Botany

Librarian's e-mail: shirsch3@schools.nyc.gov
===Introduction: Botany is the branch of biology that encompasses the study of the structure, properties, and biochemical processes of all forms of plant life including trees. Included within this scope are plant classification and the interactions of plants with their physical environment.===

Questions for Inquiry:

 * **Which plants are associated with medicinal use?**
 * **What is the impact of rain forests on the environment and human life?**
 * **What are carnivorous plants?**
 * **What is the role of plants in the cycle of nature?**
 * **What are the concerns associated with genetic engineering?**
 * **What are the rules for naming plants?**
 * **How do investigators use plants and trees to solve crime?**

Subject Headings:

 * **AGRICULTURE**
 * **ALGAE**
 * **BOTANY**
 * **FLOWERS**
 * **FUNGI**
 * **GARDENING**
 * **HORTICULTURE**
 * **MARINE PLANTS**
 * **MUSHROOMS**
 * **PLANTS**
 * **PLANTS--DISEASES**
 * **PLANT ECOLOGY**
 * **TREES**

Dewey Decimal Classification(s):

 * **577 ECOLOGY**
 * **577.3 FOREST ECOLOGY**
 * **577.7 MARINE ECOLOGY**
 * **578 MICROORGANISMS, FUNGI, ALAGAE**
 * **580 BOTANY: Use for materials on the science of plants, subdivisions of Botany may be used under the names of orders, classes or individual species of plants**
 * **580 PLANTS: Use for nonscientific materials**
 * **581 PLANT CLASSIFICATION**
 * **581.7 PLANT ECOLOGY**
 * **581.9 PLANT DISEASES**
 * **582.16 TREES**
 * **631.5 GARDENING**

Reference:
//Encyclopedia of Plants and Flowers.// New York: DK Publishing, 2002.
 * //Single Volume Books//**
 * R635.903A** Brickell, Christopher and Trevor Cole, eds. //American Horticultural Society//

Boston: Houghton Mifflin Co., 2003.
 * R635T** Tenenbaum, Frances, ed. //Taylor////’s Encyclopedia of Garden Plants.//


 * //Multi-Volume Encyclopedias//**
 * R571.3ANI** //Animal and Plant Anatomy.// 11 vols. New York: Marshall Cavendish,2007.


 * R580P** Bailey, Jim. //Plants and Plant Life.// 10 vols. Danbury, CT.: Grolier Educational, 2001.


 * R333.95END** //Endangered Wildlife and Plants of the World.// 13 vols. New York: Marshall Cavendish, 2001.


 * R580.3M** //Magills Encyclopedia of Science: Plant Life.// 4 vols. Pasadena, Ca.: Salem Press, 2003.

Marshall Cavendish, 2001.
 * R580.3P** Moore, David M. ed. //Marshall Cavendish Illustrated Encyclopedia of Plants and Earth Sciences.// 10 vols. New York:


 * R578.734RAI** //Rain Forests of the World.// 11 vols. New York: Marshall Cavendish, 2002.


 * R 577.82U** Weigel, Marlene. //UXL Encyclopedia of Biomes.// 3 vols. Detroit: UXL, 1999.

Non-fiction:
Timber Press, 2002. Prentice Hall Press, 1991. Storey Publishing,2003.
 * //General Collection//**
 * 577.3W** Warhol, Tom. //Forest////.// New York: Marshall Cavendish, 2007.
 * 577.4H** Hoare, Ben. //Temperate Grasslands.// Austin, Tx.: Steck-Vaughn Co., 2003.
 * 577.6** Stewart, Melissa. //Life in a Wetland.// Minneapolis: Lerner Publications, 2003.
 * 578** Thomas, David N. //Seaweeds.// Washington, D.C.: Smithsonian Institution Presss, 2002.
 * 580** Stern, Kingsley R. //Introductory Plant Biology.// Boston: McGraw Hill, 2000.
 * 581** Halfmann, Janet. //Plant Tricksters.// New York: Franklin Watts, 2004
 * 582** Pakenham, Thomas. //Remarkable Trees of the World.// New York: W.W. Norton & Co., 2002.
 * 583** Schnell, Donald E. //Carnivorous Plants of the United States and Canada.// Portland, Oregon:
 * 630** Prance, Sir Ghillean ed. //The Cultural History of Plants.// New York: Routledge, 2005.
 * 631** Gordon, Susan, ed. //Critical Perspectives on Genetically Modified Crops and Food.// New York:
 * 635.9H** Hill, Lewis and Nancy Hill. //The Flower Gardener’s Bible.// North Adams, MA.:

