Blog #4

      Are plant needs abiotic and biotic factors to survive. Some abiotic factors are sun, soil, water, weather, and climate. Some of the biotic factors can be worms, snails, butterflies, people, and slugs.
Some these factors are the biotic and abiotic factors to grow the plants.
You know when plants are engagaed in competition because they are battling with another plant for abiotic and biotic factors to help it grow.
The competiton is other plants and animals. Winners in a garden can be determined by being healthier than the other plants or stronger. Sometimes they can be closer than you think sometimes.

Blog post #3

      Some changes in our plant over the past 2 weeks is it got bigger and it became very dark green instead of the light it had been as a young plant. Are is one the biggest in the garden and is in great condition this year.
    Just about every living thing in the world plays a role in their lifetime, are plant plays a role in the water cycle with transpiration. This process is where the moisture is put through the plants beginning at the roots to the pores under the leaves. Then it is changed to vapor, and gets released into the atmosphere. This water cycle benefits are plant to make it larger, healthier, and dark shade of green.
     Our plant is a part of the carbon cycle by being involved in photosynthesis , which is when the plants takes in carbon dioxide and water using chlorophyll in its leaves and the sun. It is able to release the oxygen, water vapor, and sugars all at once. Our plants role in the carbon cycle relates to changes in its looks by keeping it alive and helping it grow. Also, if the plant doesn´t have have photosynthesis the could not feed itself, where it will eventually die. Photosynthesis is one of the biggest role that has made our plant a lot bigger than the others.
     Our plant´s role in the nitrogen cycle begins with bacteria. Bacteria helps change the nitrogen so plants can use it. Animals will then get the nitrogen from the plants that will absorb it. Nitrogen also relates to the plants growth this week because without nitrogen, our plant could not live. It helps the chlorophyll in our plant which helps with photosynthesis to produce it owns food and energy.


     
     

mysteries of water

https://youtu.be/Y9MYsFyXr0Y

Story of the seed #4

Story of the seed#4

There are a few abiotic factors that our plant depends on for surviving.  Some of the factors include water, sunlight, temperature, oxygen, and soil.  These factors were and are very important in the development of our plant.  First off, water is the most important factor.  Our plant needs a decent amount of water to stay and remain healthy and the soil needed to be good in order for it to keep growing well. Finally, sunlight and temperature were also crucial.  Temperature and sunlight have a big effect on how much the plant grows.  If there is more sunlight and a warmer temperature, than the plant will grow much more.  Also with rain the plant should grow and the rain is good for the soil.

Our plant is definitely engaged in competition. The competitors are the other plants next to it in the garden.  The plants are competing for water and nutrients, they try and get more water and nutrients than the surrounding plants.  Wild animals in the garden are also definitely engaged in competition also.  They are competing for certain foods and nutrients.

In life there are always “winners” and “losers”, same with in the garden.  “Winners” would be the ones benefitting from something, and the “losers” are the ones with a disadvantage. Sometimes it can be hard to tell what plants and animals win or lose.  For example if a plant rots and dies it would be considered a “loser” rather than if the plant were to grow a lot and it be very green.  Then it would be a “winner”.  Another example of winners and losers would be aphids and plants.  The winner would be aphid because they are getting sugars from the plants.  The loser would be the plant because it is getting infected with viruses from the aphid.

There are many forms of interactions dealing with plants in the garden. Some forms of interactions are mutualism in which 2 organisms benefit from each other and parasitism .  An example of mutualism in the garden is a bee and a flower/plant.  The bee would get nectar from the flower, and the bee fertilizes the flower allowing it to reproduce.  Another example of parasitism is with aphids and plants.  The aphids are small insects who suck out fluids from plants and give plants very negative viruses.  The aphids turn plant leaves yellow and they usually inject toxins into plants.  Aphids benefit from getting sugars from the plants.

There is succession going on in the garden currently is secondary succession.  There is proof of succession going on because our plant and most of the plants are growing, getting much bigger, and much greener.  It isn’t primary succession because the garden isn’t lacking soil or hasn’t dealt with any natural disasters.

