PLSCI 2015

Field Botany

Course Description

Course information provided by the 2025-2026 Catalog.

How does one understand nature if not by the power of careful observation? This course seeks to use natural history to inspire an interest in the natural world right here in the geologically fascinating Finger Lakes region. We will embark on an exploration of a variety of local habitats including old growth forests, secondary forests, swamps, old fields, hills, and gorges that the Finger Lakes region is known for. We will build foundational field methods skills including taking field notes, assessing species richness, observing ecological interactions, and collecting specimens for herbarium deposition. Finally, we will revisit our first field site in the last class to make observations about changing phenology and the potential of collecting timeseries data.

Last 4 Terms Offered 2025FA

Learning Outcomes

• Integrate natural history observations into broader eco-evolutionary or botanical concepts and theories.
• Describe the possible ecological and evolutionary significance of various species traits and their interactions within diverse ecosystems.
• Use visual depictions or words to show how natural history observations express human relationships with nature.
• Demonstrate specimen collection and herbarium repository skills.
• Explain how sample collection over time aids in quantifying plant phenology and how data can be used for climate change research.

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