• Print;

 * ONLINE: EBSCOHOST**

//Give and Take.// By: Brownlee, C.. Science News, 11/13/2004, Vol. 166 Issue 20, p307-308 The article reports that scientists have only recently found evidence of horizontal gene transfer in plants. Two groups of researchers-one led by Jeffrey Palmer of Indiana University in Bloomington and the other by Charles Davis of the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor-reported independently that some host plants pass their genes to the parasitic plant species that feed off them. Although the researchers are not sure how the gene transfer took place, they speculate that it required tight physical contact between the parasites and their host plants. Although the foreign atp1 gene that the researchers found in some Plantago species does not appear to function, Palmer suggests that horizontal transfer may have played a significant role in introducing genes for important traits in plants. Reading Level (Lexile): 1360;

//Breaking New Ground: Soil Communities and Exotic Plant Invasion.// By: Wolfe, Benjamin E.; Klironomos, John N.. Bioscience, Jun2005, Vol. 55 Issue 6, p477-487

//Long search reveals cell receptor for plant growth.// By: S. N.. Science News, 7/2/2005, Vol. 168 Issue 1, p14-14 This article focuses on the plant hormone auxin. More than 70 years after biologists identified the powerful plant hormone auxin, they have finally found how plant cells detect it. Auxin plays a role in just about every aspect of plant growth, from roots to shoots. In the May 26 Nature, two research groups independently report finding an auxin receptor in plant cells. One team, led by Mark Estelle of Indiana University in Bloomington, identified the receptor by using engineered insect cells to produce TIR1. The researchers then tested whether the protein would combine with auxin in a simplified environment devoid of hundreds of other plant chemicals. By adding specific compounds known to interact with auxin, the team confirmed that TIR1 binds directly to auxin. Similar results with TIR1 made by frog cells came from the other team, led by Stefan Kepinski of the Umeå Plant Science Center in Sweden and Ottoline Leyser of the University of York in England. Reading Level (Lexile): 1220;

//Scent Stalking.// By: Milius, S.. Science News, 9/30/2006, Vol. 170 Issue 14, p214-214 The article looks at research related to parasitic plant known as the "dodder." Scientists are reporting that the wiry orange plant finds plants to raid for nutrients by growing towards their smell. The plant responds to volatile compounds wafting off nearby plants and shows preferences for certain species, says Consuelo De Moraes of Pennsylvania State University in University Park. They say that their work marks the first time that anyone has shown that a plant will grow toward airborne chemicals from other plants. Reading Level (Lexile): 1240

//Timely Gardening Tips for where you live.// By: Mack, Carol. Mother Earth News, Feb/Mar2005 Issue 208, p156-160 Offer tips on gardening. Instructions for planting tomatoes from seeds; Protection of plants against pests; Information on a process which improves the germination of perennial plants. Reading Level (Lexile): 1130;

//Amazing Plants!// Scholastic News -- Edition 1, Apr2005, Vol. 61 Issue 7, p1-8 Focuses on the beneficial uses of plants. Housing for birds; Provision of nutrition for humans; Utilization of plants to make clothes; Medicinal aid being provided by plants. Reading Level (Lexile): 360;

//Riding the Wave Is Simply Beautiful.// USA Today Magazine, Jul2005, Vol. 134 Issue 2722, p77-77 Presents information on plant varieties offered by Ball Horticultural Co. Annuals and perennials included in the Simply Beautiful product line; Advantages of the Ride the Wave Petunias offering; Tips on planting petunia. Reading Level (Lexile): 1060;


 * Databases:**

Web Sites:
URL:** http://www.ashs.org/resources.lasso Includes Plant Facts which indexes over 59,000 pages of Extension publications from 46 different university and government institutions, an image gallery, an interactive plant glossary / identification tool and teaching resources.
 * American Society for Horticultural Science

