Transcript example 2 - Biology

TABLE OF CONTENTS
• Aim
• Hypothesis
• Terminology Used In
Assignment
• Background information
• Context of Assignment
• Method/Procedure
• Apparatus
• Results
– Journal Entries
– Graphs
– Experimental Plants
• Photographs
• Discussion
– Patterns & Trends
– Too Much or Too Little Water
– How Plants use Water
• Conclusion
–
–
–
–
Controlling Harsh Conditions
Support Hypothesis
Errors, What Went Wrong?
Limitations & Possible
Improvements
• Bibliography
AIM
To investigate the water usage in different plants
and come to an understanding of the most
appropriate amount of water to give plants.
Also to recognise the requirements for growth
and germination, and be able to apply the
knowledge gained to real life situations.
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HYPOTHESIS
•
•
•
•
During the experiment, expected outcomes are as
follows:
Both the sorghum and the mungbeans will use different
amounts of water, due to a difference in plant structure.
The water usage will vary throughout different stages of
growth.
Too much or too little water will affect the plant in different
ways and there will be a level of water ideal for optimum
growth and germination. This optimum level is expected to be
around 50mm per plant every second day.
Water usage and the efficiency for using water will depend on
the plants roots, leaves and environmental exposure.
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TERMINOLOGY USED IN
ASSIGNMENT
• Nitrogen: colourless, tasteless, scentless gas forming four fifths of
the atmosphere.
• Photosynthesis: process by which the energy of sunlight is trapped
by the chlorophyll of green plants and used to build up complex
materials from carbon dioxide and water.
• Transpiration: evaporation of water from the stomata of leaves.
• Dry Weight: weight of a plant taken which has been dried to contain
no water.
• Wet Weight: weight of a plant taken which contains water.
• Nodule: Small round lump of anything; small node in plant.
• Bacteria: prokatyotic organisms believed to be the first life forms.
• Organism: living matter, capable of independent existence, which
can grow and reproduce.
• Classification: grouping of organisms in terms of similarities in
morphology, anatomy and biochemistry.
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BACKGROUND INFORMAITON
– Sorghum
– Mungbeans
– Legumes & Bacteria
– Nitrogen Cycle
– Nitrification
– Denitrification
– Roots
– Leaves
– Photosynthesis
– Monocotyledonae & Dicotyledonae
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SORGHUM
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
Sorghum is used for food, fodder,
and the production of alcoholic
beverages. It is drought tolerant
and heat tolerant and is
especially important in arid
regions. It is an important food
crop in Africa, Central America,
and South Asia, and is the "fifth
most important cereal crop grown
in the world". African slaves
introduced sorghum into the U.S.
in the early 17th century, where
most of the world's sorghum is
now produced.
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CLASSIFICATION
Kingdom:
Plantae
Division:
Magnoliophyta
Class:
Liliopsida
Order:
Polales
Family
Poaceae
Genus:
Sorghum
Source 1
MUNGBEANS
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
• Originally from Asia. The Chinese
have been growing mungbean
sprouts (nga choy or nga choi) for
approximately 3,000 years.
Farmers grow them often with
little machinery. After harvest
they are left to dry on gravel
roads
• Today China and India are the
main producers of mungbeans, it
is also grown in Australia. The
mung is also popular in the
Philippines
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CLASSIFICATION
Kingdom:
Plantae
Division:
Magnoliophyta
Class:
Magnoliopsida
Order:
Fabales
Family
Vigna
Genus:
V.Radiata
Source 1 & 2
MUNGBEANS cont.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
• In Chinese medicine bean
sprouts are considered to be a
yin or cooling food. They also
have anticancer qualities. It is
also used by Oriental herbalists
for all hot, inflammatory
conditions,
• Mungbeans are a good source of
Vitamins A, B, C & E, calcium,
iron, magnesium, potassium, and
amino acids. Mungbeans contain
20% protein and are a good
source of foliate and dietary fiber.
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CLASSIFICATION
Kingdom:
Plantae
Division:
Magnoliophyta
Class:
Magnoliopsida
Order:
Fabales
Family
Vigna
Genus:
V.Radiata
Source 1 & 2
LEGUMES & BACTERIA
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
• Legumes are plants which don’t need
fertilising, because they can turn bacteria from
the soil into compounds necessary for
survival.
