Summary: Biology 2004: Diversity II
Microorganisms and Plants
Microbes were the first forms of life on earth, and are major, often dominating components of
the modern biosphere. They interact with animals and plants as food, as symbionts and as
parasites and pathogens.
Plants are integral to the evolution of life on land. They are responsible, along with algae, for
changing the atmospheric oxygen concentration, which lead to further diversification of the
organisms living at the time. Plants also form the basis of terrestrial food chains. Humans rely on
five main crops in our diet, rice, wheat, corn, potatoes, and manioc or cassova.
This course will introduce you to the main groups of plants and microbial life on earth, based on
our modern understanding of their evolution, taxonomy and fundamental biology. This course is
intended for students interested in disciplines including cell biology, ecology, environmental
sciences, evolution, marine biology, microbiology and oceanography.
Plants- Dr. Arunika Gunawardena; Office: LSC 6076B; Office Hours: T,R 2:30-3:30 or by
appointment. You can also drop in when her door is open; E-mail: