Content - The course will focus primarily on learning about the kinds of organisms that used to be classified as plants. Times have changed, and so have the way in which the organisms that used to be classified as plants are now classified. Fungi - The two fungal groups we shall look at most are the Ascomycota or sac fungi and Basidiomycota or club fungi. Both of these groups have many species that produce a large, above ground reproductive body that is readily visible to the naked eye. Both groups also participate in the formation of lichens.
Lichens are a symbiotic association between a fungus and an alga.
They are successful on many substrates that tend not to be occupied by unassociated fungi and are sometimes important in helping converting rock to the minerals that can be taken up by other fungi and plants. They are often conspicuous and, because they are classified by their fungal component will also be discussed in this class. Bryophytes are represented by two groups around here. Mosses are the most abundant and best known group, but we also have a few liverworts. Neither group is particularly conspicuous, but they are early indicators of ecosystem disturbance by large animals because few of them will grow on disturbed soils.