Mar 28, 2024  
OHIO University Undergraduate Catalog 2021-22 
    
OHIO University Undergraduate Catalog 2021-22 [Archived Catalog]

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T3 4950 - Biology and Geography of Regional Food Plants


The proposed integrative course examines plants utilized commonly as food in a selected region of the world from a variety of perspectives including their biology and evolution, geographic origins and historical development, chemical properties related to their use, agriculture and harvesting, food products utilizing these plants, and how cultures have been modified by food plants. Students will learn how regional environmental conditions and topography, land use, political and ethnic groups, economics, and infusion of other cultures have dictated the food plants now utilized in particular areas within the region under study. Each week, food plants will be introduced and discussed both within a geographic context (e.g., Rhineland of W Germany and adjacent Belgium; and E Germany and Moravia) and a functional or product-based context (e.g., fermentation, grapes and wines; and cereal grains, salt and preservation methods).

Requisites: Tier II completed and Sr only
Credit Hours: 3
General Education Code (students who entered prior to Fall 2021-22): 3
Repeat/Retake Information: May be retaken two times excluding withdrawals, but only last course taken counts.
Lecture/Lab Hours: 1.0 lecture, 2.0 laboratory, 1.0 discussion
Grades: Eligible Grades: A-F,WP,WF,WN,FN,AU,I
Learning Outcomes:
  • Appreciation of differences in use of local, regional or imported food plants and food preferences around the world.
  • Appreciation of the impact of immigrating cultures into the region with their own food plants and food preferences, and how this gradually alters historical food traditions.
  • Comprehension of how local and regional topography, climate and soils affect plant life and the consequent choices earlier peoples had available for food plants and plant for other uses.
  • Recognition of how different cultures (including Americans) have chosen crop plants and made food choices.
  • Understanding of natural communities, natural resources (especially native plants) and geography of a given region and their influence on traditional and modern foods.



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