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The parts of a plant shown in this diagram are important for anyone looking to grow a plant and keep it healthy. I attempted to grow a lemon tree from a seed planted in a cup filled with dirt I found near my apartment building. The seed actually did grow into a very small plant, but it never grew into a tree because I didn't know how to successfully identify the parts of a plant. Which is important because it would've helped me to identify which parts of the plant were healthy and growing properly or not. I also would've been able to know if I should eventually put a stick to prop the plant up or when it was time for the plant to be moved to a pot and eventually into the ground to grow as a tree.

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Unit 2 - Basic Plant Physiologic Processes

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Unit 2 - Basic Plant Physiologic Processes

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In order for plants to grow, there are basic physiologic processes that have to take place. Those processes are photosynthesis, respiration, and transportation. During transportation, plants transport water and minerals that are absorbed by the roots up the plant's stem, and that water is then released from leaf pores as vapor in a process called transpiration. Photosynthesis, which typically occurs during the day while sunlight is available, is the process where light energy from sunlight is converted into chemical energy that is stored in the glucose molecules that can later be used in respiration.

In essence, photosynthesis is the process in which plants make their own food. Respiration, on the other hand, is a continuous process and can occur both during the day and at night when there is an absence of sunlight. During respiration, food molecules are broken down to release energy for growth. This information is important as I look to grow my own vegetables. Knowing how plants take in light, water, and nutrients will help me care for them more effectively and get better results.

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Plant adaptation is the process in which special traits enable a plant to evolve or adapt to its environment in order to survive and thrive.

When it comes to the relationship between speciation and taxonomic nomenclature, here's a breakdown. Speciation is when new species are created after a group of living things has changed so much that they've become a new species. Taxonomic nomenclature is the system we use to give names to these species and organize them into groups.

This information is necessary because knowing species names and being able to tell the difference between edible and sometimes medicinal plants vs those that are poisonous can mean life or death. Accurate names and the understanding of a plant's adaptation can help avoid confusion.

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An ecological biome is a large geographical area that is categorized by its climate, plant life, animal groups, and other environmental factors. Plant diversity occurs within a biome due to a variety of factors. Human activity has a huge impact on plant and animal life within biomes, such as deforestation, agriculture, and pollution. Plant diversity can result due to this human activity. It can also occur due to climate change, species distribution, adaptation, evolution, and overall ecosystem health.

This information is necessary to know because the more biomes that can be protected, the more plant diversity, nutritional food variety, and natural medicines to treat illnesses will result due to the assortment of medicinal plants that are produced through these biomes.

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Plant domestication started about 10,000 years ago when humans started choosing plants that had large seeds and/or were easier to harvest. Eventually the biology of those plants began to change and turned into many of the crops we know today. That shift made certain plants more suitable for farming and created a more stable and reliable food source, which made it easier to build civilizations. But there was a downside. The plants became less genetically diverse, more dependent on humans, and lost a lot of their natural defenses which made them more vulnerable to pests, disease, and environmental changes. I feel the more we know and understand about plant domestication, the more we can be informed on how to improve crops today and better respond to challenges we face today like food security.

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Unit 6 -  The Role Plant Domestication Had On The Development of Agrarian and Industrialized Civilizations

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Unit 6 -  The Role Plant Domestication Had On The Development of Agrarian and Industrialized Civilizations

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The role plant domestication played in the development of agrarian and industrialized civilizations is the role it played in many civilizations. It provided a stable and abundant food supply, which allowed civilizations to develop because they didn't have to constantly travel to either hunt for food or continuously find regions that were conducive for plant growth. Instead they were able to modify the plants to better suit the land they dwelled in. Since plant domestication allowed early humans to settle in one place, they were able to form permanent communities, grow their populations, and eventually start trading due to the surplus of crops.

This eventually laid the foundation for industrialization because it freed more people to work in manufacturing. It also supplied raw materials like cotton and sugar for global trade. Plant domestication went on to shape global economies and environments and influenced everything from colonization to industrial output. This information is important to know because it helps us understand how agriculture became the foundation of modern civilization, why certain social and economic systems exist today, and how our relationship with the environment and food production continues to impact global development and sustainability.

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The Role Plant Domestication Had On The Development of Agrarian and Industrialized civilizations

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Unit 7 – The History and Biology of Plants Used in Science and Medicine 

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Unit 7 – The History and Biology of Plants Used in Science and Medicine 

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There are many different plants that are used in science and medicine. What's fascinating about many of them is they can be both life-threatening and life-saving.

Oleander is an example of this. It's been used as decor since ancient Greece and Rome and has always been known for its beauty and potential danger. Oleander is an evergreen shrub that contains toxic cardiac glycosides. In medicine, oleander can potentially treat diabetes, cancer, and inflammatory diseases (SOURCE). However, if taken in high dosages, it can cause an electrochemical imbalance in the body that can lead to heart and nervous system issues, even death (SOURCE).

Foxglove is similar. It was formalized in 18th-century heart treatments and used in European folk medicine. Its leaves are the source of a compound called digitalis, which is used in cardiac medication to treat heart failure and arrhythmias. Digoxin is another cardiac medication that derives from foxglove leaves, and it's used to treat heart failure and atrial fibrillation, which is a type of irregular heartbeat. However, if foxglove is ingested raw, all parts of the foxglove plant, especially the leaves, contain cardiac glycosides that can cause nausea, vomiting, dizziness, irregular heartbeat, hallucinations, and even death.

Elderberry is a plant that has been used since ancient times in folk remedies for colds and flu. It's a deciduous shrub/tree, and its berries contain antioxidants and antiviral compounds. It's been used in syrups, supplements, and traditional medicine that support the immune system.

It's very important to understand the benefits and risks that come with these plants to both avoid serious issues such as death and to also be able to utilize these plants to boost our overall health and quality of life. During the Covid-19 pandemic, my family took liquid elderberry daily to boost our immune systems, and it worked. Many of us never contracted Covid-19, and other members of my family that did contract it had very minor symptoms.

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Unit 8 – Multidimensional factors Affecting Plant Domestication

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Unit 8 – Multidimensional factors Affecting Plant Domestication

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Over the course of this class, I learned a lot about plants and how they play and have played a role in developing communities, how they've provided herbal medicines and compounds for modern medicines, and their roles within the global economy by being traded and planted in places throughout the world.

I learned how plant domestication created reliable sources of food for communities because they didn't have to travel as much to hunt and could instead settle and grow in certain locations. I learned what genetically modified plants really are, how they initially came about, and the benefits they carry.

I learned how equipment used to plant and harvest crops evolved over the years and how it's aided even more in consistent and efficient planting, growing and harvesting because of the advancing technology. It was also great to learn about how heavy burdensome labor was able to be reduced because of that.

I learned about the physical and chemical defenses plants have and which plants have them. I learned about the different soils used for various plants and how important of a role soil plays in plant growth. I also learned the different types of biomes and the types of plants that grow in each and why.

I believe that by studying, understanding, and innovating plant domestication, the future holds a world with way more medicinal benefits and a healthier lifestyle overall. My hope is that over time food insecurity can be almost nonexistent.