Story of the seed #3

story of the seed #3

1. There has been some recent changes in our plant over about 2 weeks. Much more grass has grown around the plant,  it's gotten much bigger, and it is one of the biggest plants in the garden. Our plant has grown a lot since we first started growing it and is in great shape.
2. Almost all living things have jobs or roles, one of our plants roles is in the water cycle with transpiration.  This process is where moisture is carried through the plants starting from the roots to pores under the leaves, where then it changes to vapor, then released into the atmosphere.  The water cycle makes our plant more green, healthier, and bigger. Our plant participates in the carbon cycle by being involved in photosynthesis, which is when the plant takes in carbon dioxide and water using chlorophyll in it’s leaves and energy from the sun, it releases oxygen, water vapor, and sugars.  Our plants role in the carbon cycle relates to changes in it’s looks by helping it grow and keeping it alive.  Also, without photosynthesis the plant would not be able to feed itself, causing it to die.  Photosynthesis has definitely helped our plant get a lot bigger. Our plant’s role in the nitrogen cycle starts with bacteria.  Bacteria helps change the nitrogen so plants can use it.  Animals then will get nitrogen from the plants that will absorb it.  Nitrogen also relates to the plants growth because without nitrogen, plants would not survive. It helps make the chlorophyll in our plant which works with photosynthesis to make it’s food and energy

Ecological Analysis of our Plant

     Our plant is affected by many factors, some abiotic and some biotic.  The abiotic or nonliving factors are sun, watering, and weather. These 3 factors all affect growth and healthiness of our plant. For example, the amount of sunlight plays a huge role in how our plant will grow. Some biotic factors are animals that are eating our plant and worms affecting the soil quality.  There could be insects feeding on plant leaves and affecting its health, also there could be worms making the soil have more nutrients for the plant to consume.
     I know my plant is engaged in competition because the plant behind me is withering and doesn't look too good.  I think this is because it is in the very back corner and my plant towers over it and gets way more sunlight.  I feel like my plant is the winner because it is receiving more sunlight and doesn't have to worry about much other competition.
     My plant is interacting a whole lot.  It interacts with the soil when getting nitrates from it, it interacts with other organisms trying to consume it, and it interacts with Mr. Bursch when he turns on the hose to water it.  The interaction of getting nitrates from the soil helps my plant stay healthy and get all the sugars and nutrients it needs to grow.  When other organisms try and eat my plant they are engaging in herbivory, since they are a herbivore/omnivore that is consuming my plant.  The organism here receives food/nutrients from my plant and my plant loses some nutrients and may have some holes in it or other feeding marks.  And when Mr. Bursch waters it, he loses time and energy but my plant gains all the positive affects of water. 
     Evidence of ecological succession are the plants adapting to the new soil and some plants dying/some plants thriving.

Biogeochemical Cycles in Our Plants

     Our plant has been growing for a decent amount of time and it has grown pretty big and the leaves are pretty large.  The leaves seem to be larger than most of the plant, so that means it should be getting plenty of sun.  There are 3 major biogeochemical cycles that are interacting with our plant.  The cycles are the water cycle, the nitrogen cycles, and the carbon cycle.  All of these cycles have different affects on the plants.  They all help our plant germinate and stay healthy
     The first cycle I am going to go over is the water cycle.  The water cycle is a large part of why our plant is still healthy.  As we know plants need water to survive just like everything else on earth and the way it gets water is from precipitation and the irrigation system in the garden.  The water helps the plant draw nutrients from the soil and without water in the plant's soil they would droop.  After the plant has used all the water it needs it releases the rest using transpiration, which is basically evaporation on the plants leaves.
     Equally important is the carbon cycle.  The carbon cycle involves photosynthesis.  In photosynthesis the plant will take in atmospheric Co2 and convert it into sugars and carbohydrates to feed themselves.  A byproduct of photosynthesis oxygen which is necessary for animal life.  Plants have kept Co2 levels substantially lower because they use it to feed themselves constantly. 
     Finally there is the nitrogen cycle.  Some say this is the most important part of plant growth.  The plants take in nitrates from the soil through their roots.  The soil get nitrates from decomposed organisms.  Nitrogen is what keeps the plants healthy and green, if you see a plant that is yellowish and droopy, it probably is lacking nitrogen. 
     I hope now you can see the importance of all these cycles.