Plant Biology Courses | 2026-2027 Graduate Catalog | SIU

This course will be an introduction to the curation of biological collections and strongly involve experiential learning through participatory activities with collections. This will involve an overview of museums, collection procedures, and the long-term features of high quality curation of specimens and will examine how a broad range of organisms is curated. Co-convened with PLB 401. Lab/Field trip fee: $50.

Credit Hours: 2

(See SCI 501A)

Credit Hours: 2

(See SCI 501B)

Credit Hours: 2

(See SCI 502A)

Credit Hours: 2

(See SCI 502B)

Credit Hours: 2

This course is an introduction to the differentiation, diversification and structure of plant tissues, organs and external forms, with emphasis on seed plants. Laboratory will include instruction in basic techniques of microscopy used in the study of plant structure. Two lectures and two laboratories per week. Co-convened with PLB 400. Lab fee: $50.

Credit Hours: 4

This course covers the principles of plant classification including history, nomenclature, specimen collection and preservation, current systematic methodologies, and a survey of major plant families. Two lectures and four hours of lab per week. Co-convened with PLB 408. Lab fee: $50.

Credit Hours: 4

Physiological control of developmental processes. Emphasis on growth-regulating compounds, genes and signaling networks, and their behavior in plants.

Credit Hours: 3

Advanced topics in plant physiology. Abiotic factors such as light, water, temperature, and nutrients, as well as emerging man-made pollutants such as nanoparticle contamination. Biotic factors such as plant-microbe signaling and the rhizosphere microbiome, plant-plant signaling, and competition for resources. These topics are covered at molecular, cellular and organismal levels. This course offers a perspective of how these processes work in nature, as well as how they are or might be manipulated for crop or agriculture practice improvement. Co-convened with PLB 425. Lab fee: $35. Credit Hours: 5.

Credit Hours: 5

(Same as PSAS 524) An examination of the integration of genes into networks including developmental, abiotic stress response, metabolic and photoreceptor gene regulatory networks. Includes motif discovery, cis-regulatory elements, discussion of transcription factor families, RNA interference, network theory, feedback loops, cytoplasmic inheritance, maternal effect, post-transcriptional and post-translational regulation. Includes 2 lectures and a 2 hr computational bioinformatics lab per week. Prerequisite: PLB 471 or permission of instructor.

Credit Hours: 3

A special techniques course designed for graduate students specializing in cell studies. Provides instrumentation training, with emphasis on application of the method to a research project. (a) Quantitative Cytology. (b) Immuno-Labelling and Qualitative Histochemistry. (c) Deep Etching Techniques in Electron Microscopy. (d) Cell Fractionation and Biochemical Techniques. Course fee: $50.

Credit Hours: 2-4

A special techniques course designed for graduate students specializing in cell studies. Provides instrumentation training, with emphasis on application of the method to a research project.

Credit Hours: 2-4

A special techniques course designed for graduate students specializing in cell studies. Provides instrumentation training, with emphasis on application of the method to a research project.

Credit Hours: 2-4

A special techniques course designed for graduate students specializing in cell studies. Provides instrumentation training, with emphasis on application of the method to a research project.

Credit Hours: 2-4

A special techniques course designed for graduate students specializing in cell studies. Provides instrumentation training, with emphasis on application of the method to a research project.

Credit Hours: 2-4

(Same as ZOOL 537) This course will be an evolutionary and ecological examination of the interactions between plants and pollinators. Topics will include pollination syndromes, plant breeding systems, pollinator foraging, learning, and behavior, specialized vs. generalized relationships, coevolution/cospeciation, chemical ecology, honey beekeeping & agricultural pollination, and conservation implications of pollinator relationships. Labs will stress science process skills and provide hands-on experience in methods of investigating plant breeding systems, plant reproductive ecology, pollinator behavior and efficacy, pollen analysis, floral scent chemistry, and floral phenology. Co-convenes with PLB 435 and ZOOL 435 for 4th Year undergraduates. Lab fee: $75.

Credit Hours: 3

This graduate level course focuses on our contemporary understanding of the impacts of expanding urban and agricultural environments, climate change, and other major components of the Anthropocene on the evolution of wild populations. It is more critical than ever for scientists to examine how anthropogenic factors impact natural populations. This is a conceptually broad course which covers topics ranging from landscape genetics, ecological genetics, evolutionary ecology, and phylogenetics.

Credit Hours: 3

Credit for field courses taken under the jurisdiction of the Organization for Tropical Studies in Costa Rica. Courses and credits will vary. Prerequisite: approval of OTS Advisory Committee at Southern Illinois University Carbondale.

Credit Hours: 3-8

(Same as ANTH 554, ZOOL 554) Advanced topics in evolutionary biology including genetics & development, evolutionary ecology, phylogeny, paleontology, biogeography, population genetics, molecular ecology, speciation, molecular evolution, and macroevolution. Topics will vary each semester. Seminar format group discussions and student presentations. Graded S/U. Special approval needed from the instructor.

Credit Hours: 1

(Same as ANTH 556, MBBS 556, ZOOL 556) An advanced introduction to modern methods of phylogenetic inference, emphasizing both theoretical background concepts and numerical approaches to data analysis. Topics include properties of morphological and molecular characters, models of character evolution, tree estimation procedures, and tree-based testing of evolutionary hypothesis. Special approval needed from the instructor.

