Plant Science (Ch. 1,3,4,5&6)

In ppm, what are the amounts of N, O, and CO2 in the atmosphere?

02 is 370 ppm, N is 780,000 ppm, O 209,000 ppm

List the four processes of chemical weathering.

1. Dissolution- in which the parent material dissolves. 2. Hydration- adds water molecules to other compounds to create a hydrated material. • 3.Hydrolysis- a reaction between a compound and water to form a soluble product. 4.Oxidation- reactions that form oxides of parent material by reactions with oxygen

The ability to feed the world on 0.2 hectares of land per person (the amount of farmland predicted to be available then) when the population reaches 8 billion will require that all that land be farmed using the production techniques of what countries? How will that affect global resources, especially fossil fuels?

hope on the horizon and it looks like that hope maybe something along the lines of harvesting photosynthetic energy.

What process takes place in the chloroplasts? In the mitochondria?

mitochondria- respiration chloroplasts-photosynthesis

What is soil pH and what is the pH range that most plants can grow in?

pH is the negative logarithm of H+ in soil. The normal pH for plants is between 5-9 dependent upon humidity.

What is a beneficial way ethylene affects plants; what is a negative way?

plant growth. However, it can be harmful to plants in enclosed spaces by getting too Ethylene can have a positive effect on plants because it is a hormone that encourages much In a plants system.

What is agronomy, what is horticulture? Give an example crop of each and one that could fall in either category.

• Agronomy is the study of crops grown in fields. Some examples of crops that fall into the agronomy category wheat and soybeans. Horticulture is is the study of plants that need more nurturing and hands on time. Some examples are, apples and cherries. Some examples of both of these fields of study are tomatoes.

What is cultivation and when did it start?

• Cultivation started about 10,000 ago. Cultivation is the act of growing and caring for crops (plants) for human use

What are the major difference between angiosperms and gymnosperms?

• Gymnosperms are trees, but angiosperms are flowering plants.

What is photoperiodism and what are two ways it can affect plant growth and development?

• Photoperiodism is a flowering plants response to day length. It affects the growth of a plant by causing some plants to flower during critical light and some not to flower during a critical light period.

What does xylem do?

• Xylem is a structurally complex tissue that moves water and dissolved minerals from the roots to all parts of the plant.

How has our growing understanding of ecology changed plant science research and education?

A growing understanding of ecology is constantly helping farmers make better decisions about the environment. A prime example of this is practices to help stop soil erosion. A farmers most valuable asset is land and everything done to protect that land is a move in the right direction.

Along with erosion, what is another factor that contributes to soil degradation?

A high input of C:N which causes Nitrogen to be tied up and unusable.

What does the decomposition of organic matter provide for plants?

A kind of fertilizer by giving the plant nutrients it needs.

What is a microclimate?

A microclimate is a type of climate caused by small scale changes in an area such as buildings or ponds.

What kind of environmental impact does the demand for perfect plants usually create?

A negative impact.

What caused negative public opinion and close scrutiny of agriculture to develop?

A negative view of agriculture arises when the general public misunderstands what is going on and sees farming as a selfish misuse of the earth instead of the necessary and rewarding practice it is. The public may look down upon agriculture because of concerns about the environment or the safety of things like GMO foods.

Why do we now have to consider urban and suburban landscapes as significant sources of environmental pollution?

Because it has been proven that many harsh chemicals are used on urban/suburban plant items. Part of this issue stems from the fact that urban and suburban areas require large amounts of energy and fuel to be sustained.

How does cation exchange capacity (CEC) influence a soil's ability to hold the positively charged plant nutrients such?

Because most plant nutrients are cations and through this process can be held by soil particles.

Why is water loss from plants less for plants on the inside of a group of plants than for those along the edge or standing alone?

Because of the wind pulling water from plants on the edge or by themselves.

Why does vapor pressure deficit influence (VPD) water evaporation from plants more than relative humidity?

Because the VPD is an actual value.

How does vegetation reduce evaporation from the soil?

Because the plants roots hold in water from being evaporated.

Why do we say that using chemical inputs of fertilizer and pesticides both raises and lowers our energy footprint?

Because they can reduce the foot print by producing more yield per area farmed.

Even though some deserts have been in existence for thousands of years, why is the soil there considered to be very young?

Because they do not have well developed horizons.

Why are soils that are formed in regions of very high rainfall or very low rainfall usually not productive?

Because they will have too much moisture or, conversely, not enough.

What is biophilia and how does it relate to the kinds of plants we grow?

Biophilia is the continued interest and "love" of plants and animals that humans posses. This has an impact on the types of plants we grow by causing people to want to raise flowering plants or more eye appealing plants.

Secondary xylem and secondary phloem are produced by what tissue? On what side of that tissue is the xylem formed and on what side is phloem formed?

Both secondary xylem and are produced on the vascular cambium. The secondary phloem develops toward the outside of the stem and the secondary xylem forms inside.

