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    Introduction to Plant Phenology with Museum Specimens of Desert Prickly Pear (Opuntia phaeacantha)
    Students engage in hands-on exploration of phenology by working with digitized herbarium specimens, particularly focusing on prickly pear specimens from the UTEP herbarium. They learn to identify...

    Keywords: botanyclimate changephenologyherbariumcactus

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    Joel E. Greengiant Learns About Peas: From Nucleotides to Selection
    This case study follows purveyors of peas, Joel E. and Jolene Greengiant, as they learn about the origin, biochemistry, genetics and eventual artificial selection of sweet (wrinkled) peas, all in...

    Keywords: geneticspopulation geneticsEvolutionintroductory biologycase studybiologyResources @ NSF - NCCSTSmeiosisMendel’s peaspea plantPisum sativumMendel’s Lawsmolecular geneticsmutationnucleotide insertionartificial selectionstarch synthesisstarch branching enzymeplant domesticationlegumesResources @ QUBES - Teaching & Reference

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    Plant Cell Expansion and Plant Hormones
    This module introduces the cell enlargement model in the context of understanding plant hormones' effects. It is intended for an introductory biology audience.

    Keywords: plant physiologyhyperbolic equationsplant hormonescell enlargement

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    Polyploidapalooza: Exploring the diversity and evolution of polyploid plants and animals
    This series of modules explores the complex world of polyploidy, including species formation, cell division, evolution, conservation, and economic importance. We focus on polyploidy across the...

    Keywords: Evolutionconservationnatural historyCell DivisionhybridizationPolyploidygenome duplicationallopolyploidyautopolyploidy

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    Cleaning Biodiversity Data: A Botanical Example Using Excel or RStudio
    Access and clean an open source herbarium dataset using Excel or RStudio.

    Keywords: Exceldata in the classroomRStudiobiodiversity informaticsnatural history collectionsHerbariaData cleaning

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    A Rapid Genetic Screen Using Wisconsin Fast Plants®: A Hands-On Approach to Inheritance of de novo Mutations
    Some concepts in genetics, such as genetic screens, are complex for students to visualize in a classroom and can be cumbersome to undertake in the laboratory. Typically, very large populations are...

    Keywords: mutationInheritancegermlinesomaplant lifecycle

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    Sexual Dimorphism CURE: Exploring Melanized Wing Patterns of Pieridae Butterflies
    Teach a Course-based Undergraduate Research Experience (CURE) using digitized natural history collections data to test hypotheses on sexually dimorphic wing melanization patterns of Pieris rapae...

    Keywords: data analysismorphologyidigbiosexual dimorphismdata managementImageJsexual selectionnatural history collectionsbutterflycourse-based research experiences (CUREs)digitized natural history collectionsQGISmorphometricsBCEENETgeoreferencing

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    Healing the scars: Tropical rainforest carbon cycling. Does it matter which tree species you plant?
    This online module explores how differences in traits of tropical tree species translate into differential effects on the carbon cycle, integrating ecological information across scales and the...

    Keywords: climate changecarbon cyclingtropical biology4DEE Frameworkforest restorationtropical tree speciessoil carbon

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    Linking Genotype to Phenotype: The Effect of a Mutation in Gibberellic Acid Production on Plant Germination
    Basic concepts in genetics and plant development are often taught in lecture courses without a lab component. This approach provides students with the content knowledge, but fails to make...

    Keywords: geneticsdevelopmentmutationgerminationplantmodel organismGenotype/PhenotypeHormoneSeed

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    Green Design: How do Leaf Structures Optimize Photosynthesis and Promote Survival?
    One of the major learning objectives established by the American Society of Plant Biologists and the Botanical Society of America has students answer the question: How do plant structures enable...

    Keywords: photosynthesisepidermal layerleaf anatomymesophyllpalisade parenchymaplant anatomyplant structure functionspongy parenchymaStomata

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    Bioinformatics is a BLAST: Engaging First-Year Biology Students on Campus Biodiversity Using DNA Barcoding
    In order to introduce students to the concept of molecular diversity, we developed a short, engaging online lesson using basic bioinformatics techniques. Students were introduced to basic...

    Keywords: geneticsorganismal biologybioinformaticstaxonomyDNA Barcodingspecies concepts

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    Developing Data Literacy Skills and Connecting the Student Experience in the Classroom to the Community Through Biodiversity Projects
    Undergraduate education and long-term science literacy are enhanced by integrating data projects with public datasets and creating analysis summaries. Underutilized public datasets are often...

    Keywords: species richnessBiodiversitydisturbanceHabitat rangePopulation abundance

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    Transpiration
    In this lab, students will examine differences between C3 and C4 plants in their transpiration rates.

    Keywords: plant physiologybotanylaboratoryResource Type

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    Teaching Genetic Linkage and Recombination through Mapping with Molecular Markers
    Most introductory genetics courses cover genetic linkage, a core concept in the CourseSource genetics learning outcome framework. Although it is a classical genetics topic, genetic linkage remains...

    Keywords: meiosisphenotypegel electrophoresismicrosatellitesBanding PatternGenetic linkageInheritanceMolecular MarkersPhysical Linkage

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    PhyloCards: a fun approach to exploring the local Wissahickon biodiversity, Chestnut Hill, Philadelphia, PA
    PhyloCards are educational trading cards that teach people about biodiversity, conservation, and ecosystem relationships. We used this educational tool to explore the Wissahickon Valley's...

    Keywords: species richnessPokemon Gobiodiversity literacytrophic chain

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    Spreading seeds: How can a better understanding of seed dispersal improve tropical forest restoration?
    Learn about seed dispersal by animals and how this ecological process can be harnessed to facilitate forest recovery through a forest restoration experiment in Costa Rica. Apply what you learn to a...

    Keywords: conservationRestorationtropical forestsbiodiversity lossSeed dispersal

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    Angiosperm Diversity in Pollination Systems
    This activity is designed for upper-level undergraduates and graduate students engaged in ecology and biodiversity sustainability studies. This activity will explore how plant-pollinator...

    Keywords: data visualizationBiodiversityplantsPlant-insect interactionsnetworkinsectsBLUEpollinators

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    A CURE in traits and species distributions: Reproductive modes, range sizes, and natural history collections
    This course-based undergraduate research experience (CURE) focuses on developing hypotheses about how traits influence the range sizes of species. Topics with substantive content include symbioses,...

    Keywords: Evolutionbiostatisticsecologynatural history collectionsSymbiosisspecies distributionsherbariumplant functional traitsLichenReproductive biologyAppalachian mountains

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    A Kinesthetic Modeling Activity to Teach PCR Fundamentals
    Most molecular biology and biological sciences students understand that the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) is used to amplify DNA. However, we have found that some students experience conceptual...

    Keywords: PCR

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    Module 2: Opening Your Eyes to the Diversity of Plants
    This activity picks up from Module 1 where students chose the plant they wanted to represent their botanical history. In that module, they each identified their plant’s family and were given its...

    Keywords: botanyPlant diversityLand plantsembryophytes

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