• Bacteria enters the root hairs of young plants,
where they form swellings, called root
nodules. They then release nitrates which are
used by the plant to form proteins.
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NITROGEN CYCLE
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
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Source 3
NITROGEN CYCLE Cont. BACKGROUND
INFORMATION
Nitrogen (N) is essential for plant growth. It
ranks behind only carbon, hydrogen, and
oxygen in total quantity needed and is the
mineral element most demanded by plants.
Because N is mobile within the plant, deficiency
symptoms are expressed on older leaves.
These leaves are generally uniform pale green
or yellow. When N is limiting, crop growth is
slow and yields are reduced.
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Source 4
NITROGEN CYCLE Cont. BACKGROUND
•
•
•
•
INFORMATION
All life requires nitrogen-compounds, e.g., proteins and nucleic
acids.
Air, which is 79% nitrogen gas (N2), is the major reservoir of
nitrogen.
But most organisms cannot use nitrogen in this form.
Plants must secure their nitrogen in "fixed" form, i.e., incorporated
in compounds such as nitrate ions, ammonia, and urea.
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Source 5
NITRIFICATION
• Nitrifying bacteria are a group of chemosynthetic
organisms which enrich the soil with nitrates. These
can be absorbed by plants and used to create amino
acids and proteins. The nitrogen is passed down the
food chain or web from organism to organism.
• Other ways of converting bacteria to obtain energy
are turning ammonia to nitrite, or converting nitrites
to nitrates. Both of these conversions release
energy which is again used by the bacteria
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Source 9
DENITRIFICATION
• Denitrifying bacteria are those which remove
nitrogen from the soil. They tend to live where
there is a shortage of oxygen because by
reducing nitrite or ammonia into nitrogen, they
produce oxygen. This oxygen is then used for
a number of purposes, then once again by the
bacteria.
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Source 9
ROOTS
• Root Structure
BACKGROUND INFORMAITON
– In a root, the vascular tissue is located in the middle. Water has to
pass from the epidermis to the middle. There are two pathways by
which this can happen, via the cell walls (apoplastic) or through
the cytoplasm (symplastic).
– Root hairs increase the surface area for the uptake of water. They
are extremely important for plants, because they are the main
area for absorption of water and dissolved minerals and
bacteria’s.
– Xylem moves water from roots up the stem to the leaves. Phloem
is responsible for the transportation of organic substances, like the
products of photosynthesis, up and down the stem.
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ROOTS – Cross Section
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
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Source 6
ROOTS – Structure
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
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Source 7
ROOTS cont.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
• Cohesion Tension Hypothesis
– Water evaporates from spongy mesophyll cells into the air spaces
of the leaf. Water then leaves the leaf via the stomata. The loss of
water means that the water potential of these cells decreases.
Since water always moves from a region of high water potential to
a region of low water, water now moves into them from the
adjacent cells. This causes the water potential of these to
decrease, and so on, all the way back to the xylem. The loss of
water from the xylem causes a negative pressure or tension which
lifts water up the xylem. Within the xylem the columns of water are
held together by cohesion and by adhesion. Movement of this
column of water is known as the transpiration stream.
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Source 8
ROOTS cont.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
• Capillarity
– Capillarity is the movement of liquid against gravity as a
result of surface tension.
– Meaning, liquid may use it’s surface tension to move short
distances up a thin tube, i.e. roots, against gravitational
pull. The thinner the tube and the larger the meniscus, the
further the liquid’s surface tension can force the liquid up
the tube.
• Root Pressure
– Occurs when water enters xylem by active secretion from
surrounding living cells. This forces the water a short
distance up the stem. This movement is opposite to
gravitational pull which increases with stem height.
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LEAVES
BACKGROUND INFORMAITON
• The leaf consists of several layers of tissues. The bottom and top of
the leaves are covered by a layer of closely fitting, flat cells: the
epidermis. It protects the inner parts of the cell. The epidermis is
usually covered with a waxy secretion called the cuticle which
reduces evaporation from the cells.
• On the lower epidermis, there are small holes called stomata which
are surrounded by a pair of guard cells which can control the hole
by opening or closing. The stomata regulate the water loss via the
leaves.
• The upper side of the leaf receives the most light, and contains the
most amount of palisade cells, which contain the chlorophyll
necessary for photosynthesis. This makes the surface subject to
higher temperatures and greater air movement, which increases the
rate of evaporation.
