Biology Culminating Task

Plants are an essential part of life and are used for many things. If they were non existent, humans would be too. There are many uses for plants including;

Food

Many plants are used for food including wheat, oats, rice, corn, and barley. There are even beverages made from plants including coffee.

http://i82.photobucket.com/albums/j280/gardenplansireland/apple-tree-ireland-image-picture-ph.jpg

Clothing

Cotton is one of the most popular fabrics for clothing and believe it or not cotton grows on a plant which is often hand picked by farmers.

http://ipm.ncsu.edu/cotton/InsectCorner/photos/images/Open_cotton_plant.jpg

Shelter

In several countries that aren’t as fortunate as us wood is commonly used to build small huts. They are ideal for these people because they are pretty easy to make, very cheap, and the materials are easily accessible.

Fuel

Green plants that grew on Earth many years ago have been compressed and heated to make fossil fuels including coal, oil, and gas.

Medicine

Before they had doctors, many people in history use to make home made cures for aches and pains from herbs.

Also, trees convert carbon dioxide in to oxygen through photosynthesis. It occurs in the chlorophyll of the green leaves. Plants are a crucial factor that we need to survive, and who knows where we would be without them.

http://www.essortment.com/all/plantsuses_rzov.htm

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

http://www.sciencepal.info/2009/01/importance-of-plants.html

If one plants a native plant species along a river, the erosion of land can be slowed, to some extent. This is because the plant roots hold the soil in place. When forces (mainly wind and water) try to erode the soil, the plant will provide a ‘cover’ and the roots will help keep it in place, and do not let it wash away. Also, the deeper and stronger the roots are, the less soil will get eroded. When looking specifically at the edge of a riverbank, plants slow down water as it flows over the land, allowing a lot of rain to soak into the ground (and preventing it from getting dried out). Also, plants weaken the strength of a raindrop before hitting the soil, and decreasing its ability to erode the soil.

Some may ask how to prevent soil erosion when the plant is newly planted. This can be solved by using a geotextile to hold the soil in place until the plant roots can secure and protect the soil on it’s own. However, this method has proven to be not very practical and expensive. Riverbank plants also help regulate processes such as watertable, salt levels and nutrient levels.

http://www.grandbaynerr.org

http://www.blurtit.com/q9333738.html

http://www.bcb.uwc.ac.za/Envfacts/facts/erosion.htm

The plant vascular system allows communication between cells. Venation is the vein patterns in leaf blades. The veins contain vascular tissue (xylem and phloem), which are important for food and water transportation. Xylem is in charge of transporting water and minerals within the plant, whereas phloem takes food and hormones from the leaf to the rest of the plant. In most plants, between these two tissues is a single layer of tissue (cambium), responsible for secondary growth. Food-transporting phloem cells arranged in vertical columns are called sieve-tubes.

Xylem and phloem are organized into what are called vascular bundles. They differ in arrangement in monocot/dicot plants. In monocots, they are scattered randomly. In dicots, the bundles grow in a circular fashion around the pith.

The circulatory system functions to provide blood rich with nutrients to the body, and provide tissues and organs with oxygen. In animals, fluid is transported via a closed circuit. The heart pumps the fluid (blood and lymphatics) and contains 4 chambers. The right atrium and ventricle contain deoxygenated blood. From there, blood goes to the lungs to get oxygenated. Then, it goes to the left atrium and ventricle and finally enters systemic circulation.  Arteries take fluid away from the heart, veins take it towards, and capillaries are where gas exchange happens.

http://www.abacon.com/plowman/images/fig42.gif [img of heart

http://www.cliffsnotes.com/study_guide/Circulatory-Systems.topicArticleId-8741,articleId-8710.html

http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_is_the_purpose_of_the_circulatory_system

Plant cells reproduce in two ways. The first way is sexual reproduction where two cells that each have half of the DNA needed, come together to create ONE living cell. The second way is asexual reproduction where a cell splits into two identical cells.

Mosses reproduce from sporophytes which is the a stalk which grows after the haploid sperm and egg meet. When they’re ready, spores from the sporophyte are released and grow into moss plants.

Conifers produce both male and female cones on the same tree. The staminate cone gives off pollen, and the other cone tries to catch the pollen when it’s windy. Pollen and megaspore are haploid and come together to produce a diploid cell. Now this diploid cell grows into a zygote.

Flowers and pollen sexually reproduce. Usually, plants that use flowers for reproduction also depend greatly on other sources of help including insects, animals, and wind. Flowering plants are advanced because they make and receive pollen within the same structure.

If a bee goes to another flower of the same kind, that pollen can land on a stigma. After that a haploid male and female nucleus and also a male and polar nucleus combine. If they successfully combine, an embryo is produced.

http://www.biology4kids.com/files/art/plant_repro1_240.jpg

http://www.biology4kids.com/files/plants_reproduction.html

http://www.essortment.com/all/seedsplantsr_rmjc.htm

http://library.thinkquest.org/28751/review/plants/6.html

Respiration is a process where several substances are broken down in to simple sugars, C02, and H2O. During this process energy is released. Aerobic and anaerobic are the two types of respirations there are.

The two types of respiration are;

Aerobic, which uses glycolysis, and The Kreb’s Cycle.

and Anaerobic which involves Alcoholic fermentation and lactic acid fermentation.

Plants like to respire during the night, and it involves the intake of oxygen and giving out CO2.

