Plant Responses to the Environment: Exposing Students to Modern Environmental Measurements, Physiological Techniques and Computational Methods

这个项目填补了一个原本得到很好支持的生物学项目的空白。特别是，它使进行复杂的环境测量成为可能，提供了设备来详细测量植物对环境变量的反应，并增加了本科生物学课程中计算机的可用性。到目前为止，生物系还没有专门用于本科生教学的计算机。这个项目的目标是提高本科生在生态学、植物生理学、生理生态学和生物学的独立研究课程中所学到的教育经验和技术的质量。为了让学生接触到环境测量、先进的生物仪器和提高计算机素养，该项目出资购买了Li-Cor Li-1200环境数据记录系统、Li-Cor Li-6400便携式光合作用系统和一台戴尔笔记本电脑。环境传感器和数据记录器教学生如何准确测量影响所有有机体的建立、生存、生产力和繁殖的变量。光合作用系统允许学生在野外和室内实验室环境中检查光合作用过程中的二氧化碳吸收、水分损失和气孔反应。传感器连接到便携式电脑上，因此学生们还学习如何将设备连接到电脑上，并为电脑编程以进行数据采集。该计算机还用于从互联网下载天气数据文件和气候变化数据集。该项目可以产生一本《生理生态学实验室手册》。围绕设备开发的练习的有效性可以通过学生的评估来确定。

This project fills a void in an otherwise well-supported Biology program. In particular, it makes it possible to make sophisticated environmental measurements, provides equipment to make detailed measurements of plant responses to environmental variables, and increases computer availability in the undergraduate Biology courses. Until now, the Biology Department has had no dedicated computers for undergraduate instruction. The goal of this project is to improve the quality of the educational experience and techniques learned by undergraduate students in Ecology, Plant Physiology, Physiological Ecology, and Independent Research courses offered in Biology. In order to expose students to environmental measurements, sophisticated biological instrumentation, and to enhance computer literacy, this project provides funds to purchase a Li-Cor LI-1200 environmental data recording system, a Li-Cor LI-6400 Portable Photosynthesis System, and a Dell notebook computer. The environmental sensors and data-logger teach students how to accurately measure variables that influence the establishment, survival, productivity, and reproduction of all organisms. The photosynthesis system allows students to examine carbon dioxide uptake, water loss, and stomatal responses during photosynthesis in both field and indoor laboratory settings. The sensors are connected to the portable computer, so students also learn how to interface equipment to computers and program the computer for data acquisition. The computer is also used to download weather data files and climate change datasets from the Internet. The project can result in a Laboratory Manual for Physiological Ecology. The effectiveness of the exercises developed around the equipment can be determined by student evaluations.