Plant Ecology and Physiology (Remote/In-Person)

This year,  Plant Ecology and Physiology  will have a special focus on  forest trees . The program will address questions such as how do trees sense and respond to changes in their external environment? What are the chemical signals produced by trees in response to external stimuli (light, gravity, temperature) and how are these signals amplified within the larger plant community? We will engage in the study of individual plants/trees (autecology), the interactions among plants/trees (synecology), and the physiological interactions of trees with their environment (tree ecophysiology). Students will learn field methods for studying plant community ecology and plant physiology including vegetation sampling methods, methods for measuring plant growth, photosynthesis, water-stress, and tree water-use. Lecture topics will include plant communities; competition and trophic cascades; tree growth and development; nutrient cycling and nutrient requirements; hormones; tree water-use; sap production and sugar transport; wood anatomy; dendrology, photosynthesis; rooting; plant genetics and reproduction; and the potential effects of large-scale disturbances, such as climate change, on plant communities. Our readings will be divided between current widely used texts in plant physiology and ecology, historical papers of great importance, and current research papers from technical journals.

Weekly field days and individualized field assignments will allow us to explore methods, conduct hands-on work, and conduct student-driven research on plant ecology and physiology. We will also have a 4-credit unit on Ecological Statistics. This is also a writing intensive program for technical science writing. Communication skills will be emphasized, particularly reading scientific articles and writing for scientific audiences.