BIOL 2202 Plant Physiology 1

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BIOL 2202 Plant Physiology 1

• Examiner
• A/Prof Mark Sutherland
• Room C211A
• 4631 2360, marksuth_at_usq.edu.au
• http//www.usq.edu.au/unit/synopsis/62212.htm

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PRE-REQUISITE(S) BIO2103/62103 RATIONALE The
purposes of this course are to relate the
structure of whole plants and their tissues to
their known functions and to explore the major
physiological processes during plant growth and
development.
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OBJECTIVES 1.Understand how the different
tissues and organs enable the plant to
function as an integrated system, responsive to
the interaction of internal and external
processes. 2.Understand the basic principles
governing plant cell growth and the role of
individual cell growth and development of the
organism. 3.Understand the effects of
major environmental factors on normal plant
functioning and physiological adaptations to
these external factors. 4.Have gained
experience and skills in experimentation with
plants in the laboratory and glasshouse.
5.Have improved skills in the written
communication of scientific knowledge.
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TOPICS Description
Weighting() 1.Plant water
relationships
25.00 2.Plant Nutrition
25.00 3.Plant Growth
and Development
30.00 4.Stress and Plant Ecophysiology
20.00
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TEXTS Pechenik, J.A. 2001, A Short Guide to
Writing about Biology, 4th edn, Longman, NY, ISBN
0 321 07843 8. Taiz, L. Zeiger, E. 1998, Plant
Physiology, 2nd edn., Sinauer Assoc., Sunderland,
Mass.
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ASSESSMENT DETAILS No Due Description
Wtg() 1 WK 9
1.5 HR RESTRICTED EXAM 30.00 2 END
S1 1.5 HR RESTRICTED EXAM 30.00 3
19/04/02 WRITTEN ASSIGNMENT 15.00 4
PASSIM REPORTS ON PRACTICALS 25.00
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Topic 1 Water Movement in Plants

• Water comprises 80-95 of the freshweight of
  actively growing herbaceous plants
• 35-75 of wood
• 5-15 of mature seeds

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The functions of water in plants

• The major component of the cell protoplasm
• A reactant in many physiological processes
• A solvent for gases and solutes, the medium for
  transport around the plant
• Maintains tissue turgidity

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What are the physical properties of water
exploited by plants??

• A liquid at most environmental temperatures
• Dissociates into ions in solutions
• Forms hydrogen bonds due to its polar nature
• TZ Figs 3.3 3.4
• Incompressible the laws of hydraulics apply
• A common solvent high dielectric constant
• High specific heat
• High latent heat of vaporisation
• Adhesion, cohesion and surface tension are high
  -gt capillarity.