Major Sequences and Courses Offered

The Department of Botany-Microbiology offers programs to prepare botanists, ecologists, microbiologists, environmental biologists, and health professionals. Students may elect major sequences in botany, microbiology, genetics, or biology. Special opportunities include Independent Study projects using our Scanning Electron Microscope or projects with adjunct professors at the nearby USDA Laboratories, where Ohio Wesleyan departments have use of the transmission electron microscope. Many of the courses listed below include regular field trips to the two University  natural areas, located within ten miles of campus, and excursions to nearby states. Apprenticeships in clinical microbiology, plant pathology, biotechnology, and environmental education are offered on a continuing basis. Additionally, the department provides laboratory and research assistantships to majors, and presents annually the Burns-Shirling and Esther Carpenter Awards for departmental excellence.

To satisfy distribution requirements, non-majors usually elect courses from among the following: BOMI 103, 104, 106, 110, 125, and  233.

See the "Advanced Placement" section of the University catalog for information about advanced placement in biology.

Majors and Minors

Majors: Choose one of the course sequences listed below, including courses in other departments as appropriate for the sequence elected. Students planning to enter graduate school will generally elect the botany sequence, the microbiology sequence, or the genetics sequence.

Botany Major: BOMI 110 ; ZOOL 115; BOMI/ZOOL 120; BOMI 125 or 328; 252; BOMI/ZOOL 271; BOMI 326; 344 two semesters of 499; CHEM 110, 111; plus four additional courses from botany/microbiology, chemistry, geology, physics, and/or zoology. It is suggested that no more than three of the additional courses be from botany-microbiology. At least one course in calculus or statistics is also recommended.

Microbiology Major: BOMI 110; 125; BOMI/ZOOL 120; BOMI 280; BOMI/ZOOL 271; BOMI 328; 353; 357; two semesters of BOMI 499; BOMI/ZOOL 351; BOMI/ZOOL 356 or ZOOL 361; CHEM 110 and 111; and one additional biology course. CHEM 260 and 261, PHYS 115 and 116, and MATH 110 are highly recommended.

Genetics sequence (Botany and Microbiology Major): BOMI 110 ; ZOOL 115; BOMI/ZOOL 120; CHEM 110 and 111; ZOOL 261; BOMI/ZOOL 271 and 272; BOMI 326 or 328; ZOOL 333 or BOMI/ZOOL 356; BOMI/ZOOL 351; BOMI 353;  and two semesters of BOMI/ZOOL 499; plus two additional BOMI, ZOOL, or CHEM courses. CHEM 260 and 261 are highly recommended.

Biology sequence (Botany and Microbiology Major): Core courses are BOMI 110 ; ZOOL 115; BOMI/ZOOL 120; CHEM 110; CHEM 111; and either ZOOL 261 or BOMI/ZOOL 271. Beyond this core, the requirements are (a) five additional upper-level courses in BOMI or ZOOL  with at least two non-crosslisted courses under the 400 level in each department, and (b) two additional natural science courses. This sequence offers flexibility for students who desire a broad background in biology and also best serves those interested in K-12 teaching. Students seeking licensure for teaching must consult with the Department of Education as soon as possible for specific requirements. Other students electing this sequence should consult with a Botany/Microbiology or Zoology faculty member for advice on course selection. The Biology sequence may not be combined with any other major sequence in Botany-Microbiology or Zoology for a second major.

Biology Minor: Five unit courses in biological sciences with at least two units from botany-microbiology (including at least one non-crosslisted course) and two units from zoology. Two of the five units must be upper level (C/NE not acceptable). Not available to majors in botany, microbiology or zoology.

Botany-Microbiology Minor: Five unit courses in botany-microbiology at least three of which must be upper level and including BOMI 110; BOMI 125 or 280 or 328 (C/NE not acceptable). Students may minor in botany-microbiology or biology, but not both.

Note: Courses numbered 249 and below may be taken in any order. Any courses in the department, in any sequence permitted by prerequisites, will meet the Group II distribution requirements.

