Plant Biology Minor

Plant biologists seek to understand plants and associated organisms, including fungi and algae, at all levels of biological organization, from molecules to ecosystems. Biochemical, physiological, developmental, genetic, evolutionary, and ecological studies of plants are fundamental to improve human welfare and global conditions in the areas of health, food, energy, and environment. Some current examples of research in plant biology include developmental genetics for bioenergy and food production, ecological studies of carbon cycling, evolutionary responses to climate change, cellular responses to pathogens and abiotic stress, natural product discovery, symbiosis, molecular evolution, informatics, and the pursuit of other fundamental questions.