The vascular plants of Buca Faculty of Education Campus (Izmir): Contribution to educational practices

Background: Increasing anthropogenic influences on the environment, especially urbanization, have caused adverse effects on the natural ecosystems. As a result, green campuses have become rare places where the characteristics of the area flora can be observed. In this context, the aim of the present study is to identify the floral richness of the campus of the Buca Faculty of Education (BEF), an important floristic area within the city of Izmir, and to clarify how this richness is used in the educational processes. Method: The study was carried out between the periods 2008-2010. Plants growing on the BEF Campus constitute the research material. Plants growing on the campus were examined, necessary samples were collected. After the determination of plants, how they were used in B.Sc, M.Sc. and Ph.D. classes was investigated. For this purpose, interviews were performed with seven teaching staff from the Buca Faculty of Education Department of Biology. Results: A total of 108 plant taxa belonging to 52 families were identified in the campus area. Further study of the families showed that the family Rosaceae is represented by the highest number of taxa, fourteen, followed by Fabaceae represented by nine taxa. In addition, according to opinions of the academic staff, different ways of using such plants in training were identified and discussed. Conclusion: A principal conclusion to be drawn is that a general programme in Applied Biology and Ethnobotany should be made available to all students. When the increase of plant usage for medicinal purposes in recent years is taken into consideration, field studies related especially to ethnobotany can be a very useful specialisation for M.Sc. and Ph.D. students. It would be beneficial for graduates in a variety of disciplines, including Botany, as well as Agriculture, Anthropology, Forestry, Medicine, Pharmacology, Sociology, and others.