103. Practical Botany (1.25 units; Johnson, Murray)

104. Field Botany (1.25 units; Murray)

Introductory botany taught in a field setting. Students learn to read the landscape through an understanding of plant diversity and adaptations, including life history traits,  found in local habitats. Students may not receive credit for both BOMI 103 and BOMI 104. Summer only.

106. Enology (1.0 unit; Goldstein)

The topics covered include the chemical composition of grapes; the chemical composition of wine; yeasts and fermentation; vinification of red and white wines; storage and aging of wines; clarification, stabilization and bottling of wines; winery equipment, design and operation; toxic effects of alcohol on the human body. No prerequisite. Summer only.

110. Environmental Plant Biology (1.25 units; Anderson, Johnson, Wolverton)

An introduction to the diversity of plants, fungi, and algae, and an overview of the basic biology of these groups. Topics include the structure of stems, roots and leaves, photosynthesis, mineral nutrition, plant growth and development, plant reproduction and life cycles, plant adaptations to the biomes of North America, and the role of plants in the world economy. Lecture and laboratory. F, S.

120. Introduction to Cell Biology (1.25 units; Carreno, Hamill, Markwardt)

Basic structure and function of cells and the molecular aspects of cell biology. Emphasis on cell evolution; organic compounds, including macromolecules; enzymes; organelles; membranes; energy transformations; classical and molecular genetics; and development. Lecture and laboratory. Prerequisite: a strong background in high school chemistry or CHEM 110. Also listed as ZOOL 120. F, S.

125. Introduction to Microbiology (1.25 units; Goldstein, Tuhela-Reuning)

Examination of the structure and function of bacteria and viruses including physiological activities, genetics and ecological roles in the environment. Laboratory experiments in media preparation, microscopic, and physiological methods of identification of bacterial cultures. Lecture and laboratory. Prerequisite: a strong background in high school biology or chemistry or CHEM 110. F.

200.1 Ethnobotany (1.25 units; Murray)

Interdisciplinary, project-based study of plants used by people. Adaptations including life history traits of domesticated plants and wild food and medicinal plants from a variety of habitats will be considered. Students from backgrounds outside the biological sciences are welcome.

233. Ecology and the Human Future (1.0 unit; Anderson)

An introductory course in ecology and environmental science. Ecological principles and current environmental issues are discussed. Topics include global changes, ozone loss, pollution problems, human population growth, species and ecosystems in jeopardy, biogeochemical cycles, food webs and species interactions, invasive species, and conservation issues. This course is intended for first and second year science majors and non-science majors of any class year. Lecture. S.

252. Biodiversity of Flowering Plants (1.25 units; Johnson)

Diversity and evolution of the flowering plants. Study of microevolutionary phenomena, including breeding systems, chromosome pairing behavior and inheritance patterns in plant hybrids, speciation, and identification of woody plant species native to Ohio. Recognition of the major families of flowering plants, with study of macroevolutionary trends in morphology, biochemistry, and molecular features. Writing course. Prerequisite: One 100-level BOMI/ZOOL or permission of instructor. F.

271. Genetics (1.0 unit; Hamill)

A broad -based course in genetics. Topics to be covered include the principles and cellular mechanisms of inheritance, including the inheritance of human traits and diseases; the molecular nature of the gene including the regulation of gene expression; and modern genetic techniques and topics including genetic engineering, cloning, genomics, and proteomics. An optional lab (BOMI 272) is available. Prerequisite: BOMI/ZOOL 120. Also listed as ZOOL 271. F.

272. Genetics Laboratory (0.25 units; Hamill)

Laboratory investigations in classical genetics, cytogenetics, population genetics and molecular genetics. Concurrent or prior enrollment in BOMI 271. Also listed as ZOOL 272. F.

280. Medical Microbiology (1.25 units; Goldstein)

Alternate years)
Concepts and laboratory experiences in microbiology for health sciences, including recognition of major groups of microorganisms and their distribution in the environment; pure culture techniques; morphological, physiological and serological characteristics used in identification; important human bacterial and viral diseases and current approaches to epidemiology and control; principles of infection, immunity, and chemotherapy. Lecture and laboratory. Prerequisites: one introductory course in BOMI or ZOOL (BOMI/ZOOL 120 or BOMI 125 suggested); CHEM 110, 111. S.

