120 311 Flora of Nj Kasper

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Course Syllabus/ Fall 2013

120:311 Flora of New Jersey

INSTRUCTORS: Dr. Andrew Kasper EMAIL: [email protected]

OFFICE/OFFICE

HOURS:

Boyden 136

Tues. Period 3

Thurs. Period 2 &

by arrangement

moodle or Blackboard or other

COURSE

LOCATION(S):

Boyden 125 (Mon.)

Conklin 448 (Thurs.)MEETING TIME(S):BOYDEN 125(12:00TO 4:20)

Conklin 448 (1:00 to 2:20)

COURSE DESCRIPTION:

Study of the native plants of New Jersey: wildflowers, shrubs and trees; emphasis on ferns and fern allies, conifers and

flowering plants; fundamental concepts: biological species, field identification, nomenclature (naming), classification

(hierarchy) and evolutionary processes (homology); extensive field trips are a major portion of the course.

PREREQUISITES:

Plant Kingdom 120: 211, Bio. Seed Plants 120:230, Plant Physiology 120:330 or permission of instructor

REQUIRED TEXT:

Walters, D. R. & D. J. Keil. Vascular Plant Taxonomy (latest edition); field guides will be provided

LEARNING OBJECTIVES/GOALS: FOR EXAMPLE

Upon successful completion of this course, participants will be able to:

1. Have a clear understanding of the major groups of vascular plants at the Phylum level, i.e., what

evolutionary advances warrant the separation of species into major groups, i.e., different phyla

2. Be able to identify and classify prominent native genera and species in the flora of New Jersey;become proficient in using various manuals and keys for identification

3. Understand the major biological concepts associated with systematics: the concept of species,

hierarchy (genus, family, etc.), variation versus adaptation, recognition of homologous structures,importance and formation of scientific names (nomenclature), the "type" concept in systematics and the


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role of the International Code of BotanicalNomenclature4. Learn the basic morphology and life history of the ferns & fern allies, conifers (cone-bearing trees)

and flowering plants: wildflowers, shrubs and flowering trees

5. Have a clear understanding of the flower, its parts, their functions, modifications, role of fruits andseeds and interaction with pollinators

6. As a writing intensive course, various writing exercises will fine-tune your writing skills: in the

organization of each paper, in good progression of paragraph sequence, use of proper sentence structure

and overall clarity in presentation


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Course Syllabus/Fall2013

120:311 Flora of New Jersey

SCHEDULE AND COURSE OUTLINE: Dates listed by week; lectures will meet twice every week and recitation will meet every

week, unless otherwise noted. Weekly dates of quizzes and due dates for written projects are listed, but please note there

will be additional smaller assignments throughout the semester. Due dates for these assignments will be regularly updated

on the courseBlackboard site.

WEEK MEETING TOPICNOTES/READING

ASSIGNMENTS/EXAMS

Week 1

Introduction to plant systematics: processes of

identification, description, nomenclature, classification;

concept of homology and phylogeny; overview of Plant

Kingdom; species concept; hierarchy

Week 2

Field trip for ferns and species of "club mosses"/"ground

pines" (the "lycopods"); introduction to the Phylum

Lycopodiophyta: morphology and field identification

Week 3

Introduction to the ferns (Polypodiophyta); their

morphology, structures and their functions, homologous

features; life history

Week 4

Field trip for the ferns: field identification of common

species in the New Jersey flora; morphology, variation

and homologous features

Week 5

EXAMINATION I(emphasis on lecture material);

introduction to the flowering plants (angiosperms); the

flower, parts, functions, pollination and fertilization

Week 6

Field trip for identification of common and native

wildflowers, shrubs and trees using various field manuals;

select families: Magnoliaceae, Lauraceae, Fagaceae,

Betulaceae

Week 7

EXAMINATION II (emphasis on field identification);

outline of the major families of flowering plants

prominent in New Jersey: Ulmaceae, Juglandaceae,

Rosidaceae

Week 8

Field trip to reinforce field identifications; trees andshrubs representing major flowering families in New

Jersey: Fabaceae (legumes sensu lato)

