Woody Plants: Biology and Identification
NRE 437
Credits: 4
Prerequisites: Graduate standing or Permisison of Instructor.
NO Pass/Fail or S/U Option

Ecology, biology and identification of trees, shrubs, and vines are studied in weekly field trips. Woody plants are studied in their natural ecosystems - including upland (oak-hickory, beech-sugar maple, lake plain), wetland (swamp, bog), and floodplain forests. Non-native species and ornamental plants are taught in the Nichols Arboretum, Saginaw Forest, and Main Campus. Lecture topics include vegetative and reproductive morphology; woody plant biology, ecology, and diversity; variation and genetics; systematics of woody plants; ornamental plants; and forest ecosystems of eastern and western North America. Term paper required.