Botany Basics PDF

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Competitive Exams Botany Notes: Concepts in Botany

Introduction
Botany is the scientific study of plant life. As a branch of biology, it is also called plant science
(s), phytology, or plant biology. Botany covers a wide range of scientific disciplines that study
plants, algae, and fungi including: Structure, growth, reproduction, metabolism, development,
diseases, and chemical properties and evolutionary relationships between the different groups.
The study of plants and botany began with tribal lore, used to identify edible, medicinal and
poisonous plants, making botany one of the oldest sciences. From this ancient interest in plants,
the scope of botany has increased to include the study of over 550, 000 kinds or species of living
organisms.
Scope and Importance of Botany

As with other life forms in biology, plant life can be studied from different perspectives, from
the molecular, genetic and biochemical level through organelles, cells, tissues, organs,
individuals, plant populations, and communities of plants. At each of these levels a botanist
might be concerned with the classification (taxonomy), structure (anatomy and morphology), or
function (physiology) of plant life.
Historically, botany covers all organisms that were not considered to be animals. Some of these
“plant-like” organisms include fungi (studied in mycology), bacteria and viruses (studied in
microbiology), and algae (studied in phycology). Most algae, fungi, and microbes are no longer
considered to be in the plant kingdom. However, attention is still given to them by botanists,
and bacteria, fungi, and algae are usually covered in introductory botany courses.
The study of plants has importance for a number of reasons. Plants are a fundamental part of
life on Earth. They generate the oxygen, food, fibres, fuel and medicine that allow higher life
forms to exist. Plants also absorb carbon dioxide through photosynthesis, a minor greenhouse
gas that in large amounts can affect global climate. It is believed that the evolution of plants has
changed the global atmosphere of the earth early in the earth's history and paleobotanists study
ancient plants in the fossil record. A good understanding of plants is crucial to the future of
human societies as it allows us to:
Produce food to feed an expanding population
Understand fundamental life processes
Produce medicine and materials to treat diseases and other ailments
Understand environmental changes more clearly
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Human Nutrition
All foods eaten come from plants, either directly from staple foods and other fruit and
vegetables, or indirectly through livestock or other animals, which rely on plants for their
nutrition. Plants are the fundamental base of nearly all food chains because they use the energy
from the sun and nutrients from the soil and atmosphere and convert them into a form that can
be consumed and utilized by animals; this is what ecologists call the first trophic level.
Botanists also study how plants produce food we can eat and how to increase yields and
therefore their work is important in mankind's ability to feed the world and provide food
security for future generations, for example through plant breeding.
Botanists also study weeds, plants which are considered to be a nuisance in a particular location.
Weeds are a considerable problem in agriculture, and botany provides some of the basic science
used to understand how to minimize ‘weed’ impact in agriculture and native ecosystems.
Ethnobotany is the study of the relationships between plants and people.
Fundamental Life Processes

Plants are convenient organisms in which fundamental life processes (like cell division and
protein synthesis for example) can be studied, without the ethical dilemmas of studying animals
or humans. The genetic laws of inheritance were discovered in this way by Gregor Mendel, who
was studying the way pea shape is inherited.
What Mendel learned from studying plants has had far reaching benefits outside of botany.
Additionally, Barbara McClintock discovered ‘jumping genes’ by studying maize. These are a few
examples that demonstrate how botanical research has an ongoing relevance to the
understanding of fundamental biological processes.
Medicine and Materials

Many medicinal and recreational drugs, like tetrahydrocannabinol, caffeine, and nicotine come
directly from the plant kingdom. Others are simple derivatives of botanical natural products; for
example aspirin is based on the pain killer salicylic acid which originally came from the bark of
willow trees. There may be many novel cures for diseases provided by plants, waiting to be
discovered. Popular stimulants like coffee, chocolate, tobacco, and tea also come from plants.
Most alcoholic beverages come from fermenting plants such as barley malt and grapes.
Plants also provide us with many natural materials, such as cotton, wood, paper, linen,
vegetable oils, some types of rope, and rubber. The production of silk would not be possible
without the cultivation of the mulberry plant. Sugarcane, rapeseed, soy and other plants with a
highly-fermentable sugar or oil content have recently been put to use as sources of biofuels,
which are important alternatives to fossil fuels, see biodiesel.
Environmental Changes
Plants can also help us understand changes in on our environment in many ways.
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Understanding habitat destruction and species extinction is dependent on an accurate and
complete catalog of plant systematics and taxonomy.
Plant responses to ultraviolet radiation can help us monitor problems like the ozone
depletion.
Analyzing pollen deposited by plants thousands or millions of years ago can help scientists to
reconstruct past climates and predict future ones, an essential part of climate change
research.
Recording and analyzing the timing of plant life cycles are important parts of phenology used
in climate-change research.
Lichens, which are sensitive to atmospheric conditions, have been extensively used as
pollution indicators.
In many different ways, plants can act a little like the ‘miners canary’ an early warning system
alerting us to important changes in our environment. In addition to these practical and
scientific reasons, plants are extremely valuable as recreation for millions of people who enjoy
gardening, horticultural and culinary uses of plants every day.
Discussions & Questions
What is best subject for UPSC? ( - go...@ on 21-Aug-2016)
1 Answer
Watch this video on deciding optional for UPSC https://www.youtube.com/watch?

v=TfCOX0r_EKA and then go ahead with the decision.
- Examrace on 29-Aug-2016
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8/1/2018----Competitive Exams Botany Notes: Concepts in Botany- Translation in Hindi, Kannada, Malayalam, Marathi, Punjabi, Sindhi, Sindhi, Tamil,

Telgu - Examrace----Downloaded from examrace.com

Competitive Exams Botany Notes: Concepts in Botany

Scope and Importance of Botany

Produce food to feed an expanding population

Understand fundamental life processes

Produce medicine and materials to treat diseases and other ailments

Understand environmental changes more clearly

Fundamental Life Processes

Medicine and Materials

Discussions & Questions

What is best subject for UPSC? ( - go...@ on 21-Aug-2016)

Watch this video on deciding optional for UPSC https://www.youtube.com/watch?

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