Credit Hours: 3

(Same as ZOOL 557) Basic biostatistical procedures used by researchers in life sciences and related fields. Topics include descriptive statistics, probability and distributions, statistical models, likelihood methods, experimental design, analysis of variance, regression, correlation, and the use of statistical software.

Credit Hours: 4

(Same as ZOOL 558) Advanced biostatistical procedures used by researchers in life sciences and related fields. Topics include multiple and logistic regression, randomization tests, jackknife and bootstrap. Mantel tests, BACI designs, MANOVA, repeated measures analysis, and the use of statistical software. Prerequisite: PLB 557 or equivalent, ZOOL 557.

Credit Hours: 4

A course of individually assigned readings in botanical literature. Every semester. Special approval needed from the instructor. Graded S/U only.

Credit Hours: 2-3

The bioinformatic analysis of large genomic and post-genomic data sets. Integration of gene regulation, protein interaction, metabolite and hormonal signaling provides an understanding of basic cellular circuitry networks. Examine redundancy, robustness and decision making in biological systems. Lab includes databases, tools, and manipulation of large data sets. Lab fee: $15. Credit Hours: 3.

Credit Hours: 3

The bioinformatic analysis of large genomic and post-genomic data sets. Integration of gene regulation, protein interaction, metabolite and hormonal signaling provides an understanding of basic cellular circuitry networks. Examine redundancy, robustness and decision making in biological systems. Lab includes databases, tools, and manipulation of large data sets. Three lectures and 2 hours of lab per week. Co-convenes with PLB 471. Lab fee: $15.

Credit Hours: 4

(Same as ZOOL 578) Genetic structure of populations, factors causing changes and principles governing rate and direction of change. Three lectures per week. Prerequisite: BIOL 304 and BIOL 305.

Credit Hours: 3

Student presentations and critiques of original research, including presentations by occasional invited speakers. Graded S/U only. Required of all graduate students in residence, when offered.

Credit Hours: 1-6

(Same as ZOOL 576) Discussions of current and historical research and literature in various subject areas of plant biology. Graded S/U only.

Credit Hours: 1

Discussions of current and historical research and literature in various subject areas of plant biology. Graded S/U only.

Credit Hours: 1

Discussions of current and historical research and literature in various subject areas of plant biology. Graded S/U only.

Credit Hours: 1

General introduction to research and graduate program policies. Guest presentations by department faculty. Fall only. Graded S/U only. Required of all graduate students during their first year in residence, when offered.

Credit Hours: 1

Assignments involving research and individual problems. Master's students may use this for their research for their thesis. Summer only. Graded S/U. Special approval needed from the instructor and the department.

Credit Hours: 2-9

Assignments involving research and individual problems. Master's students may use this for their research for their thesis. Summer only. Graded S/U. Special approval needed from the instructor and the department.

Credit Hours: 2-9

Assignments involving research and individual problems. Master's students may use this for their research for their thesis. Summer only. Graded S/U. Special approval needed from the instructor and the department.

Credit Hours: 2-9

Assignments involving research and individual problems. Master's students may use this for their research for their thesis. Summer only. Graded S/U. Special approval needed from the instructor and the department.

Credit Hours: 2-9

Assignments involving research and individual problems. Master's students may use this for their research for their thesis. Summer only. Graded S/U. Special approval needed from the instructor and the department.

Credit Hours: 2-9

Assignments involving research and individual problems. Master's students may use this for their research for their thesis. Summer only. Graded S/U. Special approval needed from the instructor and the department.

Credit Hours: 2-9

Assignments involving research and individual problems. Master's students may use this for their research for their thesis. Summer only. Graded S/U. Special approval needed from the instructor and the department.

Credit Hours: 2-9

Assignments involving research and individual problems. Master's students may use this for their research for their thesis. Summer only. Graded S/U. Special approval needed from the instructor and the department.

Credit Hours: 2-9

Assignments involving research and individual problems. Master's students may use this for their research for their thesis. Summer only. Graded S/U. Special approval needed from the instructor and the department.

Credit Hours: 2-9

Assignments involving research and individual problems. Master's students may use this for their research for their thesis. Summer only. Graded S/U. Special approval needed from the instructor and the department.

Credit Hours: 2-9

Assignments involving research and individual problems. Master's students may use this for their research for their thesis. Summer only. Graded S/U. Special approval needed from the instructor and the department.

Credit Hours: 2-9

Course to be taken in the preparation of the Master's thesis. Every semester. Special approval needed from the instructor. Graded S/U only.

Credit Hours: 2-9

Course to be taken in the research for and in writing of the doctoral dissertation. Every semester. Graded S/U only. Special approval needed from the instructor.

Credit Hours: 1-12

For those graduate students who have not finished their degree programs and who are in the process of working on their dissertation, thesis, or research paper. The student must have completed a minimum of 24 hours of dissertation research, or the minimum thesis, or research hours before being eligible to register for this course. Concurrent enrollment in any other course is not permitted. Graded S/U or DEF only.

Credit Hours: 1

Must be a Postdoctoral Fellow. Concurrent enrollment in any other course is not permitted.

Credit Hours: 1