CWS 120: Plant Taxonomy and Identification

Plants structure ecosystems and provide habitat and food for wildlife. As such, identifying and classifying plants are essential skills for wildlife biologists but are often underemphasized in wildlife curriculums or overlooked altogether. This course gives students a foundation in the practical skills needed to identify and classify plants in their location of interest (e.g., study area, forest, park, management unit). Students will learn principles and practices of plant taxonomy, including the hierarchical structure of plant classification and the rules governing botanical nomenclature. Modern approaches to classification, including phylogenetic systems, are introduced to highlight evolutionary relationships among plants. Students will also learn how to define characteristics of plants, classify plants into major plant groups and common plant families, and use technical keys to identify plant species from their local areas. By the end, students will produce a digital plant collection for their location of interest. Credit from successful completion of this course can be used to earn professional certifications (e.g., The Wildlife Society’s Certified Wildlife Biologist®), and if taken for academic credit, can meet the minimum educational requirements for federal and state wildlife biology jobs that require formal education in botany and the related plant sciences.