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Source 9
LEAF STRUCTURE
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
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Source 7
PHOTOSYNTHESIS
BACKGROUND INFORMAITON
6H2O + 6CO2
C6H12O6 + 6O2
“Process whereby radiant energy (visible
spectrum) is converted to chemical energy of
glucose; requires, carbon dioxide, water and a
suitable temperature. Occurs in green plants,
algae and some bacteria.” (Huxley & Walter,
2002, p582)
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Source 9
PHOTOSYNTHESIS
BACKGROUND INFORMAITON
Water is important for
photosynthesis to take place
because the individual water
molecules are separated into H
and 02 atoms which are used to
form NADPH2 from NADP. This is
used in the light independent
reaction to form glucose needed
for plant growth.
The more water available for the
plant, the more it can
photosynthesise.
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Source 7 & 9
MONOCOTYLEDONAE &
DICOTYLEDONAE
BACKGROUND INFORMAITON
• Flowing plants are classified into two major subclasses,
Monocotyledonae and Dicotyledonae. This classification is on
the basis of the number of cotyledons in the seed.
• Monocotyledons are generally non-woody plants, with flower
parts in threes, parallel leaf venation, scattered vascular
bundles in the stem, an done cotyledon in the seed.
• Dicotyledons are generally woody plants with flower parts in
fours of fives, vascular bundles arranged in a cylinder in the
stem and two cotyledons in the seed.
• In this assignment, Sorghum plants are monocotyledons and
Mungbeans are Dicotyledons.
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Source 9
CONTEXT OF ASSIGNMENT
• We all know that plants need water to turn sunlight
into energy to grow. But how much water does one
plant really use in a week or a day and how much
can that plant grow with that amount of water?
Australia has one of the most variable climates of the
world and both too much rain and not enough can be
detrimental to plant growth.
• Prepare a Scientific Report outlining the results
obtained and research the effect of watering
amounts on eight plants, and evaluating the results
to understand how the conclusions drawn are
important to everyday life.
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METHOD/PROCEDURE
According to DPI project for students
• Cut 8 x 2L juice containers in half
• Remove lid and place top half inside bottom half.
• Place a small ball of scrunched up newspaper in
neck of bottle.
• Fill (leaving 4cm gap at top) bottle with a 50/50
mixture of potting mix and garden soil. Ensuing that
the mixture is neither to clay filled or sandy.
• Weigh and water pots and leave for a few days.
• Plant 6 evenly spaced seeds 2cm under the soil of
each pot. 4 pots of mungbeans, and 4 of sorghum.
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METHOD/PROCEDURE cont.
According to DPI project for students
• Water and maintain plants for a few weeks, keeping
records of growth, watering each plant 50mls.
• When plants are well established, cull plants so there
is only one in each container and place a covering
around each plant.
• Change watering amounts at beginning of April to
amounts listed on Watered amounts in April.
• Continue to record data.
• When growing period is finished, take a dry and wet
weight of plants and evaluate findings.
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WATERED AMOUNT IN APRIL
METHOD & PROCEDURE
MUNGBEANS
SORGHUM
1
10ml
1
10ml
2
30ml
2
35ml
3
4
50ml
70ml
3
4
50ml
75ml
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APPARATUS
• For the assignment we
used: –
–
–
–
12 x 2L juice containers.
