Plant Transpiration Lab

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/15JuPRY_mvZSS1zNies8b-cnYrgz9bdzNssRGYmUWd1Q/edit?usp=sharing

The link above is where my table can be found.

Lab Questions:

1. Transpiration is the process where a plant takes in H2O and CO2 and creates glucose (or sucrose) with the help of light energy. The two forms of light energy are wavelength 680 and wavelength 700. This energy first excites the electrons and pushes them into a higher energy level. At the same time, H2O is split, releasing CO2. The electron is then taken to the electron transport chain by a transport protein. Some ATP is created but it is not enough to sustain the plant. Then the electron is taken to another protein receptor. The carbon is put into the Calvin cycle where it is joined together with a five carbon group. It will eventually create ATP.

2. The experimental controls were the timer, temperature, and how the plant was set up.

3. The fan and heater created the most  noticeable increase in the amount of transpiration that occurred in each plant. No, some plants were not well adapted to all of this molecular movement. Some did better with the heater than with the fan.

4. The fan created the largest amount of change because it added more molecular movement to the process of transpiration.

5. The Rubber Plant and the Zebra Plant has the highest transpiration rate. Each plant had a different rate because each is adapted to a specific biome.

6. If the plant's stomata were on the top, then the release of O2 and H2O would be slowed. Also, the intake of light would be less because the wavelengths would also have to go through the jelly.

7. The plant must loose water through transpiration because the weight of the water could weaken the stems. Additionally, too much water could throw of the balance of homeostasis in the plant.

Plant hormones: Auxin, Abscisic Acid, and Ethylene

Plants need hormones just like we do in order to continue homeostasis.

Auxin is a hormone in charge of  mainly growth (cell elongations) but also has other functions such as:

- elongation of cells

- root growth 

- cell division 

- stimulate flower growth

- stimulate fruit growth 

- promote the creation of ethylene

And much much more. Information can be found at: http://www.plant-hormones.info/auxins.htm

The next hormone I will describe is Ethylene. This hormone is gaseous that is mainly in charge of fruit ripening. It also has one of the
simplest structures. 

This hormones functions are: 

- stimulate root growth 

- stimulates fruit to ripen 

- induction of femaleness in dioecious flowers 

- stimulates flower opening 

And more. Information found at: http://www.plant-hormones.info/ethylene.htm

The last hormone is Abscisic Acid. This hormone is mainly in charge of abscission of fruits and bud dormancy. 
This hormones functions are:
- inhibit shoot growth but doesn't affect roots as much
- Induces seed to store protein 
- induce maintenance dormancy 
- stimulates closure of stomata 

Information from:  http://www.plant-hormones.info/abscisicacid.htm

Flower Day!!!

Flower Observations

Flowers have both male and female parts. They can either reproduce by the transfer of their pollen on insects or animals, or they can reproduce themselves. The Female parts are the pistil which is a group of carpels. Each carpel has an ovary that makes the ovules (the eggs that can be fertilized). The male reproductive parts of the flower are stamens. They are made up of an anther and a filament. The anther creates pollen. The pollen will then either be transferred or will it will fertilized  the eggs already present.   The fertilization of an ovule is called pollination. The ovules will then develop into seeds in the ovary. The flowers that have both male and female organs are called perfect flowers. The flowers that only have single sex organs are called imperfect flowers.

Information above from : http://www.enchantedlearning.com/subjects/plants/printouts/floweranatomy.shtml

 

My Observations:

This flower had soft colorful petals that seemed to attract insects. Their leaves were a dark green color l, probably to help absorb sunlight. The flowers on the bush were evenly spaced out on the branches. The bush was tall an almost seemed like a small tree. The reproductive organs are protected by the petals allowing insects to have access.  

This flower has large open head and mutiple flower heads are on a single stem. The petals are soft and colorful, attracting insects. Pollen can be found on the inside of the petals and on the anthers. The leaves are thin and small but there are many on the bush. 

This flower has soft petals and an open head. The flower hads are more spaces  out on the bush. The leaves are waxy and the stems have thorns on the for protection. The stamens are in the middle of the flyover head an are a yellow color. The scent of the flower is also very strong.

This flowering plant has tall towers of flower heads. They are a light purple flower protected by a hard casing with thorns.I couldn't find the the male reproductive organs but the female organs are clustered in the center. The stem of the plant has large leaves to collect a large amont of sunlight. The leaves also have a wxy coating on them. 

 

 

  This slower has soft petals with a few flower on the stems. The leaves are thin and stringy and have sharp edges. All the reproductive organs are in the center of the flower. The stems are easily bent and  malliable. The center of the flower seems to have small petals in the center of the flower. I think they might be to protect the stamens.

