Loose Leaf for Levetin Plants and Society

"In the twenty-first century, plant science is once again assuming a prominent role in research. Renewed emphasis on developing medicinal products from native plants has encouraged ethnobotanical endeavors. The destruction of the rain forests has made the timing for this research imperative and has spurred efforts to catalog the plant biodiversity in these environments. Efforts to feed the growing populations in developing nations have also positioned plant scientists at the cutting edge of genetic engineering with the creation of transgenic crops. However, in recent decades botany courses have seen a decline in enrollment, and some courses have even disappeared from the curriculum in many universities. We have written Plants and Society in an effort to offset this trend. By taking a multidisciplinary approach to studying the relationship between plants and people, we hope to stimulate interest in plant science and encourage students to further study. Also, by exposing students to societys historical connection to plants, we hope to instill a greater appreciation for the botanical world. AUDIENCE Recently, general botany courses have emphasized the impact of plants on society. In addition, many institutions have developed plants and society courses devoted exclusively to this topic. This emphasis has transformed the traditional economic botany from a dry statistical treatment of "bushels per acre" to an exciting discussion of "botanical marvels" that have influenced our past and will change our future. Plants and Society is intended for use in this type of course, which is usually one semester or one quarter in length. There are no prerequisites because it is an introductory course. The course covers basic principles of botany and places a strong emphasis on the economic aspects and social implications of plants and fungi"--