Potting mix
Garden soil
Mungbean and Sorghum
Seeds
– Water
– Scales
– Newspaper
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RESULTS
• Journal Entries
• Charts and Graphs
• Experimental Plants
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JOURNAL ENTRIES
1. 28-2
2. 3-3
3. 6-3
4. 9-3
5. 14-3
6. 15-3
7. 16-3
8. 17-3
9. 20-3
10. 22-3
11. 23-3
12. 28-3
13. 29-3
14. 30-3
15. 5-4
16. 6-4
17. 8-4
18. 10-4
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19. 12-4
20. 13-4
21. 14-4
22. 15-4
23. 17-4
24. 19-4
25. 21-4
26. 23-4
27. 24-4
28. 26-4
29. 27-4
30. 28-4
31. 4-5
32. 9-5
33. 12-5
GRAPHS & CHARTS
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Growth of Sorghum in April
Growth of Mungbeans in April
Growth – Sorghum & Mungbeans
Comparison of growth in April
Dry Weight & Wet Weight
Water Absorption in Sorghum
Water Absorption in Mungbeans
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Return to Table of Contents
28/04/06
Growth of Sorghum in April
(Change of water amounts)
27/04/06
26/04/06
26
25/04/06
28
No
measurements
made on 24/4/06
30
24/04/06
23/04/06
22/04/06
21/04/06
20/04/06
19/04/06
18/04/06
17/04/06
16/04/06
15/04/06
14/04/06
13/04/06
12/04/06
11/04/06
10/04/06
Height including leaves
(cm)
GROWTH - Sorghum
Sorghum 1
Sorghum 2
10ml
Sorghum 3
Sorghum 4
50ml
35ml
75ml
36
34
32
24
22
20
Dates
Go to Source Data
GROWTH – Mungbeans
10ml
Mungbean 2
30ml
Mungbean 3
50ml
Mungbean 4
70ml
35
No
measurements
made from
22/04/06 to
27/04/06
33
31
29
27
/0
6
28
/0
4
/0
6
26
/0
4
/0
6
24
/0
4
/0
6
22
/0
4
/0
6
20
/0
4
/0
6
18
/0
4
/0
6
16
/0
4
/0
6
/0
4
14
/0
4
12
/0
4
10
/0
6
25
/0
6
Height not including
leaves (cm)
Growth of Mungbeans in April
(Change of water amounts)
Mungbean 1
Dates
Return to Table of Contents
Go to Source Data
GROWTH – Mungbeans & Sorghum
4
ea
gb
M
un
S
or
gh
um
n
4
3
ea
gb
M
un
S
or
gh
um
n
3
2
n
gb
M
un
or
gh
S
gb
M
un
ea
um
n
ea
um
or
gh
S
2
1
40
35
30
25
20
15
10
5
0
1
Height (cm)
Comparison of Growth in Plants due to
Differences of Watering in April
Plant
Height at beginning of April
Return to Table of Contents
Height at end of April
Go to Source Data
GROWTH – Mungbeans & Sorghum
10
8
6
4
2
4
un
gb
ea
n
M
or
gh
um
4
3
S
M
or
gh
um
un
gb
ea
n
3
2
S
un
gb
ea
n
M
or
gh
um
S
un
gb
ea
n
M
or
gh
um
S
2
1
0
1
Amount Grown (cm)
Comparison between Amount of Growth in April
Plant
Total Amount Grown in April
Return to Table of Contents
Go to Source Data
DRY WEIGHT & WET WEIGHT
1
WET WEIGHT
DRY WEIGHT
WATER
COMPONANT
2
3
4
MUNGBEAN
3.9
4.96
1.94
4.48
SORGHUM
3.2
2.95
3.44
1.71
MUNGBEAN
2.23
2.02
0.76
1.33
SORGHUM
0.97
0.82
0.95
0.63
MUNGBEAN
1.67
2.94
1.18
3.15
SORGHUM
2.23
2.13
2.49
1.08
WATER ABSORPTION in SORGHUM
Sorghum 1
Dry Weight: Water Component
Dry Weight
Dry Weight
Water Component
Water Component
Sorghum 3
Dry Weight: Water Component
Return to Table of Contents
Sorghum 2 Dry Weight: Water Component
Sorghum 4
Dry Weight: Water Component
Dry Weight
Dry Weight
Water Component
Water Component
Go to Source Data
WATER ABSORPTION in
MUNGBEANS
Mungbean 1
Dry Weight: Water Component
Dry Weight
Dry Weight
Water Component
Water Component
Mungbean 3
Dry Weight: Water Component
Return to Table of Contents
Mungbean 2
Dry Weight: Water Component
Mungbean 4
Dry Weight: Water Component
Dry Weight
Dry Weight
Water Component
Water Component
Go to Source Data
EXPERIMENTAL PLANTS
• As an experiment, we planted 4 additional plants.
Two of sorghum and two mungbeans. We wrapped
the seeds in newspaper before planting, and covered
with about 2cm of soil.
• We performed this to see if wrapping the seeds in
newspaper advantaged the plants by giving them a
higher concentration of water around the seed.
• This was also done to establish weather
concentrating the water around the seed would
reduce the amount of water they needed.
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EXPERIMENTAL PLANTS cont.