 

 

Pintrest

 

 

"The Human Bumblebee"

Who is in charge here? The plants or the bees? Yes, the bees may feel like they are in control, but the flowers are the ones who attracted the bees in the first place. Through natural selection and evolution, flowers have "learned" to manipulate the bees into carrying their pollen from flower to flower, thus allowing them to reproduce.

Taken by Joaquin Gasper

 

The relationship between the bee and the flower is known as "coevolution." This means that "the two parties act on each other to advance their individual interests but wind up trading favors"(Pollan, P.2). The bee gets food, and the flower gets pollinated. Just like this, the potato is harvested by humans because we like its taste. In turn, the potatoes get to be cultivated. This lead to the realization that the plats are acting on us as much as we are acting on them.



Taken by Getty

 

Coevolution can also be seen in the apple because it tastes sweet to us. Also, cannabis also attracts humans because of its intoxication capabilities.  However, before this, flowers developed coevolution as a defense mechanism. Many of them originally had poison to warn other animals to leave them alone. Another reason plants are involved in coevolution is because they cant move themselves. They must rely on others to help them pollinate. Some plants developed burrs to attach to an animals fur. Plant also got us to move them into our gardens or on a farm. This is all part of nature and natural selection. Some people think that because the plants are "domesticated", they are no longer part of nature, but everything is still part of nature. Even when humans create hybrid plants, it should be considered part of natural selection. We can relate this concept to animals. Why do you think there are a lot more dogs than wolves? Its because we have domesticated dogs; therefore, the dogs have become more successful.



Owned by Discovery



Wolf v.s Rabbit Graph

The graph above depicts the population count in an artic tundra. Here, the primary consumer is the rabbit (prey) (White, yellow-green, lime-green, dark green) and the secondary consumer is the Wolf(predator). As we look at the graph, we can notice a relationship between population of the wolf and the rabbit. The population growth is determined by the amount of food and energy available, as well as the variations in each generation or species. An example of a variation is the multiple colors of fur a rabbit has. In the early generations, the rabbit population increased because their wasn't enough energy to sustain a wolf. Therefore, the wolf dies due to starvation and the imbalance of energy available for it to receive. However, the wolf population did increase when the rabbit population reached its peak and there was enough food to go around. The extra energy allowed for the wolf to reproduce. In the middle generation, we can see an example of an extinction in the case of the white rabbit. This was a result of the over-hunting of that certain type of rabbit. However, if this was actually data from a real arctic tundra, then the white rabbit would be less likely to go extinct because the color of its fur allows it to camouflage with the snow. Later, we do see that some other rabbits experience extinction but their population will eventually increase if an outside rabbit migrates into this area.

Breaking News! Volcanic Eruption in a River

Volcanic Eruption in a River?

 

 

That's right. Last Saturday night, there was a large shake of the ground, but this was not an earthquake. Immediately, there was a large smoke cloud mixed with ash and fire spewing out from the middle of  a river. The humid air was thick with ash. Lava began to take over that area of the river and reach the shore.

Photo taken by Dana Stephenson

This type of eruption can be categorized as a - "Phreatic: explosion of steam, water, ash and rock as magma comes in contact with groundwater or surface water." http://www.lenntech.com/volcanic-eruptions-environment.htm#ixzz2zZu8qoyCThe
Along with the steam, toxic gases are releases into the air. Carbon dioxide and sulphur dioxide are some of the most harmful gases that can be released.This does not only poison the living organisms, but it can also make the soil infertile. The gases released also add to the "greenhouse effect" and can create acid rain. Ash from the explosion can also suffocate plants and animals too slow to escape the black cloud. Some ash can contain a chemical called Fluorine which can poison fresh water supplies for weeks.

Photo taken by Lothar Slabon

 Lava that has yet to reach the surface forms a crust and creates "pillow lava." This pillow lava immediately traps fish and any living organism in the area and encases it in a hard crust. Lava can also move quickly down stream along with the current of the river. Once lava reaches the shore it can start fires and burn the environment around it. This eruption can also block the original path of the river, causing floods that may drown some animals.

Photo taken by Peter Lik



A few animals were able to escape this death trap. Many of the birds, such as the Osprey Hawk, made it out of the disaster zone due to its fast flight ability. Also many of the quickest fish, such as the Pickerel, made it out of the lava in time because of the slim body and fast movements. However, many lives were lost in this catastrophe.

Photo taken by William C. Gladish



As a result, this area will be barren for a while, due to poisoned soil and water source damaged. Also, the surrounding environment has been damaged because of fire and horrible air quality.

Cited Works:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Submarine_volcano

 

http://www.lenntech.com/volcanic-eruptions-environment.htm

 

http://volcanoes.usgs.gov/ash/water/

My Adventure: Exploring Freshwater Streams and Rivers



Notes and Observations:

 



Visiting all the rivers around the world is a hard task.(Even though freshwater is only 1% of all the water found on earth)  Depending on where the rivers  are located, their temperatures, minerals, and wildlife can be varied from one another.

