Please note:

Link to Dr. Fox's notes for February 6 - 13

Link to Dr. Bowes' notes on Hydrilla competition (March 29)

Link to Dr. Bowes' notes on responses to flooding (April 2)

Link to Dr. Bowes' notes on nutrients (April 9)

Link to Dr. Bowes' notes on wetland productivity (April 16)

Link to Rice and Global Climate Change article (pdf file)

Updated Lecture Schedule (01/27/04)

Updated Laboratory Schedule (01/27/04)

For Bowes' Photosynthesis Lectures on Friday Jan 30 and Monday Feb 2 please do the following:

1. Find four ways by which aquatic plants reduce the CO2 access problem.
2. Discover if Hydrilla has "unusual" enzymes (as per advert).
    If it does, what are they and what do they do? Do other aquatics have them?
3. Can these enzymes (if present) boost nutrition?

Clue: look at a Bowes' review article in Aquatic Botany 1989.

For a brief review of photosynthesis go to "Photosynthesis Quick Review"
 
 
 

Please read over the following two papers (oldies but goodies) for this Friday January 16.
    Be prepared to discuss differences in aquatic and terrestrial environment and how they influence the           physiology/biochemistry of submersed plants (make some notes - talking points).
    1.  Van et al 1976 Plant Physiology 58: 761-768 (pdf file 6 MB)
    2.  Sand-Jensen 1989 Aquatic Botany 34: 5-25 (pdf file 6 MB)

    Do not forget to email Drs. Fox and Bowes your top four choice for presentation and paper themes.
    Deadline for choice: Tuesday January 20 at 5:00 pm.  Latercomers are assigned (have no choice).
    Link to Instructions and THEMES.

    Reading and Preparation for Friday Jan 23.
            Hydrilla advert  (pdf file 6 MB).

    1.  Find any published articles or reports that deal with nutritional value of Hydrilla to
                            A. humams    B. animals
    Note full reference and if possible get an abstract (not full article).
    2. Find out how much Chl Hydrilla contains (cite a reference)
    3. Find out how much protein (soluble) Hydrilla contains (cite a reference)
    Be prepared to discuss findings in class.  Question: is Hydrilla Chl- and protein-rich?

    Link to Aquatic Environment NOTES (2-3 lectures).

1st hour meet in 3193 McCarty at 1:55pm with Dr. Bowes

The rest of afternoon will be plant ID at the greenhouse just south of the Weed Science Shop.  For directions see: http://agronomy.ifas.ufl.edu/MacDonald/ and click on the “Weed Shop” button on the left-hand sidebar.  We will try to arrange some transportation but if you can provide your own transportation please do so.  You will be able to park by the greenhouse.

Rodman Reservoir Field Trip:

Primary date: Saturday March 27th we will meet on campus in the morning and provide transportation to the reservoir and lunch.  We will be returning mid- to late afternoon.  (Further details nearer the time)

Back-up (rain) date: Saturday April 3rd.

Please keep both dates open.
 
 

Instructors
 Dr. George Bowes.  220 Bartram Hall, Department of Botany.
    Tel:   392-1175
    email:    gbowes@botany.ufl.edu
    Office hours: Monday and Friday, period 4 or by appointment.

 Dr. Alison Fox.  300 Newell Hall, Agronomy Department.
    Tel:   392-1811 ext 207
    email:   amfox@ifas.ufl.edu
    Office hours:  Monday and Friday, period 2 or by appointment.

 Dr. Bill Haller.  Center for Aquatic and Invasive Plants and Agronomy Department
    Tel:   392-9615
    email:   wth@ifas.ufl.edu
    Office hours:  By appointment.

Textbook
None.  Readings will be assigned as appropriate for lecture topics.

Useful Web Sites
    Course:                        http://www.clas.ufl.edu/users/gbowes/bot5646
    ERes:                            http://eres.uflib.ufl.edu/coursepage.asp?cid=264
    CAIP & APIRS:          http://plants.ifas.ufl.edu/search80/NetAns2/

Course Timetable
                                        Lecture      Monday period 3, 09:35 - 10:25
                                                           Friday period 3, 09:35 - 10:25
                                        Lab.           Friday periods 7-9, 13:55 - 16:55
                                                           Saturday field trips on dates to be arranged

Class starts:    January 9, 2004
          ends:    April 19, 2004
Martin Luther King Day Vacation:  January 19, 2004
Spring Break:    March 6-13, 2004
Mid-term plant identification:  February 13, 2004
Presentation paper due:  March 26, 2004
Final laboratory exam:  April 9, 2004
Final take-home exam due:  April 19, 2004

Course outline
1. Introduction to the class.
Introduction to aquatic plant taxonomy and classification systems; roles of aquatic plants.

2. Hydrilla: super-food or super-scam?
Critical analysis of claims that hydrilla is a “super-food” focusing on the “unique enzymes,” nutrient relations and related physiology of submersed plants.
Friday afternoon visit to an aquatic plant nursery.

3. Florida lake choices: weed-free pea-soup or weed-clogged, gin-clear?
 Trophic status and lakes that flip/flop between these states.
 Issues related to sampling vegetation where you can’t see.

4. Do healthy fish populations need macrophytes?
 Aquatic ecosystem structure and energy transfer.
 Relationship between fisheries, fishing, and aquatic plants.

5. How is hydrilla able to dominate Florida’s waters?
 Physiological adaptation and competitive advantages of hydrilla.
 Studies of competition in aquatic systems.
 Reproductive mechanisms and dispersal of aquatic plants.
 Other unpopular plants and aquatic plant management.

6. River or reservoir?
 Flooding upland plants, adaptations of physiology and morphology.
 River plant communities contrasted with lake communities.
 Saturday field trip to Rodman reservoir.

7. Can we clean water with wetlands?
Macrophyte species shifts related to nutrient loading; signs of problems in the Everglades?
 Role of aquatic plants in nutrient cycling between water and sediments.
 Saturday field trip to Lake Apopka.

8. Will global change affect the aquatic food source for half of humanity?
 Using paleolimnological evidence to understand past global changes.
 Wetland productivity and future changes in rice production.

Note that the dates in the following link have been updated (see top of page)..
Link to  Syllabus and Schedule