• The two mungbeans grew, however, only one
sorghum grew.
• We watered the plants the same amount as all the
other plants, only half as often.
• We shortly discontinued the experiment as there
was no obvious advantage to the plants.
• Even though they still grew with half the amount of
water as the original plants, we established that
there was no significant advantage to the growth and
germination rates of the seedlings.
• It was established however, that this method could
save water if necessary.
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PHOTOGRAPHS
• Mungbean 1 & 2
• Mungbean 3 & 4
• Sorghum 1 & 2
• Sorghum 3 & 4
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MUNGBEAN #1 & #2
Return to Table of Contents
MUNGBEAN #3 & #4
Return to Table of Contents
SORGHUM #1 & #2
Return to Table of Contents
SORGHUM #3 & #4
Return to Table of Contents
DISCUSSION
• Patterns and Trends
– Growth Rates
– Water Absorption
– Dry & Wet Weights
• Too Much or Too Little Water
• How Plants Use Water
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GROWTH RATES
PATTERNS & TRENDS
• As can be seen in the graph Comparison
Between Growth in April, the greatest amount
of growth for mungbeans was in plant #4,
which received 70ml of water every two days.
• The greatest amount of growth for Sorghum
was in plants two and three which received
between 35 and 50ml of water. This difference
of growth is much higher than the other plants.
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WATER ABSORPTION
PATTERNS & TRENDS
• In graphs Water Absorption in Mungbeans, it is apparent
that the plants with the highest water component were the
plants which received the greatest amounts of water.
• The same applies to the Sorghum as can be seen in Water
Absorption in Sorghum. The plants with the highest water
components were the plants receiving the greatest amount
of water.
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DRY & WET WEIGHTS
PATTERNS & TRENDS
• The water usage in relation to the plants dry weight
is significant. As can be seen in the chart, Dry
Weight & Wet Weight, there is a large difference in
the dry weights of both the mungbeans and
sorghum. The sorghum had a much lower dry weight
which indicates that it had a higher water component
than the mungbeans.
• Sorghum #4 had the lowest growth rate, however it
was the plant receiving the most amount of water.
Sorghum #1, which received the least water only
grew 1mm more than #4.
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TOO MUCH OR TOO LITTLE WATER
• Too much water is a large problem for plants, in
particular Sorghum plants. As explained in the
discussion, the Sorghum which received the most
water in April grew the least. This could be
contributed to the excess of water impacting the
roots, or causing root rot, which could kill the plant,
or reduce the roots size and decrease the plant’s
surface area to volume ratio for collecting water.
• Too little water is also an issue for plants, as plants
need the water to help photosynthesis which in turn
provides the plant with sugars and nutrients essential
for growth.
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HOW PLANTS USE WATER
• Plants use water by absorbing it through root hairs. It
travels up the xylem into the leaves.
• Here the water is split into hydrogen and oxygen,
and is used in the process of photosynthesis.
• A lot of the water at this stage is evaporated through
the stomata which regulates water and carbon
dioxide levels.
• The process of photosynthesis creates
glucose/sugars for the plant which are necessary for
growth.
• Without water, photosynthesis would not occur and
plants would not be able to turn carbon dioxide into
oxygen for us to breath.
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CONCLUSION
• EXPLANATION of PATTERNS & TRENDS
– Water Component in Plants
– Growth Rates
– Water Usage and Leaf Structure
• Water Evaporation
– Water Usage and Root Structure
– Dry and Wet Weights
– How Much is too Much?
• Controlling Harsh Conditions
– Case Study
• Support Hypothesis
• Errors, What Went Wrong?
• Limitations & Possible Improvements
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WATER COMPONENT in PLANTS
EXPLANATION of PATTERNS & TRENDS
• In relation to the water component of both the
mungbeans, it is possible that due to the higher
amount of water availability, the plant was able to
utilise its energy into growing and developing, rather
than searching for water.
• Also the availability of water would have increased
the opportunity for the roots to develop and grow
more root hairs, increasing the surface area to
volume ratio of the plant which in turn could result in
the plant being able to absorb the extra water.
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GROWHT RATES
EXPLANATION of PATTERNS & TRENDS
• In relation to the different growths in April as
described in the slide Patterns and Trends, it
can be seen that the optimum amount of water
for Sorghum is 50ml, where as the optimum
amount of water for Mungbeans is 70ml. This
is due to the difference in leaf structure. (Refer
to Leaf Structure).
