Evolution of Green Plants

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Scanning electron micrograph of Equisetum sperm cells. Image by K. S. Renzaglia (http://www.science.siu.edu/landplants/Sphenophyta/sphenophyta.html).

Spring 2010

EEB 280 (3 cr, new #3320)

EEB 280W (W, 4 cr, new #3320W)

EEB 380 (graduate, 3 cr, new #3220)

Spring 2010 Lectures: T/TH 12:30-13:45 in TLS 301
Labs: T 14:00-16:50 in TLS 115

Pdficon small.gif Download a general course Syllabus (requires password)

Pdficon small.gif Download EEB280W instructions (requires password)

To lab home page.

Contact Information

Louise A. Lewis Associate Professor
Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
office: 200 Pharmacy/Biology Building
voice: +1 860-486-6723
email: louise.lewis@uconn.edu

Bernard Goffinet Associate Professor
Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
office: 300 Pharmacy/Biology Building
voice: +1 860-486-5290
email: bernard.goffinet@uconn.edu

Textbook and readings

There is no official text book. Instead, you will be assigned readings from the primary literature to go with the lectures.


Schedule (Tentative)

Notes: downloads require password; best viewed in Adobe Reader (some problems with the MAC "Preview" program).

Date Topic Assignment Prof.
Tu 19 Jan Extant land plants: diversity and ecological significance BG
Th 21 Jan Extant land plants: diversity and ecological significance BG
Tu 26 Jan Aquatic ancestors to land plants Life cycle assignment due LL
Th 28 Jan Life cycles of green plants, meiosis, mitosis LL
Tu 02 Feb Phylogenetic trees Phylogeny assignment due LL
Th 04 Feb Bryophytes, Ferns and other seed-free vascular plants LL
Tu 09 Feb Ferns and Gymnosperms LL
Th 11 Feb Angiosperms LL
Tu 16 Feb Developmental tool kit: genome evolution BG
Th 18 Feb Genome reduction
note: EEB seminar - Doug Soltis
LL
Tu 23 Feb Hormones Seminar summary due LL
Th 25 Feb Plant:fungal interactions BG
Tu 02 Mar Fossilization BG
Th 04 Mar Evolution of key characters I: stomata, cuticle BG
Tu 09 Mar SPRING BREAK
Th 11 Mar SPRING BREAK
Tu 16 Mar Midterm Exam (100 points) (through 06 March material)
Th 18 Mar Evolution of key characters II: conducting cells, sporophyte dehiscence BG
Tu 23 Mar Reproductive biology of land plants BG
Th 25 Mar Microfossils BG
Tu 30 Mar Extinct ferns BG
Th 01 Apr EEB seminar: Paul Strother / Q&A on his paper
Tu 06 Apr Seeds and flowers BG
Th 08 Apr EEB seminar: Kathleen Pryer / Q&A on her paper
Tu 13 Apr Desiccation tolerance LL
Th 15 Apr Photosynthesis in an oxygen-rich world LL
Tu 20 Apr Phylogeny of land plants: character sources, inferences LL
Th 22 Apr Phylogeny of land plants: inferences, data conflicts LL
Tu 27 Apr Graduate student presentations
Th 29 Apr Time tree of evolution of land plants, wrap up BG/LL
 ?? May Final Exam (100 points on new material, 25 points comprehensive. Will include questions about the graduate student presentations.)

Links

"Whitish smoke in the movie are small droplets containing smreps (deliberate misspelling of word for male gametes). The smreps in the droplets are still un-motile. When touch the water, they begin to swim. In our experiments, misting with water is trigger of the explosion. If antheridia were mature, the explosion begin within few minutes. The event continued about for 10 min. Intense light for video recording also seems to accelerate the phenomenon. Each antheridia is deeply sunk in a cavity of antheridiophore and there is a very small pore on the top of each cavity. Swollen cells of surrounding tissue might cause the pressure force. Cavers (1903) and Muggoch & Walton (1942) also discussed about the mechanism, but, I think no one examined about the detail mechanism of the phenomenon. In Hiroshima, the season of mreps dispersal is Spring (April to May). In our field observation, we detected many airborne smreps in the sunny day after rain shower. I do not have detail data about how many species of liverworts have airborne mreps. At least, Asian species of Conocephalum (C. japonicum) do in the same manner." M. Shimamura

Shimamura, M., Yamaguchi, T. & Deguchi, H. 2008. Airborne sperm of Conocephalum conicum (Conocephalaceae). J. Plant Res. 121: 69-71. http://www.springerlink.com/content/fl2105h6428366m3/