UNIVERSITY OF GUAM

COURSE OUTLINE

Course Number: BI 365 College: College of Arts & Sciences

Course Title: Taxonomy of Vascular Plants Division: Natural Sciences

Date of Final Approval: Credit Hours: 3

Semester Offered: Fall/Odd Years

Course Counts as: General Education Requirement

Ö Part of Biology major program

Ö Elective

1. CATALOG DESCRIPTION:

This course covers the principles, practices, and significance of plant classification, as illustrated by the flora of Guam. It includes three hours of lecture weekly. The Lab, BI 365L, MUST be taken concurrently.

Prerequisite: BI 157/157L and BI 158/158L or equivalent.

Corequisite: BI 365L

2. COURSE CONTENT:

Taxonomy, phylogeny and morphology of vascular plants. Lab permits detailed observations of selected species.

3. RATIONALE FOR THE COURSE:

Biology majors can utilize information about vascular plants especially within a framework of evolutionary history. Plants exert the dominant role in terrestrial habitats, and a knowledge of plants, particularly in the topics and on islands, is particularly useful.

4. SKILLS AND BACKGROUND REQUIRED OR EXPECTED:

BI 157-158, and BI 157L-158L, or equivalent

5. TEACHING METHODOLOGIES AND ANTICIPATED CLASS SIZE:

Lecture is taught by lecturing, but after introductory meetings most lectures are conducted by the students.

Lab involves the study of prepared specimens and the collection of local materials. Space (for materials – dryer, etc.) limits class size.

6. ADDITIONAL COURSE DESCRIPTORS:

None.

7. LEARNING OBJECTIVES FOR STUDENTS:

1. The student gains practice with concepts of evolution, using vascular plants as models.

2. The students gain practice in speaking and presenting information.

3. The students continue to learn phylogeny of the plant kingdom.

4. The students continue to learn organism morphology.

5. The students learn to associate specific plants and the ecosystems which they inhabit.

6. The students learn to identify local plants.

7. The students add to their base scientific information, which is the foundation for later understanding of relationships and processes.

8. METHODS OF EVALUATION:

Students take practical exams in lab.

Students present plant groups and are assessed as lecturers.

Students turn in plant collections of local materials.

9. REQUIRED AND RECOMMENDED TEXTS AND/OR STUDY GUIDES:

Smith, J. P., Vascular Plant families, latest edition, Mad River Press, 1977.

Raulerson & Rinehart, Trees and Shrubs of the Northern Mariana Islands, and Ferns and Orchids of the Mariana Islands.

10. SUBSEQUENT COURSES:

Knowledge gained in science course makes any subsequent science course easier. This is a course particularly useful for further work in Plant Diversity, Evolution and Ecology.