Week 9LAST DAY TO DROP COUSE WITH "W"; Field trip for field

identification: angiosperm trees and shrubs

Week 10

EXAMINATION III(emphasis on lecture); introduction to

the conifers; morphological features, functions, the cone

and parts, the strobilus

Week 11RUTGERS MODIFIED WEEK for Thanksgiving; pollination,

fertilization, seed development and dispersal in conifers
https://blackboard.newark.rutgers.edu/webapps/portal/frameset.jsphttps://blackboard.newark.rutgers.edu/webapps/portal/frameset.jsphttps://blackboard.newark.rutgers.edu/webapps/portal/frameset.jsp


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Week 12

Field trip for field identification of native and some

introduced conifer species; field characteristics for ease of

identification

Week 13

Field trip to reinforce field identification of native species

of conifers; introduction of Ginkgo bilobaas another

gymnosperms

Week 14Field trip (if previous bad weather) or review before last

examination

Week 15 EXAMINATION IV

DATE OF FINAL EXAM:

GRADING POLICY:

Your grade for this course will be determined based on the categories listed in the table below.

Attendance is mandatory for all lectures and

field trips Point Values

Four examinations; each exam treats of 1/4 of

the course; all exams of equal weight 11001001000 00

Homework Point Values

Project(s) 10%

Point Values

Point Values

TOTAL 100%

ATTENDANCE,MAKE-UP,AND LATENESS POLICY:

Attendance at all lectures and field trips is mandatoryfor this course; be on timefor lecture; field trips depart on the dot--

as scheduled; be at the designated meeting place for field trips 15 minutes BEFORE departure timefor instruction; you will

be left behind if you are late; if you miss 3 lectures(three 1 hour, 20 minute session) or 2 "field days"(3 periods on

Mondays), it is recommended that you drop this course. The last day to drop the course and receive a "W" gradeis

November XX.

You will have 4 examinations; some tests will emphasize lecture material and some tests will emphasize field work. You

are responsible for all material (lecture, laboratory, field data and readings) for every test. The lectures and field

work/laboratory are integrated in this course. All examinations are of equal weight. The final grade is an average of all the

exams.

Individual permissionfrom the instructor is necessary for use of computerand i-padfor typing notes in class--NO i-phones

in class. Phones must be turned off and put away(not on the desktop).

It is recommended that you re-write your lecture notes in a second note book the evening of lecture and that you study 2-3hours for each lecture session. Study the assigned readings. For field trips bring a small (4" X 6" or 5" X 7") hard-back note

book; field guides and hand-lens will be provided; they are required for all field trips. It is recommended that you study 3-4

hours for each field trip and that you re-write your field notes in another note book the evening of the field trip or the very

next day--while the material is fresh in your mind. You ARE responsible for the material and subject matter of the

prerequisite course(s). If you have difficulty with the subject matter, see me immediately; do not wait until the day before

the examination.


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This is a writing intensive course. Papers must follow the guidelines for each individual assignment. Papers must be

typewritten, double spaced, font should be 8-9 points, margins must be 1 inch top, bottom and sides Additional instructions

will be handed out with each assignment, i.e., examples of direct quote and its citation and examples of paraphrasing and

its correct attribution. Late papers will not be accepted.

Academic Dishonesty: The course has a zero tolerance policy for academic dishonesty, including plagiarism and cheating.Instances of dishonesty will be punished by a zero on the assignment and consultation with the Academic Integrity Officers

to determine if further action is required. If you have any questions about what constitutes plagiarism or cheating, please

ask your instructors or refer to the academic integrity websites for Rutgers and NJIT:

http://academicintegrity.rutgers.edu/academic-integrity-at-rutgers

http://studentconduct.rutgers.edu/

http://www.njit.edu/academics/integrity.php
http://academicintegrity.rutgers.edu/academic-integrity-at-rutgershttp://studentconduct.rutgers.edu/http://www.njit.edu/academics/integrity.phphttp://www.njit.edu/academics/integrity.phphttp://studentconduct.rutgers.edu/http://academicintegrity.rutgers.edu/academic-integrity-at-rutgers

120 311 Flora of Nj Kasper

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