Learning Target: Plants in Human Culture (Part I) I Can… Explain some of the important ways in which humans rely on plants. I Will… List various Earth cycles in which plants play an important role Define the term agriculture Describe how agriculture has impacted human societal evolution Contrast agriculture with ethnobotany

Plants in Human Culture KEY CONCEPTS: Humans rely on plants in many ways: Agriculture provides stable food supplies for people in permanent settlements Plant products are important economic resources involved in local and world trade Plants compound are essential to modern medicine Plants play a role in Earth cycles

Plants in Human Culture Plants are components of: Water Cycle Carbon Cycle Nitrogen Cycle

Plants in Human Culture Plants Facts: > 350,000 plant species used for food < 20 plant species provide more than 90% of world’s food supply Ethnobotany – study of how people in different cultures use plants Agriculture – growing of plants and raising of animals for human use

Plants in Human Culture Agriculture:  11,000 years ago Fertile plains of Middle East Hunter/Gathering v. Agriculture: Allowed for stable societies/cultures Sharing of ideas Development of written language Time Architecture Scientific discovery

Plants in Human Culture Agriculture: Artificial selection process “Domesticated” plants Most modern crops e.g. wheat, corn, rice Domesticated from wild grasses Recent genetic engineering

Plants in Human Culture Cultivar: Contraction of “cultivated” and “variety” Plants selected for valuable distinguishing characteristics for further development over time Propagated vegetatively v. from seed “Clones” retain desired characteristics e.g. Thompson Seedless Grapes Valencia Oranges

Learning Check  : Plants in Human Culture 1. What is the difference between… Agriculture And Ethnobotany 2. How did agriculture impact human societal evolution?

Plants in Human Culture References [Carbon Cycle]. (n.d.). Retrieved January 28, 2013, from [Nitrogen Cycle]. (n.d.). Retrieved January 28, 2013, from Nowicki, S. (2008). McDougal Littell biology. Evanston, IL: McDougal Littell. Towle, A. (2002). Modern biology. Austin, TX: Holt, Rinehart and Winston. [Water Cycle]. (n.d.). Retrieved January 28, 2013, from [Wheat]. (n.d.). Retrieved January 28, 2013, from