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WATER USAGE LINKED TO LEAF
STRUCTURE
• There is a substantial link between the relationship of
water usage and leaf structure. A large amount of
water is evaporated through the leaves before it
becomes of use to the plant. It exits out of the stoma
which is located between guard cells on the cuticle.
So, the more stoma a plant has, the greater
opportunity for water to evaporate. Hence the
difference in water usage between Sorghum and
Mungbeans.
• Sorghum uses the least amount of water because it
contains fewer stoma than mungbeans and has a
lesser opportunity for water to evaporate.
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WATER EVAPORATION
• Another way in which water may
evaporate is through the soil. A large
proportion of water in a farming
situation is evaporated immediately
after watering from the soil.
• By covering the base of the plant with
a half juice container, we have
eliminated the opportunity for water to
evaporate in this way. This means
that ultimately, our plants will need to
be watered less than in a real life
situation. The water inside the
covering evaporates and condensates
on the inside of the container, then
runs down back into the soil where it
can be utilised by the plant.
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WATER USAGE AND ROOT
STRUCTURE
• A relationship also stands between the amount of
water used and the structure of the roots. Mungbean
plants contain root nodules, which enables them to
produce their own fertiliser, however, this does mean
the plant needs more water for this production.
• Sorghum however, had a larger root system and was
able to find more water, although it needed less
water than the mungbeans to survive.
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DRY & WET WEIGHTS
EXPLANATION of PATTERNS & TRENDS
• In relation to the differences in dry and wet weights
outlined on slide Patterns and Trends cont., the
higher water concentration in the sorghum plants can
once again be linked to the leaf structure and
environmental adaptation of the plant.
• It has already been established that Sorghum uses
less water than Mungbeans due to the leaf structure,
but sorghum is also more efficient in using the water
it gets. Because there are less stomata on the
surface of leaves, there is less opportunity for
transpiration, which also means that the plants may
keep the water it absorbs…
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DRY & WET WEIGHTS cont.
EXPLANATION of PATTERNS & TRENDS
• …This allows the plant to retain a greater quantity of
water, which is something mungbeans are less
efficient with.
• Sorghum, comes from dry countries which suffer
from lack of rain. Retaining water is a environmental
adaptation which was necessary for survival. If the
plant had not been able to retain ample amounts of
water between periods of rain, the plant would not
have survived the harsh conditions.
• The plant’s origins also explains why sorghum can
grow at optimum level on lower amounts of water,
because it was necessary for the plant’s survival.
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HOW MUCH IS
TOO MUCH?
EXPLANATION of PATTERNS &
TRENDS
• From evaluating the data
collected, one could conclude
what amounts are either too
little or too much for the plants.
• For Sorghum, anything in
excess of 90ml could be
considered too much, and any
amount below 10ml is too little.
Remembering that these are
amounts which are watered
every two days.
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HOW MUCH IS
TOO MUCH? cont.
EXPLANATION of PATTERNS &
TRENDS
• Mungbeans have a
different tolerance level,
which could be placed
between 10 and 100 mls.
With the optimum amount
being between 60 and
80mls every second day.
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CONTROLING HARSH CONDITIONS
• There are numerous ways to control farming in
Australia’s harsh conditions. These include:
– Building green houses to protect plants from burning under
heat.
– Building green houses to create a warmer and more humid
environment for growing in areas which are cooler.
– Growing plants hydroponically to give plants ample water.
– Using ‘Fertigation’ which both waters and fertilises plants
at the same time to maximise efficiency in utilising both of
these substances.
– Controlling the plant’s light and water intake to manipulate
when plants produce fruit/flowers by making the plants act
as if it is a different season.
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CASE STUDY
• Mr Stevens, a wheat farmer living to the east of
Roma (Qld), was explaining to his bank manager…
“Last year we had too little rain and my wheat crop
only yielded 1 tonne per hectare. This hardly paid the
bills. This year, it was a great crop, but we got too
much rain just before we could harvest it. The grain
sprouted and was downgraded to feed quality so I
got a lousy price for it. How am I supposed to make
a living from farming?”
• What suggestions might you make to Mr Stevens to
help him with his farming enterprise over the long
term?