How was the famine predicted to be caused by diminishing farmland averted in the 1970s?

By research on cultivars, to produce an abundance of food. As well as a growing incentive to use new and improved crop production methods.

What are some ways that nurseries and greenhouses are reducing their footprint on the environment?

By using water recycling systems as well as using pest controls that are completely safe for the environment when at all possible.

How does dust negatively affect plants? How may it be helping to reduce global warming?

Dust can hurt plants by clogging the stomata of pants and slowing photosynthesis. Although, it could help in reducing global warming by reflecting sunlight away from the plant and keeping the plant from contributing more CO2 to atmosphere.

How does research of a complex ecological problem differ from a controlled experiment?

Experimental controlled research only has a few variables while ecological problems present many more options.

What kind of features can modify the climate in an area?

Features that modify climate include air circulation, altitude, and the presence land/water.

What is field capacity of a soil?

Field capacity of a soil is water that is after gravity has done its work.

How does globalization of marketing affect the spread of pests and diseases?

Globalization of the Agriculture market affects the spread of pests and diseases tremendously. When every continent is connected germs and pests are bound to spread and often times environments do not have evolutionary protectants against foreign threats.

How do guard cells control such things as the movement of water out of and carbon dioxide into the cell?

Guard cells use stomates to control the movement of water in and out and carbon of a cell.

In which soil horizon are the most roots and biological activity found?

Horizon A

How do randomization and replication improve the reliability of the results of an experiment?

Randomization accounts for the fact that no two subjects are alike and replication helps to get as much natural variation as possible.

What is the difference between rhizomes and stolons?

Rhizomes and stolons is that rhizomes grow underground and stolons grow above the ground.

What is the difference between prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells? Plant cells are which type?

The main difference between prokaryotic cells and eukaryotic cells is that prokaryotic cells do not have a nucleus, while eukaryotic do. Plants cells are eukaryotic cells.

What happens to the mineral nutrients (that would normally be recycled back into the soil after a plant dies) when a crop is harvested and shipped to another location? How does that influence the need to add fertilizer for the next crop?

The minerals are either lost or greatly reduced which makes fertilizer an important add-in to keep soil healthy and "farmable".

How has the reduction in the number of farms affected the vitality of many rural communities? What has helped those communities survive in states with large metropolitan areas?

The number of farms has a direct impact on rural communities because with more farms there are more people and more food. As these communities have lost many farms some positive aspects of farming have been lost to the communities as well. One thing that helps these metropolitan areas to survive is the development of ways to increase the worlds food production- keeping food on the table.

What is the plasmalemma?

The plasmalemma is the lipid bilayer that is situated around the cytoplasm.

Money value and ecological value are mismatched in agriculture. What would happen to the price of food if the cost of clean-up from pesticide or fertilizer run-off was added to the production cost?

The price of food would rise (probably to produce and buy).

What is the shade avoidance response and what two regions of the solar spectrum influence the response?

The shade avoidance response occurs when a plant is adapted to high light and is growing in a shaded area. These plants will grow tall and skinny in order to reach a higher light intensity while plants adapted to low light intensity will flourish along the ground.

What role does the tonoplast play in what is stored in the vacuole?

The tonoplast around the vacuole controls the flow of water and dissolved materials, it also steadies the cell turgor, and other functions.

What are some concerns with GMO plants and crops?

There are concerns that GMO plants could harm the environment by integrating into natural species and causing what is best described by environmental chaos.

How do plant roots add to the organic material in the soil?

They produce helpful chemicals and secrete lubricants into the soil.

Although the amount of solar energy received on earth equals the amount radiated back into space, what are three reasons for temperature variations among regions?

Three reasons for temperature changes among regions are: altitude, cloud cover, and bodies of water.

In a root what is the function of the root cap, the Casparian strip, root hairs?

To make sure that water and nutrients pass through the epidermis.

What kind of topography promotes water erosion? Wind erosion?

Water erosion- Steep slopes Wind erosion- Very flat land

What are some ways that water is moved from one area to another in the hydrologic cycle?

Water is moved in the hydrologic cycle through evaporation, to storage in atmosphere, then back to earth through precipitation.

What are two ways we manipulate photoperiod in a greenhouse to control flowering photoperiodic plants?

We can use photoperiod to our advantage by limiting or adding shade depending on how we want the plants to grow. We can also use photoperiodic tendies to grow plants at specific times.

Describe two of the issues associated with growing plants for biofuels.

When growing plants for biofuel the issue arises that growing them also takes energy/fuel so the gain could be as low as 50%. Another disadvantage is the negative affect it has on the production of plants grown for food.

What two types of leaf cells contain chlorophyll?

The guard cells and parenchyma cells contain chlorophyll.

What functions can the cell wall perform?

The cell wall protects the protoplast and offers an external structure, it may also act as a strong support for the plant.