Here is a drawing my friend, John Weeks, did of all the rivers of the USA. http://www.johnweeks.com/river_mississippi/map_us_miss.jpg

I'm afraid temperatures are too different so I cant give a range. However, I know most steams originate from snow melt or ground water that has reached the surface. Here are some common minerals found in freshwater streams and rivers:

• Calcium
• Magnesium
• Sodium
• Potassium

The amount of sunlight a river receives depends on how much sediment is found in the water at that time. The end of the river will allow less sunlight in because it will have all the sediment that has been carried down from upstream. The amount of shelter a river had also depends on the area where it is located. Some forms of shelter include dams, caves, tree roots, and surrounding vegetation. 





 

This is a picture my friend, Samuel Elsaesser  took as we explored the Amazon River.
http://www.wackyowl.com/worlds-most-dangerous-rivers/

Now exploring abiotic aspects of a freshwater biome is great, but the biotic aspects of this biome are more exciting!!!

 

 

This typical river food web was created by my other naturalist enthusiast, Jan Porincbak
http://aboutenvironment.wordpress.com/2010/03/28/freshwater-availability-in-the-world/.

This a great food web because it  shows how humans interact with the freshwater river biome. The producers found in this biome are the plant life in and around rivers. Algae, Duckweed, and Cattail are some of the many producers in this biome, providing the living organisms around them with oxygen and another source of energy.   

 

Ruth Babylon especially loved taking picture of Cattail. http://www.radfordpl.org/wildwood/today/Plant_articles/Cattail.htm

Cattails are more than just a cover for birds and small animals, they can also be useful to humans. They can be burned to keep bugs away, or they can be ground up to make pancakes and bread.  Cattails are also well adapted to their watery environment. Their leaves have spongy cross-sections that contain air channels to help tem float. Also, their fluffy seeds can be easily picked up by animals and the wind.

 

The consumers found in this biome consist of 700 different species of fish and 1,200 species of  amphibians, mollusks, and insects. The adaptations in fish can be seen in their body and fin shape. The Largemouth Bass and the Trout have elongated bodies and a forked tails which allows them to swim faster in water. The Pickerel has a slim body and its fins are placed near the back of the fish, allowing it to shoot through the water to catch their prey.

 

This Pickerel was drawn by Joseph R Tomelleri. http://mdc.mo.gov/fishing/fishing-how-tos/fish-adaptations

 

 

Another Freshwater consumer is the beaver. Beaver's make their homes/dams in slow-moving rivers. An adaptation of the beaver is that its lips close behind its front teeth, preventing water from entering while chewing wood underwater. The beaver also has a clear eyelid that allows it to see underwater.

 

 

 

 

 



Cheryl Reyndolds took this picture of a beaver sitting on the bank of a river.



 

Some of these consumers can also be considered decomposers. Cladocerans ( A.K.A water flea) are small crustaceans that feed on plants and plankton. However, they have been know to feed on decaying organic material, making them decomposers. Saprolegnia is a genus of water mold that breaks down dead material. It may also infect injured organisms such as fish or other animals and cause fungal infections. 



 





Here is a fish that is being broken down by Saprolegnia. (taken by Thomas Volk)http://botit.botany.wisc.edu/toms_fungi/saprolegnia.html



 It may seem as if everything is against one another, but  there are some symbiotic relationships in this biome. There a small animal called a Green Hydra . The hydra receives its green color from the green algae that lives inside it. The hydra provides protection from the environment and the algae provides oxygen and sugar.

 

 



Heather Angel took this amazing picture of a  Green Hydra.
http://www.naturalvisions.co.uk/ImageDetail.aspx?imdet=36017

 The main forms of influence from humans are negative. Water and air pollution are the most detrimental to this biome. Another issue is the over-fishing or over-hunting of endangered species. However, there are some people who have started conservation efforts that have helped some rivers like the Amazon. I hope to see more improvements made in this area. Well, I cant wait to visit the next biome!!!

 

 

 

 

Works Cited:

http://www.waterencyclopedia.com/En-Ge/Fresh-Water-Natural-Composition-of.html

http://bioexpedition.com/freshwater-biome/

http://www.wisegeek.org/what-animals-are-most-common-in-a-freshwater-biome.htm

http://biomesfirst.wikispaces.com/Freshwater

http://microbezoo.commtechlab.msu.edu/zoo/zwp0321.html

http://aboutenvironment.wordpress.com/2010/03/28/freshwater-availability-in-the-world/

http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/exhibits/biomes/freshwater.php

http://www.radfordpl.org/wildwood/today/Plant_articles/Cattail.htm

http://mdc.mo.gov/fishing/fishing-how-tos/fish-adaptations

http://academics.smcvt.edu/dfacey/AquaticBiology/Freshwater%20Pages/Cladocerans.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saprolegnia