URL:** http://botany.com/ Includes common names of plants, botanical names of plants, the dictionary of botanical words, temperature maps, pests and diseases and more.
 * Botany.com, the Encyclopedia of Plants

URL:** http://www.ou.edu/cas/botany-micro/www-vl/ A simple, comprehensive virtual library covering most disciplines relating to plants including breeding, plant ecology, natural history, agriculture and horticulture, plant pathology, etc.
 * Botany: The World Wide Web Virtual Library

URL:** http://www.nmnh.si.edu/botany/projects/cpd/ Produced by the Smithsonian Institute, this source provides information on 75 sites dedicated to the conservation of plant diversity in the Americas.
 * Centres of Plant Diversity the Americas

URL:** http://www.gardenweb.com/ The largest gardening site on the web, with garden forums, articles on gardening, directories of nurseries, gardens and gardening organizations.
 * Garden Web

URL:** http://plants.usda.gov/ Contains listings of the plants known to occur as native or naturalized within the boundaries of the U.S., including its territories.
 * Plants National Database

URL:** http://www.ars.usda.gov/main/site_main.htm?modecode=19-07-10-00 The Plant Protection Research Unit of the USDA consists of research programs emphasizing practical pest control methods that minimize or eliminate chemical pesticide usage while maintaining damage below economic threshold.
 * Plant Protection Research Unit

URL:** http://tolweb.org/tree/phylogeny.html A collaborative web project produced by biologists from around the world which, on more than 2600 web pages, provides information about diversity of organisms on earth, their history and characteristics.
 * The Tree of life

URL:** http://www.botany.org/newsite/botany/ Gives information on the field of Botany, as well as links to numerous plant images and stories covered in //American Journal of Botany.//
 * Botanical Society of America

URL:** http://infomine.ucr.edu/ A virtual library of Internet sources relevant to faculty, students, and research staff at the university level. [Select "Biological, Agricultural and Med Sciences" and search using the term botany or horticulture.]
 * Infomine Scholarly Internet Resource Collections

URL:** http://www.ipl.org/ Links to more than 25 sites. [Access by selecting Science and Technology, select Life Sciences, select Plant Biology (Botany)].
 * Internet Public Library


 * Videos/DVDs:**

//This video examines how carnivorous plants attract insects to their traps. Students also learn about the survival strategies of spiders, grasshoppers, dragonflies and praying mantises.// //Clearvue; 12 min.; Teacher’s Guide.// (2000) //The largest rain forest on earth, the Amazon, is threatened by overdevelopment and overexploitation. What will the impact be worldwide? EBEC, 16 min.(2002)//
 * 574.5** **Insects and Plants: How They Trap Their Prey**
 * 574.5 The Tropical Rain Forest: Utilization and Destruction**

//Behind the scenes look at decomposition—the process through which dead trees, leaves, and other organic materials are recycled. HR Media: 20 min.(2002)//
 * 574.52** **Return to Earth: Life Cycle of The Forest**

//An examination of the hidden insects, microorganisms and big flowers that inhabit gardens and lawns in simple ecosystems. Bio Media Associates; 15min.//
 * 576 Backyard Biodiversity**

//Students learn about rainforests ,how their inhabitants live and the threats to their ecosystems. Cambridge; 20 min.; Teacher’s guide.(2002)//
 * 577.34 Rainforest Biomes**//.//


 * __BOTANY: 580-581__**

//Demonstrates how all life is directly or indirectly dependent on plants for food and/or oxygen. Describes what happens during photosynthesis and reproduction and the six parts of a flowering plant. Barr Media Group. 19 min.; Teacher’s Guide.//
 * 582 All Things Plant**

//Shows how classification enables scientists to learn how plants evolved, how they are designed, and how they thrive. Clearview/EAV; 19 min.; guide.//
 * 581 How Plants Are Classified**

//Explains the structure and function of plants and describes their places in the ecosystem. EBEC; 21 min.(2001)//
 * 581 Plant Diversity**