285. Biology of the Fungi (1.25 units; Anderson, Johnson, Wolverton)

(Alternate years)
Introduction to the fungi and plant microbe interactions. Emphasis on morphology, physiology, and importance of fungi and fungus-like organisms; parasitic and symbiotic interactions of plants with fungi, bacteria, and viruses; isolation and laboratory manipulation of various species. Oral presentations and written reports. Lecture and laboratory. Prerequisite: one course in BOMI or ZOOL, or consent of instructor. F.

300.5. Tropical Biology (1.0 unit; Johnson, Burtt)

Tropical biology will emphasize the biodiversity and plant/animal interactions found in the tropical ecosystems of the world. Students will look at the evolutionary processes that account for the remarkable diversity of life and will compare the diversity of different tropical regions of the world. The course will be team-taught by a botanist and a zoologist who will present an integrated picture of the tropics and will stimulate discussion through their interactions during class. The course will use the neotropics as the basis for comparison to other tropical regions and will visit Costa Rica during spring break. The trip will constitute the laboratory portion of the course and will include student projects, the progress of which will be discussed during evening gatherings in the field. Museum and greenhouse collections at Ohio Wesleyan will be used to illustrate lectures. Also listed as ZOOL300.5. S.

300.6. Plant Responses to Global Change (1.25 units; Anderson)

(Alternate years)
Students will explore plant and ecosystem responses to four major global changes: increasing atmospheric carbon dioxide, increasing nitrogen deposition, increasing temperature and changing precipitation patterns. Local plant communities will be visited, and students will perform field and greenhouse measurements of photosynthesis, plant water and nutrient relations, and root dynamics. Readings from primary literature will be discussed, and students will design and carry out an independent research project. Lecture and laboratory. This course is intended for junior and senior science majors. Prerequisites: BOMI 110 plus one additional course in the biological sciences. S.

318. Electron Microscopy: Theory and Practice (1 unit; Tuhela-Reuning)

An exploration of the physical nature of electron microscopy with emphasis on the scanning electron microscope (SEM). Students investigate the influence of electron beam parameters on imaging and how to correct imaging problems to optimize analysis. Topics covered include sample selection, sputter coating, cryo preparation, and elemental analysis by energy dispersive spectrometry (EDS). Students gain extensive, hands-on experience using the SEM. Lecture and laboratory. Additional lab time required outside of scheduled lab. Prerequisites: any two science courses that count towards a science major or permission of instructor. Also listed as GEOL 318 and ZOOL 318. F.

326. Plant Physiology (1.25 units; Wolverton)

Introduction to the fundamental concepts of plant physiology, including plant cell biology, morphogenesis, plant-water relations, mineral nutrition and metabolism; plant tissue culture; molecular mechanisms of plant response to environment; plant genetic engineering. The laboratory includes techniques useful in assessing plant growth and development with special emphasis on the process of scientific investigation. Lecture and laboratory. Prerequisite: one course in BOMI or ZOOL or consent of instructor. S.

328. Bacterial Physiology (1.25 units; Goldstein)

(Alternate years)
Structure and function of microorganisms; metabolic pathways and energy production; synthetic and regulatory mechanisms of DNA, RNA, and protein synthesis; molecular mechanisms of antibiotic therapy and microbial resistance; microbial genetic recombination; recombinant DNA technology and genetic engineering. Lecture and laboratory. Prerequisites: BOMI/ZOOL 120 or BOMI 125 or BOMI/ZOOL 271;  CHEM 110, 111. S.

337. Adaptive Biology of Plants (1.25 units; Johnson)

(Alternate years)
Evolutionary rise of complexity in green plants: structure and life-cycles of living forms, field study, review of fossil record. Examples of adaptive morphology in plants, chosen by class members from a list of possible topics and treated in seminar format. Team research projects, involving work with primary literature, oral presentations, and written reports. Writing course. Lecture and laboratory. Prerequisite: one 100-level BOMI/ZOOL or permission of instructor. S.

