Tissues and cells of root, stem, and leaf anatomy in both dicots and monocots are investigated in this learning activity.

Images and diagrams to explain concepts

Word Count: 4016

(Note: This resource's metadata has been created automatically by reformatting and/or combining the information that the author initially provided as part of a bulk import process.)

Plant growth regulators, including auxin, gibberellin, cytokinin, abscisic acid, and ethylene, are investigated in this learning activity to demonstrate how these chemicals (hormones) affect plant growth and development.

Plant water relations are presented in this learning activity to help participants understand the components of water potential, explain how water moves through plants, provide examples of plant adaptations to water stress, and have a general understanding of how water potential can be measured.

In this field exercise for an introductory environmental science course, students investigate plant cover and type in a riparian area using transects. The final assignment is a lab report that includes a summary data table, a graph of cover types along their transect and an analysis of riparian health.

(Note: this resource was added to OER Commons as part of a batch upload of over 2,200 records. If you notice an issue with the quality of the metadata, please let us know by using the 'report' button and we will flag it for consideration.)

In this video, members of the Menominee nation discuss their experiences with climate change.

This resource has been prepared for one semester of an introductory-level college biology course with foundational themes of evolution, ecology, and comparative body systems. The first unit explores the origins and defining characteristics of living things and compares the earliest and simplest life forms with more complex cellular life. One of the common features of all life is that it requires energy; the next section explores the why and how of energy acquisition and relationships between the metabolic pathways. After a primer on photosynthesis and energy production via respiration, the next few sections delve into the form and physiology of plants and animals, focusing on water and food transport in plants, and in the respiratory, circulatory, digestive and reproductive systems of diverse animals. These systems were selected to serve as an introduction to animal physiology because they can be easily interleaved with other core course concepts such as energy flow and nutrient cycling through ecosystems, population genetics, bioenergetics, or speciation. The final sections of the text provide a basis for understanding evolutionary change, biodiversity, and the history and relatedness of life on Earth.

Understanding Organisms is an adapted textbook remixed from a variety of openly licensed sources, with additional content introduced by the author. Throughout the chapters, embedded media and special content boxes linking a diverse collection of web-based resources (e.g., popular science articles, podcasts, interactive tutorials, simulations, etc.) promote engagement and independent learning. Many of these highlight the work of biologists from diverse backgrounds or make connections between the biology content and real-world concerns. Chapter content was adapted to improve accuracy and inclusivity in topics such as sexual reproduction, sex determination, and sexual selection. Each section includes interactive H5P content in the form of no-stakes practice activities with instant feedback that allows students to self-check their understanding while engaging with the text.

This resource is a video abstract of a research paper created by Research Square on behalf of its authors. It provides a synopsis that's easy to understand, and can be used to introduce the topics it covers to students, researchers, and the general public. The video's transcript is also provided in full, with a portion provided below for preview:

"Disease in food crops is a threat to food security. Previous studies have suggested that adding probiotics to soil can improve plant health and resilience. A new study examined the ecological mechanisms behind disease suppression from fertilizer amended with beneficial bacteria. To banana plants, the authors applied organic fertilizer that was either sterilized or unsterilized and either supplemented with Bacillus or not. Over 3 growth seasons, they measured the density of Fusarium wilt disease and the microbial makeup of the surrounding soil. Plants treated with Bacillus-supplemented fertilizers had reduced disease density with Bacillus supplementation more strongly suppressing disease in unsterilized fertilizer. The bacterial taxa found in the soil and the rhizosphere varied with soil treatmen. Soil supplemented with Bacillus showed an increased density of Pseudomonas, common bacteria shown to suppress disease in other studies..."

The rest of the transcript, along with a link to the research itself, is available on the resource itself.