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).

EEB 280 (3 cr, new #3320)

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

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

Spring 2008 Lectures: T/TH 12:30-13:45 PM

Lectures are in Atwater 001


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 (updated Jan. 21)

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

Date Topic Assignment Prof.
Tu 22 Jan Pdficon small.gif Introduction to course; importance of a land flora; paleoclimate Pdficon small.gif Assignment #1 (due 07 Feb)
LL
Th 24 Jan Pdficon small.gif Aquatic green algal diversity, phylogeny, and photosynthetic physiology Reading: Chapters 1&2 in Graham (1993) Origin of Land Plants -- provided in class at 1st meeting LL
Tu 29 Jan Pdficon small.gif Land plant lineage: history and diversity Reading: Pdficon small.gifMcCourt et al. 2004
Optional Reading: Overview of CCM in algae
LL
Th 31 Jan Pdficon small.gif Algal and land plant life cycles Pdficon small.gif Assignment #2 (due 12 Feb)
Reading: Pdficon small.gif Graham et al. 2000
LL
Tu 05 Feb Pdficon small.gif Phylogeny of green plants (phylogeny, tree features, characters, homology, homoplasy, etc.) GO VOTE!
Watch This:

movie of bryophyte gametes|| LL

Th 07 Feb continued Assignment #1 due at start of class
Reading:
LL
Tu 12 Feb Groups present results of Assignment #2 Assignment #2 due
Th 14 Feb Land plant physiology (carbon acquisition in an oxygen-rich world) Reading: LL
Tu 19 Feb Land plant physiology (cuticle, desiccation tolerance) Reading: LL
Th 21 Feb Characterization of embryophytes: matrotrophy Reading: BG
Tu 26 Feb Microfossils Reading: BG
Th 28 Feb Macrofossils Reading: BG
Tu 04 Mar Reproductive biology of land plants Reading: BG
Th 06 Mar Land plant developmental tool kit (gene duplication, etc.) Reading: BG
Tu 11 Mar SPRING BREAK
Th 13 Mar SPRING BREAK
Tu 18 Mar Midterm Exam (through 04 March material)
Th 20 Mar Hormones Reading: BG
Tu 25 Mar Gametangia Reading: BG
Th 27 Mar Evolution of branching Reading: BG
Tu 01 Apr Evolution of conducting cells Reading: BG
Th 03 Apr Sporophyte dehiscence Reading: BG
Tu 08 Apr Plant-fungi interactions Reading: BG
Th 10 Apr Genome evolution (cp size reduction, gene transfer to nucleus) Reading: LL
Tu 15 Apr Genome evolution (parasitic taxa) Reading: LL
Th 17 Apr EEB Seminar, 4 PM: Dr. Monique Turmel (Univ. Laval) Assignment #3: All students attend the seminar and write short summary; 380 students also meet with Dr. Turmel during class.
Tu 22 Apr Land plants return to water and algae move to land (again) Reading: LL
Th 24 Apr Graduate student presentations Assignment #3 due
Tu 29 Apr Graduate student presentations
Th 01 May Graduate student presentations
Tu 06 May Final Exam 3:30-5:30 PM TENTATIVE, as of Dec. 20th Office of Registrar’s calendar

Links

Watch This: movie of bryophyte gametes
"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."