GENERAL BOTANY LECTURE – REVIEWER (LESSON 1-5)
Lesson 1. Introduction to Botany
Botany is the scientific study of plants and the process occurring
... [Show More] during the plant life.
I. Definition of Botany
1. Scientific Study
- Principles of the scientific method:
a.) Source of information. All accepted information can be derived only from carefully
documented and controlled observations or experiments.
• Vesalius promoted the idea that observation of the world itself was more
accurate than accepting undocumented claims, even if the claims had been
made by an extremely famous, respected person.
b.) Phenomena that can be studied. Only tangible phenomena and objects are studied,
such as heat, plants, minerals, and weather.
• To see is to believe. Subjected to various experiments and tests. Tangible
things: observable and measureable.
c.) Constancy and universality. Physical forces that control the world are constant
through time and are the same everywhere.
• Constancy and universality allow us to plan future experiments and predict
what the outcome should be: If we do the experiment and do not get the
predicted outcome, it must be that our theory was incorrect, not that the
fundamental forces of the world have suddenly changed.
d.) Basis. The fundamental basis of the scientific method is skepticism, the principle of
never being certain of a conclusion, of always being willing to consider new
evidence.
• Skepticism is the willingness to consider new evidence
- Steps in conducting an experiment:
a.) Identify statement of the problem.
b.) Formulate the hypothesis.
c.) Define data and collect.
d.) Devise the experimental design.
e.) Conduct the experiment.
f.) Record and analyze the data.
g.) Write the results and conclusions.
h.) Evaluate the study in relation to similar investigations.
2. Plants
- Domain: Eukarya
- Kingdom: Plantae
- How many species? How many endangered?
o 400,000 plant species (391,000 plant species)
o 3000 endangered plant species
o 2000 new plant species identified annually [Show Less]