2-15: Plant Physiological Effects of a Changing Environment
Importance of this Unit to the Course
To assess the impact of climate and changes in
atmospheric CO2 on crops and plant communities, we need to
gain an overview of how plants
transfer CO2 gas into plant carbon.
Objectives
- To understand how a plant uses carbon dioxide and how they respond
to elevated levels of atmospheric carbon dioxide.
- To understand the concept of water-use efficiency and how this
relates to present and future atmospheric levels of carbon dioxide.
Preparation for Discussion
(You must complete this section before class.)
- Read the
summary information.
(Print text for offline
review; images only.)
- Take the
Quiz over the summary information. (see your portfolio)
- Review additional reading material (this material is not covered in the
quiz, but offers more ideas for online discussion)
Discussion (online
/ face-to-face)
(See your portfolio for due dates and times)
A major component of the course is participation in the online dialog.
The following types of comments are required:
- Social Comments
- Knowledge-building Comments
- Ethical Comments
The following may be used as discussion starters for the online dialog:
- Unit Problem to Ponder:
Trees do not permanently remove carbon from the atmosphere, so why is
reforestation considered one of the major methods of coping with increased atmospheric
carbon dioxide?
- Unit exam questions
from previous years
- Unit discussions from previous years, available from
the current online
discussion
Additional Reading