344. Plant Communities and Ecosystems (1.25 units; Anderson)

Students will explore the structure and function of plant communities with a focus on the vegetation types in Ohio. Topics include methods of vegetation sampling; major plant associations of the world, connections between plant communities and climate, soils, succession, competition, facilitation, invasive plants, primary productivity and biogeochemical cycles. Readings from the primary literature will be discussed. Local plant communities will be visited during laboratory. Students will design and carry out an independent research project. Lecture and laboratory. This course is intended for sophomore to senior science majors. Prerequisites: BOMI 110 or BOMI 233 or consent of instructor. F.

346. Aquatic and Paleoecology (1.25 units; Anderson)

(Alternate years)
Basic principles of lake origin, classification; physical and chemical limnology; planktonic and benthic ecology; principles of paleoecology; studies of lake evolution; postglacial climatic and vegetational change. Weekly field trips to research areas; laboratory analysis of sediment core material. Lecture and laboratory. Prerequisites: one course in BOMI or ZOOL; CHEM 110. S.

351. Cell and Molecular Biology (1.25 units, Markwardt)

Topics in this course center on the following fundamental questions: How is the genome structured and organized? How is the information contained within the genome expressed in time and space? What factors control the cell division cycle and how do they work? How are proteins and lipids made, organized, modified, and moved within the cytoplasm? What kinds of systems control the growth of cells in their appropriate social context and what kind of pathologies result when these regulatory systems fail? A series of recent papers will be used to learn about model building and prediction testing. The lab will introduce a variety of modern molecular techniques and model organisms. Lecture and laboratory. Prerequisites: CHEM 110, 111, BOMI/ZOOL 120. CHEM 260 is recommended. Also listed as ZOOL 351. S.

353. Molecular Genetics (1.25 units; Goldstein)

(Alternate years)
Structure, function, and organization of DNA in eukaryotic cells, bacteria, and viruses; molecular mechanisms of regulation of DNA replication, RNA and protein synthesis; recombinant DNA techniques in gene cloning. Laboratory consists entirely of experiments dealing with the cloning and expression of recombinant DNA in bacterial virus and/or plasmid vectors in E. coli. Lecture and laboratory. Prerequisites: BOMI/ZOOL 120 or BOMI 125;  CHEM 110, 111, BOMI/ZOOL 271. F.

356 Immunology (1.25 units; Markwardt)

(Alternate years)
Discussion of the immune response at the cellular and molecular level including discussion of structure of antibody molecules, B-lymphocytes and antibody production, cell cooperation in immune responses, antigen-antibody specificity, antigen-antibody reactions, complement, T-lymphocytes and cell mediated immunity, hypersensitivity, and immunodeficiencies. Lecture and laboratory. Prerequisite: BOMI/ZOOL 120. Also listed as ZOOL 356. S.

357. Molecular Biology of Viruses (1.25 units; Goldstein)

(Alternate years)
Molecular biology of the replication strategies of bacterial, plant, and animal viruses; virus-induced cytopathology and disease; viruses and cancer; interferon. Laboratory includes in vitro cell culture work with continuous lines of human epithelial and/or monkey kidney cells, vaccinia virus plaque assays, and antibody neutralization test. Lecture and laboratory. Prerequisites: BOMI 125, BOMI/ZOOL 271; or consent of instructor; CHEM 110, 111. F.

379. Molecular Techniques (0.5 units; Goldstein, Wolverton)

An advanced course in molecular biology techniques. Includes a discussion of the most common techniques along with extensive laboratory experience including PCR technology. Critical analysis of scientific articles, experimental design, and the use of the scientific method are emphasized. Also listed as ZOOL 379. Prerequisites: BOMI/ZOOL 351 or BOMI 353; permission of instructor. S.

490. Independent Study (1.0 unit)

An opportunity to pursue independent research in selected botanical or microbiological fields. Prerequisite: approval of instructor, and generally a major in the Department. May be repeated. F, S.

491. Directed Readings (1.0 unit)

495. Apprenticeship (1.0 unit)

499. Seminar in Current Research (0.50 units)

Review of literature and current research in various botanical and microbiological fields; topic changes from semester to semester. At least two semesters required of all majors. Prerequisites: two BOMI courses and consent of department. F, S.