Lecture, three hours; discussion, one hour. Requisites: Life Sciences 3, 4, and 23L, or 7A, 7B, 7C, 23L, and 107. Most people think of plants as static organisms, yet they live in world of symbiosis and community. Plants change atmosphere, enrich soil, and communicate with insects, bacteria, and each other—Earth’s ultimate symbiote. Just as science has revealed over time misconceptions about how things work at deeper level, scientists and economists now recognize that beyond obvious need to grow above-ground biomass for fuel production, we must better understand how to make that biomass in sustainable manner. Introductory course in chemical ecology and how natural compounds affect gene expression. Emphasis on role of natural compounds in plant/microbe, plant/plant, and plant/herbivore interactions; synopsis of principles of plant defense mechanisms and responses to microbial infections. Concurrently scheduled with course C250. P/NP or letter grading.
