BIOL/ FISH/ WILD 4020.

WETLAND PLANTS

GENERAL GUIDELINES AND GRADING

I. Lecture and laboratory; major examinations.

The lecture part of the course serves various purposes. Among these, emphasis will be placed on some of the following: highlight concepts of major plant groups, ecological features of wetland plant communities, general techniques and methods used in taxonomic study, plant identification and documentation.

The laboratory serves various purposes. The student should become acquainted with knowledge of vegetative and floral morphological features, representative elements of the local flora, major groups of plants and ways of describing them and recognizing them, and methods of identifying plants.

Four major examinations are scheduled during the semester; these will, taken together, account for 60% of the final course grade.

Lecture midterm examination: 15% of the final grade

Laboratory midterm examination: 15% of the final grade

Lecture final examination: 15% of the final grade

Laboratory final examination: 15% of the final grade

The final lecture examination is not strictly cumulative. Fundamental knowledge of morphology, though, learned in the first half of the semester will be an important component in material studied in the course. In addition, other material covered in that part of the semester may prove helpful to the student as the semester progresses. The laboratory final examination and the laboratory quizzes are cumulative.

The student is responsible for all material assigned in the lecture textbook and for all material covered in the lecture or in the laboratory sessions. Makeup examinations will be allowed only for those individuals who provide a valid, University-approved excuse that can be verified in writing prior to the expected absence. It is the responsibility of the student to request and schedule a makeup examination. Make-ups must be arranged within one week of the scheduled exam.

The student should be aware that there is a prerequisite for this course, BIOL 1202, or its equivalent. An acquaintance with basic botanical knowledge is useful for a course such as Vascular Plant Taxonomy.

II. Laboratory quizzes.

Several laboratory quizzes will be given during the semester; the lowest score will be dropped. The scores of the remaining quizzes will, when averaged, account for 15% of the final course grade. These quizzes will be administered in the laboratory or in the field, as announced.

For the final laboratory examination and the laboratory recognition quizzes throughout the semester, the student will be expected to be able to correctly recognize a number of plant families based on vegetative and floral features. By the end of the semester, students should be able to recognize features of several major families and genera of vascular plants and about 100 genera/species of plants that are found in wetlands. A comprehensive recognition list will be provided.

Ill. Plant collection.

All students enrolled in the course are required to make a plant collection. The plant specimens must be pressed, dried, and correctly identified; a typed herbarium label should be made for each plant specimen submitted. Five of the plant specimens must be properly mounted. Mounting paper will be supplied and the methods of mounting will be demonstrated. The plant collection will count for 20% of the student's final course grade. Guidelines for the plant collection and the methods of evaluating them will be provided.

The student must keep a field notebook which will contain all pertinent information about plants which have been collected. Locality and ecology data should be recorded in the field notebook. Your notebook may be periodically examined during the semester. The field notebook should be turned in with the collection.

The student must prepare his or her collections individually, i.e., no trading or borrowing specimens made by someone other than the student can be included in the collection submitted for a grade. Locality data must be accurate and complete. Failure to comply with these provisions will be regarded as academic dishonesty.

IV. Other exercises.

Periodically through the semester there will be other exercises. These may include: construction of keys, exercises in the use of various botanical references. These exercises, along with participation and interest in the course, will amount to 5% of the final grade.

V. Attendance. Violations of University regulations.

Attendance is required in all lecture and laboratory sessions. In addition, several field trips will be undertaken during the semester and the student is expected to take part in these exercises. Some of these field trips will occur during regularly scheduled class time but there will also be two weekend field trips. Absences from class activities will be excused only for sufficient cause. The student must make every effort to take examinations when scheduled. classes. Any student who fails to meet the attendance requirements of the University will receive a failing grade in the course.

VI. Summary of grading scheme.

Lecture midterm examination: 15%

Lecture final examination: 15%

Laboratory midterm examination: 15%

Laboratorv final examination: 15%

Quizzes 15%

Plant collection: 20%

Other exercises, participation, etc: 05%

100%

VII. Grading scale.

Based on University practice, the following grading scale will be used to

determine the student's grade for the course.

A 90% and above

B 80-89

C 70-79

D 60-69

F 59 and below

Information given in this syllabus and in the course is subject to modification.