Download Understanding Our Environment

What Is Plant Biology ?
Chapter 1
Outline
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Human and Animal Dependence on Plants
Botany as a Science
 Scientific Method
Diversification of Plant Study
Human and Animal Dependence on Plants
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Plants are the source of multiple products of
human society:
 Food
 Perfumes
 Dyes
 Beverages
 Lumber
 Paper
 Clothing
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Botany As A Science
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At first, interest in plants was practical.
 Centered around the production of food,
fibers, fuel, and medicine.
Eventually, an intellectual interest arose.
 Science involves the observation,
recording, organization, and classification
of information.
Scientific Method
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Hypothesis - Tentative, unproven explanation
of an observation.
Experiment - Test to determine if a
hypothesis is correct.
 Variables - Aspects of the experiment that
can be changed or held constant.
- Control - All variables held constant.
Data - Results from the experiment.
Scientific Method
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Principle - Useful generalization derived from
experimental data.
Theory - Grouping of related principles.
Diversification of Plant Study
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Plant Anatomy
 Chiefly concerned with internal structure of
plants.
Plant Physiology
 Concerned with plant function.
Plant Taxonomy
 Plant Systematics - System of
classification and naming.
Diversification of Plant Study
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Plant Geography
 Study of plant distributions.
Plant Ecology
 Study of interaction between plants and
their environments.
Plant Morphology
 Study of the form and structure of plants.
Diversification of Plant Study
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Genetics
 Science of Heredity
- Enormous potential for further
development of better agricultural,
medicinal, and other useful plants.
Cell Biology
 Science of cell structure and function.
Diversification of Plant Study
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Economic Botany and Ethnobotany
 Examines practical uses of plants and
plant products.
- Still vast amounts of botanical
information yet to be discovered.
Review
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Human and Animal Dependence on Plants
Botany as a Science
 Scientific Method
Diversification of Plant Study
Copyright © McGraw-Hill Companies Permission Required for Reproduction or Display