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SUGGESTIONS FOR MR STEVENS
CASE STUDY
• There are numerous ways in which Mr. Stevens could
improve his profits with farming. Firstly, the most expensive
recommendation would be to build green houses over the
crops which could regulate the amount of sun and water the
plants receive. By limiting the amount of sunlight the plants
are exposed to, there is less opportunity for transpiration, and
therefore less water is needed. Then by regulating the
amount of water which the plants receive, rain and natural
elements will have little effect on the plants growth and times
of development, e.g. seeding.
• Another recommendation to improve Mr. Stevens success is
to research previous times of the year in which rain has
occurred, and adjust watering and planting to hopefully tie in
to the natural times of rain.
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SUGESTIONS FOR MR STEVENS cont.
CASE STUDY
• Choosing the crop could be an important factor into the
profitability of his farm. Because Australia’s and in particular,
Queensland’s climate is extremely unpredictable, planting
different crops simultaneously which posses different needs for
water could be recommended. For example, planting wheat and
potatoes, so if there is a shortage of water, one of the crops will
still be fruitful if the other crop yields little profit.
• Changing the location of the farm would be a factor which could
improve profitability over time. At present, the farm is situated
inland of Queensland, where water is not readily available. If the
farm was relocated to an area closer to the coast where there is a
greater percentage of rainfall, your crops may excel, hence
improving your farming enterprise.
• Expanding your current farm to cover more land could help, as
there is greater opportunity to reap the benefits of a fruitful year.
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SUPPORT HYPOTHISIS
• Findings of this experiment did support the original
hypothesis stated. As discussed, the sorghum and
mungbeans used different amounts of water due to
the variation in leaf structure. The sorghum leaves
are thinner and contain less stomata than
mungbeans, and used significantly less water.
• Again, the plants varied in water usage and
efficiency. The sorghum was able to retain and utilise
more water than the mungbeans, and as a result
were able to grow with less water.
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SUPPORT HYPOTHISIS
• Estimated watering amounts were fairly accurate,
however, evaluation of findings revealed that
optimum water levels were slightly more for
mungbeans, and slightly less for sorghum.
• Due to lack of data, the fourth component of the
hypothesis addressing water usage and different
stages of development was not able to be supported.
• Generally, all conclusions made were expected, due
to research and previous knowledge of plant
behaviour.
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ERRORS: WHAT WENT WRONG?
• At an early stage of the plants development, soil
became contaminated with firstly mould, then
fungus. This was removed, however these
organisms may have taken nutrients from the soil
which then could not be utilised by the plants.
• Mungbean #3 developed an illness late in the
experiment. This is believed to be a nutrient
deficiency as it was first detected on the lower leaves
rather than the upper leaves, which would have
indicated disease.
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LIMITATIONS AND POSSIBLE
IMPROVEMENTS
• Numerous limitations within the assignment include:
– Biology Classes on an irregular basis, making it difficult to keep
results constant.
– Variations is weather which may alter results.
– Data collected may not be consistent to a real life situation, as
we only have four specimens of each plant, which may yield
inaccurate or results. Preferably, 20 or more specimens for each
experiment would be ideal.
– Plants had restricted growth opportunities as they were in small
environments with little room for the roots to develop.
– If commencing the experiment again, I would ensure strict
control over collecting data, and in particular, record the
percentage of water the plants used in relation to a control pot.
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BIBLIOGRAPHY
• WORLD WIDE WEB
– Source 1:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/
– Source 2:
http://www.iit.edu/~beans/mung.html
– Source 3:
http://www.google.com/images/nitrogen_cycle
– Source 4:
http://msucares.com/crops/soils/nitrogen.html
– Source 5 :
http://users.rcn.com/jkimball.ma.ultranet/
BiologyPages/N/NitrogenCycle.html
– Source 6:
http://www.infovisual.info/01/018_en.html
– Source 7:
http://www.emc.maricopa.edu/faculty/farabee/
biobk/BioBookPLANTANAT.html
– Source 8:
http://www.cix.co.uk/~argus/Dreambio/plant%
20water%20relations/water%20transport%20theory.htm
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BIBLIOGRAPHY
• TEXT
– Source 9: Huxley & Walter, An Australian
Biology Perspective, 2002, Oxford University
Press, Melbourne.
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THANKYOU
DONNA BURNS
MR JOHNSTONE
11C