What Is Plant Biology ?

Chapter 1

Outline

• Human and Animal Dependence on Plants• Botany as a Science

Scientific Method• Diversification of Plant Study

Human and Animal Dependence on Plants

• Plants are the source of multiple products of human society: Food Perfumes Dyes Beverages Lumber Paper Clothing Copyright © McGraw-Hill Companies Permission Required for Reproduction or Display

Botany As A Science

• 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

• 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

• Principle - Useful generalization derived from experimental data.

• Theory - Grouping of related principles.

Diversification of Plant Study

• 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

• 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

• 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

• Economic Botany and Ethnobotany Examines practical uses of plants and

plant products.- Still vast amounts of botanical

information yet to be discovered.

Review

• 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