The promise of biofuels as a renewable, environmentally friendly energy source has driven a worldwide expansion in their production. However, many questions remain about how to produce biofuels without causing new and unanticipated environmental impacts. This report summarizes the environmental effects of biofuels, illustrate some uncertainties about these effects, and identify topics for an...
Climate change is affecting land, water, and biodiversity in a variety of ways. While managing ecosystems and resources by relying on an expected set of climate conditions may have worked in the past, a growing number of managers understand the need to develop new ways to manage ecosystems in the face of climate change. The purpose of this Issue is to provide a broad perspective on approaches for...
In this laboratory exercise students use digital cameras to measure surface fluorescence of transgenic plants expressing green fluorescence protein (GFP). Inquiry pedagogy is used to teach processes used in scientific investigations and how GFP is used in reporter gene systems. Students start by making observations involving induction of expression of a GFP expressing reporter gene and then...
Publisher: EvoEd Digital Library PlantEd Digital Library
Transmission genetics labs are valuable for undergraduate development of analytical thinking skills. However, these labs typically present the scientific process as artificially linear, with a single "right answer." This resource describes an inquiry-based approach to teaching a transmission genetics lab focused on plant cotyledon color. Student groups are required to develop a hypothesis based...
This game is one of three submitted for use in an upper level course that focuses on animal behavior. The games are paired with a published article from the primary literature, and students should read and prepare to both discuss the article and explore the hypotheses on which the studies have been based. This active learning helps to engage students in the course material and especially to see...