This project has established a course for biology students using modern instrumentation to characterize physical environments and responses of plants to them. Students master the instruments in supervised laboratory exercises, then use each instrument to characterize the "natural" environment or plant responses in tropical, desert and mesic areas of a large multi-room greenhouse. Factors that are measured include temperature, air velocity, humidity, soil moisture status, and radiation quantity. This program is helping students become more aware of the physical environment and its biological consequences. The project is also allowing students to acquire proficiency in the choice and operation of modern instruments and research in this field.
