Lecture topics:

• Biological Classification of Hydrophytes
• Salient Features of the Aquatic Environment
• Adaptations to the Aquatic Environment
• Vegetative Reproduction/perennation
• Sexual Reproduction
• Geographic Distribution of Aquatics
• Dispersal Mechanisms in Aquatic Plants
• Pennfield Bog—Diversity and Phytogeography
• Aquatic Plants of Costa Rica
• Value of Aquatic Plants to Humans
• Wetland Mitigation: the good, the bad, and some ethical concerns
• Aquatic Weeds and Control of Aquatic Vegetation
• Evolutionary Affinities and Origin of Aquatic Plants

Field/Lab:

This course is intended to be strongly field-oriented. Hands-on experience is vital. Field trips to various aquatic habitats will be conducted—plant materials will be collected and identified in the field and through keying in the lab upon return.

We will be out in the field as much as possible until a killing frost eliminates field work. Then herbarium specimens will be used, studying aquatic plants in systematic groupings.

Plant Collection:

Due: November 9, 1998

• Each student must turn in a collection of 75 spceimens. Collect one set for yourself and one set for the herbarium.

• Each specimen must have a label with the following:

  Family

  Scientific name (binomial and author)

  Common name

  Locality (State, county, town, specific site)

  Habitat information

  Relative abundance (abundant, frequent, common, infrequent, rare)

  Date

  Collector and collection number (e.g. Garrett E. Crow 9253)

• Collection is to be organized by Pteridophytes, Gymnosperms, Angiosperms

  (Monocots, Dicots), then alphabetically by family, genus, species

Supplies needed for field work

• Hip boots (or old sneakers—but it gets cold in the fall)
• Clothes suitable for work in water
• Hand lens (10x)
• Small field notebook
• Plastic bags
• Plant press (on loan from herbarium)

Term Paper and Oral Report

Each student will be required to prepare a term paper (10-12 pp.) on a topic relating to some aspect of aquatic plants. Oral reports will be presented during the last three weeks on the topic of the term paper. Presentations should be about 30 minutes long. Topics must be approved. A schedule for presentations will be established by November 2.

Due: December 16

Exams

Lecture exam: December 2

Lab exams:

Weekly field quizzes

Field exam: October 7

Lab exam: November 11

Lab final: December 9

 

 

Grades: A = 92-100 B = 82-91 C = 70-81 D = 60-69 F = 0-59

 Suggested Topics for Term Papers:

Ecological adaptations to the aquatic environment.

Physiological adaptations to the aquatic environment.

Aquatic plant communities.

Seasonal factors affecting growth and senescence of aquatic plants.

Insectivorous plants.

Dispersal and geographic distributions in aquatic plants.

Reproductive biology of aquatic plants: sexual and vegetative.

Aquatic plants as food for wildfowl.

Economic uses of aquatic plants.

Aquatic weeds—problems and control.

Wetland mitigation.

Wetland deliniation.

Any subject dealing with aquatics is appropriate.