Stomata (which are pore opening beneath plant leaves and open/close according to the needs of the plant) also play a large role and are normally seen in leaves. They are also rarely found in stems.

In animals respiration occurs by cell surface. Oxygen is inhaled, and when CO2 is exhaled. Outside of the body a gaseous exchange occurs to the cell surface. Most of animal respiration occurs through hemoglobin, which is the oxygen carrying pigment in the red blood cells.

http://ksjtracker.mit.edu/wp-content/uploads/2007/08/stomata.jpg

http://www.medterms.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=15738

http://scienceray.com/biology/plant-and-animal-cells/

http://www.tutorvista.com/search/respiration-in-plants-and-anima

Just as our project comes to a conclusion, my bean plant started showing the most significant results. I felt tremendously proud watching my plant grow by the day. My seed sprouted about a week ago, and now it is about 5’ in length. I was surprised at the constant, daily growth of it and at how quickly it was growing. Also it was lacking sun light since it is winter, but I still left it near the window where it could take advantage of as much light as possible.

The stems are all relatively thin; nonetheless they still appear to be healthy. They are all a rich green colour and most of them have signs of little leaves coming out of the top. This was all very exciting to see, and I am glad that after a few failures I finally got something out of this project. That was the purpose of the project though, right? As long as you learn from your mistakes, no one can blame you for trying. I enjoyed doing this project because it was very hands on, and independent. We each got to take care of our own bean plants and learn from not only our mistakes, but the mistakes of our fellow class mates. It may sound weird, but I am glad I failed a few times before being successful because it taught me something new in growing plants.

Garbanzo Jr. with all of his brothers and sisters.

Thought there are many differences between the two, the primary difference is that monocots have seeds that are in one piece. An example would be corn.
In a dicot however, the seeds can be easily split. An example would be peas. A few other differences are;

Monocots                                                                                          Dicots

-have flower parts, like petals in groups of threes         -petals come in groups of 4/5
-in leaves, they exhibit parallel veins                                  -reticulated veins (net-like)
-no secondary growths                                           -secondary growths often occur

Examples                                                                              Examples

- grass                                                                                  -fruit trees
-wheats                                                                               -dasies
-oats                                                                                     -roses

http://botany.csdl.tamu.edu/FLORA/201Manhart/mono.vs.di/monosvsdi.html

http://www.dealguild.com/images/merchants/2722.gif

The plant root usually grows downwards, away from light. Roots have three major parts. The root tip, contains the region of fast mitosis, so the root can grow (meristem) as well as cells that surround and protect the meristem (root cap). Region of elongation, where cells from mitosis are elongated towards the root axis. Region of differentiation, where there are more complex tissues of the root.

Root functions mainly consist of water/mineral absorption and transportation, food storage, and hold the plant in place by going into the soil and spreading. Other functions include aeration, support, absorption and attachment.
Types:
-taproot -primary root from which rootlets arise
-fibrous -no primary root, equal size/width
-elongated -fat primary root; accumulates food
-tuberoid -fibrous roots becoming fat because accumulation of nutrients
-branched -no primary root; resemble tree branches

When roots start growing in the meristem, the root cap protects it as it goes into the soil, via lubrication. Cells at the very tip are constantly scraped away, and new root cap cells are added. Most growth happens at the zone of elongation. In the zone of differentiation, the small cells from the meristem differentiate and take on functions and structure of mature root cells, causing the root to grow longer.

http://extension.oregonstate.edu/mg/botany/images/fig2.gif

http://www.cartage.org.lb/en/themes/sciences/botanicalsciences/plantsstructure/RootsStructure/RootsStructure.htm
http://www.biology4kids.com/files/plants_structure.html
http://botany.suite101.com/article.cfm/the_function_of_plant_roots
http://www.botanical-online.com/tiposderaicesangles.htm

Angiosperms are flowering plants, and are the largest group in the plant kingdom. They also contain seeds, and have true roots, stems, leaves and flowers. Angiosperms are the main food source for animals and humans, provide oxygen for breathing, and provide for various other amenities such as lumber and fibre.  There are two classes of angiosperms: monocots (one seed leaf) and dicots (two seed leaf). Here, pollination happens via wind, insects and other animals. The ovary goes through meiosis and produces an ‘egg’, which is fertilized by the ‘sperm’ carried by the pollen grain. The sperm goes down the pollen tube. After mitosis, the ovary will turn into a seed; inside this may be a fruit.

http://www.teachenglishinasia.net/files/u2/purple_lotus_flower.jpg

Gymnosperms reproduce by a seed that is not enclosed. Most of these plants are conifers/cone bearing, are found in various places, and have leaves all year round. They have roots and stems, and in conifers, needle-shaped leaves. They don’t depend on water for fertilization; they have air-borne pollination. There are four divisions: Conifers, Cycads, Ginkgoes and Gnetophytes. Gymnosperms reproduce when a pollen grain is carried by wind currents to an appropriate ‘egg’. The growth of pollen tubes through this tissue brings the sperm to the egg. Gymnosperms are usually quite big, with many secondary growths.

http://blogs.app.com/saywhat/files/2009/03/pine-cone-300x278.jpg

http://www.mcwdn.org/Plants/Gymnosperms.html
http://www.msnucleus.org/membership/html/k-6/lc/plants/5/lcp5_5a.html