant for
understanding of core concepts. My lectures rely strongly on interaction with students. Therefore,
student participation in class is very important. Students are strongly encouraged to ask questions at
any time during class. Questions may be to either clarify concepts covered in class or to discuss any

BIOO 433- Plant Physiology Lecture- 1

other issues related to Plant Physiology (fun discussions often arise this way). Although class
discussions are very good, they also compromise our ability to move forward with the material and we
invariably get behind schedule. This is acceptable to a point and I try to find a happy medium where
we can have discussions but at the same time cover most of the material. This is why the class schedule
is only tentative. I will post earlier lectures so it is easy for you to take notes. I also post study guides
and, when necessary, new material used in class before each exam on Moodle.

What to expect:
Students generally like this course, but they invariably say that it is hard. Two main reasons make it
hard: 1) there is an incredible amount of basic, core material to cover in an introductory plant
physiology course; and 2) the material is inherently difficult and complex because it deals with
thermodynamics, organic chemistry, cellular biology, molecular biology and a long array of disciplines
that are not necessarily intuitive. My point is not to discourage students, but simply to alert students
that this is a course that requires commitment. Studying the day before the exam will most likely
not be enough. However, if you prepare correctly, you have a high chance to do well.

Some recommendations:
• Take good notes in class.
• After each lecture or at the end of each main topic rewrite your notes (with an emphasis on
understanding) according to your own style of learning. Prevent the accumulation of material to
study.
• After rewriting the notes for each main topic, go over the review questions (there may be up to
100 or so per topic!) and have a sense of how easily you could answer them. If you are having a
hard time for most of the questions, then you may need to revise your notes and study more. If
you can answer most of the questions you are well prepared.
• To help nail down the most important core concepts, try to summarize all your notes before a
given exam into a 1 or 2 page condensed summary. This really forces you to focus and extract
the core concepts. Again, keep in mind that understanding rather than memorization is the
emphasis.
• If, after studying, there are questions which you still do not know how to answer, then come
and see me during office hours or make an appointment.
• Going over study questions in groups can be very fun (sort of an academic trivia) and
productive. Students have benefitted a lot from this in the past.

Depending on student demand, we may dedicate some office hours to discussing questions as a group.

Exam Format:
I write exams trying to emphasize understanding. This should not be misleading, however. Generally,
if you do not know the facts, then there is little to understand. Therefore, knowing the facts precedes
understanding. Exam answers should give evidence of both knowledge and understanding. Students
must include the most important points in their answers and they must provide a clear and succinct
explanation of why important points are important. As in real life, ‘good enough’ is not enough. If you
aim for an A, your work needs to be excellent on all accounts (content, evidence of understanding and
writing). I often write some open-ended questions in exams. Students do not like these because they
have to use their own criteria for how to approach the question, justify their choice of approach and
provide enough information to address it based on their approach.

BIOO 433- Plant Physiology Lecture- 2

Special accommodation:
Make-up exams will be permitted only with compelling and supported reasons and necessary
arrangements prior to the scheduled exam. No early final exams will be given, so make any travel
plans accordingly. The University of Montana assures equal access to instruction through
collaboration between students with disabilities, instructors, and Disability Services for Students. If
you think you may have a disability adversely affecting your academic performance, and you have not
already registered with Disability Services, please contact Disability Services in Lommasson Center
154 or call 406.243.2243. I will work with you and Disability Services to provide an appropriate
modification. Please contact me one week before each exam if you require any service through DSS

Grading:
There will be five homework assignments (20 points each). These generally consist on reading papers
and/or interpreting data. Tentative dates are in the schedule at the end. Homework will be due one
week after it is handed out. Students will lose 10% of the grade per day late. We will have two regular
session exams and a final exam. The final exam is partially comprehensive. Exams consist of a few
very short questions and relatively short essay questions. Short essay questions are to explain certain
processes, interpret some results or make predictions based on information given. Graduate students
are also required to write a paper (5 pages maximum on how plant physiology can enrich their
graduate research. These papers must be turned in the last day of class.

• Exam 1: 100
 Exam 2: 100
 Final Exam: 150
 Homework: 100
 Total: 450

Students taking the lecture (450 points) and the lab (180 points) should view them as a single 4-
credit course and may opt to receive the same combined grade for both courses where the lab is ca.
30% of the grade.

Letter grade assignments are as usual: A = 90-100%, B = 80-89%, C = 70-79%, D = 60-69 and F <
60%.

Communication. I will use your UM email address to give updates about the class. So make sure to
check it often and/or link it to the email address you commonly use. Feel free to write me via email,
but please write BIOO433 in the subject so I do not erase it.

Ads, drops and changes of grade: I will follow university policies on drops, ads, and changes of
grade. Please check the Registrar’s Office Calendar for important deadlines and dates after which
course changes are not automatically approved. Requests to drop or change the grade basis to benefit a
student’s grade point average will not be approved.

Tentative schedule: The table below provides a tentative schedule. Note the homework dates may
change depending on where we are (I will let you know if so) but exam dates will not change. Also
note that chapters marked with an asterisk will not be covered in detail during lecture. Reference to
these chapters will be made when discussing the corresponding lecture topics.

BIOO 433- Plant Physiology Lecture- 3

Tentative lecture & homework schedule

Chapter
Week Dates Topic
(5th ed.)
1 Jan. 24 Introduction, Characteristics of plants
Jan. 26 Overview plant cells 1
2 Jan. 31 Overview plant cells 1
Feb. 2 Cell walls 15
3 Feb. 7 Water relations Homework 3, 4, 26*
Feb. 9 Water relations 3, 4, 26*
4 Feb. 14 Water relations 3, 4, 26*
Feb. 16 Mineral nutrition 5, 26*
5 Feb. 21 EXAM 1
Feb. 23 Mineral nutrition Homework 5, 26*
6 Feb. 28 Mineral Nutrition 5, 26*
Mar. 2 Solute Transport 6
7 Mar. 7 Photosynthesis: light reactions. 7
Mar. 9 Photosynthesis: light reactions 7
8 Mar. 14 Photosynthesis: dark reactions. Homework 8
Mar. 16 Photosynthesis: dark reactions 8
9 Mar. 21-23 SPRING BREAK
10 Mar. 28 Photosynthesis: Ecology 9
Mar. 30 EXAM 2
11 Apr. 4 Phloem transport. Homework 10
Apr. 6 Respiration 11
12 Apr. 11 Nitrogen Assimilation 12
Apr. 13 Secondary Metabolism. 13
13 Apr. 18 Phytochrome. Homework 17
Apr. 20 Blue light Responses 18
14 Apr. 25 Flowering 25
Apr. 27 Hormones 19-24
15 2-May Hormones 19-24
4-May Hormones 19-24
16 9-May FINAL EXAM (8:10-10:10)

BIOO 433- Plant Physiology Lecture- 4