Biology

The course will focus on the mechanisms underlying the uptake, transport and use of carbon, water, and mineral nutrients to provide an introduction to how plants make a living. Photosynthesis, respiration, water and mineral relations are discussed at the biochemical, cellular, whole-leaf and whole-plant scales. The relationship between primary metabolism and global atmospheric climate change will be discussed. Additional topics include the effect of abiotic environmental stresses on plants, including herbivory, extreme temperature, drought, flooding, and pollution.