PBIO 209, The Biology of Ferns

(Pteridology)

3 credits

Winter and Spring 2023
Instructor
                                   David S. Barrington  Office: 310 Jeffords Hall. I do not set office hours, but I will meet with you individually
                                             any  time. just email me to plan an appointment.
                                   Phone: 802-338-0313 (texting me is fine any time 8AM to 9PM)          
                                   email: dbarring@uvm.edu                                                                                                                                                                                                    

Lecture
In Person: Tuesday  and Thursday,  Jan. 17 to May 4, 1:15–2:30, room 326 Jeffords Hall, and at other times in the greenhouse or in the woods.   

Course Description and Objectives


My overall goal in this course is to provide upper-level undergraduate and graduate students with an in-depth experience of the evolutionary biology of the ferns, a diverse and remarkably innovative plant group with a long history and dramatic success in the modern world.   Worldwide there is an active community of biologists doing research to reveal the major features of  fern evolution with an array of modern techniques.   In this course, I'll give you the background to understand the breaking news from the frontier of fern research --- and equip you to read and interpret the diverse and complex modern literature.  At the same time, I'd like you to have some knowledge of the diversity of ferns through direct experience, so I will show you an array of ferns, living and as herbarium specimens, with the idea of your leaving the course with a working knowledge of fern diversity in an evolutionary and geographic framework.   No matter what you end up doing, the way we will go about looking at the evolutionary biology of this group will serve as an example of how to make inquiries into the natural world that yield trustworthy insights.

 The course material is divided into three major topic areas.
 1. Hybridization, polyploidy, and apomixis
 2. Biogeography
 3. Diversity and Phylogeny

We have some great resources to draw upon, including the collections housed at the Pringle Herbarium, the UVM greenhouse, and the forests around Burlington.

Readings

Each week we will read one or possibly two articles or portion of a book from the pteridological literature.  Chosen to represent some of the best fern research of the past 130 years, these papers will provide the basis for class discussion of the current lecture topic.  Readings will be posted on the course website.  All readings will be downloadable pdf files.

The Field Trips

You need to see these plants alive, so we will go to the UVM greenhouses several times, once very early in the semester.   In addition there may be one or two week-end field trips late in the course (April or early May).  Whether we go on these field trips relates to the level of community energy in the class group. Expect trips to Ethan Allen Park, Niquette Bay State Park, or similar site near Burlington to experience the local fern flora.  Here we will see a variety of species, mostly the evergreen members of the fern flora and some dynamite rock-dwellers! 

I will discover your interests and search for dates early in the course.

Grading

If you have had a 200-level course from me before, it's the same in this course. Your grade in Plant Biology 209 for 2021 will be based on some or all of these components:

 
            A Midterm                                

            A Final Exam             

            Your participation in the Class Project (at the moment I am not certain that I will have one this semester.) 

            A Profile of a Fern Lineage (either a family or a genus)


Note that all written work is to be submitted as word documents sent via email. 


The Fine Print

1. There are no required course materials, but a hand lens brought to class routinely  is a wise idea.
2. Expect Teams meetings as a back-up plan, just in case.
3. You may find that having the program QGIS and some experience will be helpful.  I am not yet sure how this idea is going to fit into the course.
4. All exams are open-book, take-home exercises.
5. Attendance is expected. More to the point, you will find being in this course very difficult if you don't, because the whole of the course is only possible to take on in-person, in the same room with me.
6. Masks are optional, but the seminar setting is by definition NOT set up for safe distancing.
7. If you are ill or must quarantine during the course, alert me so I am sure to make a recording of the lectures you miss.  Be aware, these will be a distant second-best to being in the room. 
8. And the even finer print: Our class sessions may be audio-visually recorded for students in the class who are unable to attend in person. Thus, by coming to class, you are agreeing to be recorded.   If you are not willing to consent to have your voice recorded during class, you will need to keep your mute button activated.