//A six part series narrated by David Attenborough. Explores the world of the plant kingdom through time-lapse photography in exotic worldwide locations. 50 min// //Part I: Breaking Out: How Plant Seeds Travel.// //Part II: Putting Down Roots: Survival Techniques.// //Part III: The Birds and the Bees: Pollination.// //Part IV: Plant Politics: Plants Exploit Disasters To Meet Their Species Needs// //Part V: Living Together: Plant Partnership With Animals, Fungi, and Other// //Plants.// //Part VI: It’s A Jungle Out There: Plants In Harsh Climates.(1995)//
 * 581 The Private Life of Plants**

//As it dies, some parts are still alive and perform the role of living plants. In death the tree provides shelter for a number of animal species. Films For The Humanitites. 52 min.(1993)//
 * 582.16 The Death of A Tree**

//Explains the prey-catching mechanisms of pitcher plants, bitterroots, sundews, Venus flytraps water wheel plants and bladderworts. Films For The Humanities// //20 min.(1995)//
 * 583 Carnivorous Plants**

Community Resources:
Brooklyn Botanic Garden has been publishing groundbreaking, authoritative gardening information since 1945. Below, organized by topic, is a large, comprehensive library of gardening articles and growing tips selected from recent editions of our award-winning horticultural newsletter, //Plants & Gardens News//, our widely revered //21st-Century Gardening Series// handbooks, and our new //Brooklyn Botanic Garden All-Region Guides//. [|http://www.bbg.org] 1000 Washington Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11225-1008 (718) 623-7200
 * BROOKLYN BOTANIC GARDEN**
 * BBG's Online Library of Gardening Information**
 * Address & phone**

43-50 Main Street, Flushing, New York 11355 (718) 886-3800 The Queens Botanical Garden serves over 300,000 visitors every year. It is one of the 33 cultural institutions of the city of New York, located on 39 acres of City-owned land at the northeast corner of Flushing Meadows- Corona Park. The Garden had its origin in the 1939 World’s Fair, and opened at its current location in 1963. The mission is to provide an oasis of beauty and calm for all to enjoy and to educate people about the importance of plants in the environment and in our everyday lives. Five teaching collections include bee, bird, and woodland gardens, an herb garden and a pinetum; features include a new Home Compost Demonstration Site, six backyard demonstration gardens, a Victorian wedding garden, an arboretum and seasonal displays of tulips, roses, annuals and chrysanthemums.
 * Queens** **Botanical Garden**

Bronx River Parkway at Fordham Road, Bronx, NY 10458 (718)-817-8700 The New York Botanical Garden is a 250-acre estate including tree& shrub collections, specialized gardens and conservatory collections of tropical and subtropical plants. One of the oldest and largest botanical gardens in the world, The New York Botanical Garden in the Bronx is a museum of plants and a national Historic landmark. Library: 257,000 vol. plus over one million non-book items on botanical art, photos, archives, seed and nursery catalog available to the public. Guided tours; lectures; films; concerts; workshops, and courses.
 * New York** **Botanical Garden**

1000 Richmond Terrace Staten Island, New York 10301 (718) 273-8200 SIBG is a short ferry ride away from Manhattan. The Staten Island Botanical Garden is located within the grounds of the Snug Harbor Cultural Center. This institution is a cultural assimilation of gardens which includes representations from particular periods, such as the New York Chinese Scholar’s Garden, as well as, contemporary styles.
 * Staten Island** **Botanical Garden**


 * THE MANHATTAN BOTANICAL GARDEN - 1994-2006**
 * A project of Friends of Pier 84 (FoP84)**

A decentralized botanical garden concept was created in 1994 was to plant some flowers at the entrance of Pier 84 at the end of West 44th Street. A beautiful garden of 31 distinctive plantings was created that delighted both residents and tourists.The repair of the new pier began in November 2003 including the new prototype garden - the Concept Garden. In August 2000, the Aster novi-belgi was proclaimed the official flower of the Manhattan Botanical Garden by Manhattan Borough President C. Virginia Fields.

Curriculum Standards Related to This Topic:
Explain the importance of preserving diversity of species and habitats. Explain how diversity of populations within ecosystems relates to the stability of ecosystems. Explain how individual choices and societal actions can contribute to improving the environment.
 * Standard Number: 4**
 * Level: C**
 * Subject: The Living Environment**