Botany

Classes

BOT 101: General Botany

Discipline
Botany
Credits 3 Lecture Hours 3
Designation
DB
Introduction to plant structure, function, reproduction, and evolution; plants in relation to the environment and human activities. Lecture course.
Corequisites

Registration in BOT 101L

Course Outcomes
  • Discuss basic concepts of plant morphology, anatomy, physiology, cytology, taxonomy and genetics.
  • Discuss life cycles of division in Thallophyta, Bryophyta, Pteridophyta and Spermatophyta.
  • Discuss interrelationship between plants and animals, and socio-economic importance of plants on humans.
  • Discuss plant biotechnology.

BOT 101L: General Botany Lab

Discipline
Botany
Credits 1 Lab Hours 3
Designation
DY

Lab observations and experiments illustrating basic principles of plant biology.

Recommended Preparation

High School Biology DY

Prerequisites

Credit for or registration in BOT 101.

Course Outcomes
  • Operate dissecting and compound microscopes.
  • Cultivate and maintain the growth of plants.

BOT 105: Ethnobotany

Discipline
Botany
Credits 3 Lecture Hours 3
Designation
DS
The scientific study of the interaction between human culture and plants, including the interrelationship of botany, socio-economics, belief systems and history that have shaped the cultural uses of plants in Hawai‘i, as well as Asia or the Pacific. Lecture/field trip course with service-learning option.
Course Outcomes
  • Identify plants of major importance in various aspects of Hawaiian, Asian and Pacific Island cultures.
  • Utilize the plants for food, medicine, and other material goods.

BOT 111: Introduction to Algae

Discipline
Botany
Credits 3 Lecture Hours 3
Designation
DB

This course will cover what algae are, why they are important, and why we are interested in them for both their environmental benefit, as well as their use for products. Students will explore the vast diversity of algae including the characteristics and applications of some of the main types of algae that are in commercial use today. Students will learn about algal ecology and how interactions with the environment, including pest and predators, affect algal productivity. Students will examine the processes of algae bio-manufacturing including production processes, as well as some of the products, benefits, and challenges that impact our ability to make commercially viable products from algae. Repeatable up to 6 credits.

Course Outcomes
  • Identify and describe the major algae groups.
  • Explain algal diversity and ecology.
  • Describe the basics of algae biomanufacturing.
  • Identify and describe the major algae groups used in sustainable commercial applications.

BOT 130: Plants in the Hawaiian Environment

Discipline
Botany
Credits 3 Lecture Hours 3
Designation
DB
Introduction to the evolution of plant communities and species of Hawaiian ecosystems; ecological interactions; observations, identification and systematics of native and introduced flora.
Prerequisites

Credit for or registration in BOT 130L

Course Outcomes
  • Discuss geological history of the Hawaiian Islands and natural history of plants in Hawai‘i.
  • Discuss the arrival, establishment, major evolutionary trends and adaptive radiation of some of the surviving native species.
  • Discuss natural and human-mediated changes in the ecosystems, plant succession, and interaction between native and introduced species of plants.
  • Discuss botanical terminology for use in identifying native Hawaiian plants.

BOT 130L: Plants in the Hawaiian Environment Lab

Discipline
Botany
Credits 1 Lab Hours 3
Designation
DY

BOT 130L focuses on observations of Native Hawaiian plant species, populations and communities as they interact in the natural environment and studies the unique characteristics of the plants through lab observations.

Prerequisites

Credit for or registration in BOT 130

Course Outcomes
  • Mastering botanical terminology for use in identifying Native Hawaiian plants
  • Analyzing the environmental factors that affect the plant dispersal and establishment, adaptation and diversification.

BOT 160: Identification of Tropical Plants

Discipline
Botany
Credits 3 Lecture Hours 3
Designation
DB
Nontechnical course in identification of common plants of tropics, including native and introduced flora.
Course Outcomes
  • Operate dissecting microscopes.
  • Recognize unique vegetative and generative characteristics of plant families.
  • Use manuals, flora and monographs to identify plants.
  • Prepare herbaria.

BOT 192V: Special Topics in Plant Science

Discipline
Botany
Credits 1 4 Lecture Hours 1
Topics from diverse fields in plant science, and chosen by the Instructor. Course content may vary. May be repeated.
Course Outcomes
  • Identify the important concepts and facts presented for the topic (s) under examination.
  • Make inferences and draw conclusions from the topic (s) under discussion.
  • Develop skills appropriate to the topic (s) under discussion.
  • Gain a higher awareness of the potential career paths that this special topic course covers.

BOT 205: Ethnobotanical Pharmacognosy

Discipline
Botany
Credits 4 Lab Hours 3 Lecture Hours 3
Designation
DB
DY

A study of medicinal plants of Hawai‘i, their characteristics, plant extraction, isolation and identification of their chemical constituents for possible uses in pharmaceuticals or in their natural state, and bioproduct manufacturing. This course is designed to train students for careers in plant and medical biotechnology. Lecture and laboratory/fieldtrip course.

Recommended Preparation

High school biology, chemistry and math.

Prerequisites

Credit for or registration in any of these courses: BOT 101, BOT 105, BOT 130, MICR 130, MICR 140, BIOL 172/172L, CHEM 152/152L or consent of instructor.

Course Outcomes
  • Discuss theories and principles in the study of medicinal and nutritious plants.
  • Discuss ethics, intellectual property rights and conservation of traditional knowledge.
  • Perform Laboratory activities: plant extraction, distillation, bioassay tests, analysis of chemical constituents for possible uses in pharmaceuticals and nutraceutical products.
  • Produce lab reports using the standard scientific format.

BOT 210: Phytobiotechnology

Discipline
Botany
Credits 4 Lab Hours 3 Lecture Hours 3
Designation
DB
DY

Introduction to practical aspects of Plant Biotechnology. Topics include micropropagation techniques, such as plant tissue, cell and protoplast cultures: DNA-based technologies, such as DNA extraction, DNA sequencing, PCR; and methods of plant genetic engineering. This course is designed to train students for careers in advanced agriculture technology and industry.

Recommended Preparation

High school biology or chemistry, MATH 24.

Prerequisites

Credit for or registration in BOT 101, or AG 152, or MICR 130 and MICR 140, or BIOL 171 and 171L. Placement into MATH 100 or higher.

Course Outcomes
  • Apply the principles of genetics.
  • Discuss and perform experiments including plant/bacterial/ human DNA/protein electrophoresis, Southern and Western blots, plant genetic engineering using biolistic bombardment and bacterial gene transformation.
  • Apply bioinformatics and DNA sequencing.
  • Discuss bioethical issues, risks and benefits of biotechnology.
  • Produce lab reports using the standard scientific format.