What are mycorrizha and how do they help plants?

Mycorrizha Fungi that assist plants with nutrient and water uptake.

What is the epidermis? What usually covers it?

The epidermis is a layer of surface cells that protect the stem and it is covered by cutin.

What are adventitious roots and where can they originate?

Adventitious roots branch out in the soil and give the plant additional support. They also originate at any place on a plant tissue excluding the radicle of a germinating seed.

What is the advantage of having a little meat in a human diet?

An advantage of having a little meat in a human diet would be that a steadier source of protein comes from meat as opposed to plants.

What is a plant ecotype and why are they important to cultivated plants?

An ecotype in plants is a plant with specialized adaptations that may not be natural to the original species. This allows farmers to grow certain plants in areas where the original species wouldn't survive.

1. In what group of plants do flowers, fruits, vegetables, trees, and shrubs belong?

Angiosperms

What is the advantage of plant fats over animal fats in the human diet?

Animal fats are usually saturated fats which are not as healthy as the polysaturated fatty acids plants usually create. These fatty acids help to build important hormones etc.

What role do bacteria and fungi play in soil formation?

Bacteria and fungi help soil by decomposing old materials and harvesting the nutrients and putting it back into soil.

How do the rotation of the earth on its axis and the rotation of the earth around the sun influence how much solar radiation a region receives?

Because as the earth moves each "side" gets its time in the sun and as each "side" turns away from the sun they get less and less solar radiation. This is seen in the change of the seasons and the length of days across the globe. Smaller changes happen closer to the equator line.

Although high winds can be damaging to plants, why is some air movement around plants beneficial to stem development?

Because it can strengthen the stems.

Why is solar radiation considered to be the primary factor that determines climate?

Because it determines the influx and affect of all the other climate factors.

How does the inheritance of DNA from the chloroplast and mitochondria differ from inheritance of DNA in the nucleus? What has this difference helped us to understand?

Chloroplast and mitochondria are circular DNA strands, while the DNA in the nucleus has oval shaped DNA strands. The difference in these two is that the DNA in the mitochondria are the producers ATP.

What is the difference between climate and weather and how do they relate to each other?

Climate is the main/established weather conditions of a somewhat widespread area. Weather on the other hand, is the expected actual values of a certain areas "Climate variables". They are intertwined in that climate is the standard expectation while weather is related to climate, but can change day to day.

What kind of meristems are found in grass leaves?

Intercalary meristems are found in grass leaves.

What is C:N in terms of a soil characteristic?

It is 12 parts carbon and one part nitrogen and tends to be smaller in soil that are in arid and hot places.

Why is it illegal to grow hemp in the United States and why is there an interest in making it legal?

It is illegal because it is the same species as marijuana. However, many countries are making it legal because the fiber it creates is an amazing base for fabrics.

What kinds of chemicals are likely to be the most rewarding to produce in genetically engineered plants?

It is likely that the chemicals that could possibly produce plant plastics would be very beneficial in the future, though I am not certain this is the most rewarding? It could also be chemicals resulting in a larger harvest from the same amount of farming land.

What kind of meristem causes the girth of woody perennial plants to increase?

Lateral meristems

How does latitude influence solar radiation intensity on earth? Where is radiation the highest? Where is it the lowest?

Latitude influences solar radiation intensity on earth because as the latitude changes so does the intensity of solar radiation. The higher the latitude the lower the solar radiation and vice versa. This affects the growing seasons of many plants.

What are the 4 basic components of soil?

Liquid fraction • Soil air

What are meristems (meristematic tissue)?

Meristem is a tissue comprised with dividing cells that develop and divide into other tissues and organs.

What is humus and how does it affect soil characteristics?

Morpheus colloidal substance that helps improve soil texture, water holding and cation exchanging ability.

What are two advantages of irrigating crops and what are two problems associated with irrigation?

One advantage of irrigation is the reduction of pests; irrigation can also help stop the spread of diseases. One disadvantage of irrigation is salinization- or the buildup of salts that inhibit root growth. Another disadvantage is the loss associated with the water falling outside a crop area or the water evaporating before it reaches the crops.

7. What are the two main types of biofuels and what are some of the plants used for each?

One main type of biofuel is biodiesel fuel which uses the oils from soybeans, sunflower seeds and other plants. Another main type of biofueal is ethanol which is produced from the starche and sugars found in corn, sugar cane and other plants.

209,000 ppm Although crop plants may absorb more CO2 more because of global warming, what are two reasons that they probably would not be effective at reducing CO2 in the atmosphere?

One, because plants must hold CO2 for a log while to be very effective at reducing it and crop plants release it back into the environment after harvest. Two, crop plats just aren't effective at using photosynthesis to reduce CO2 as normal vegetation.

What are parenchyma cells and how are they involved in healing wounds?

Parenchyma cells are a storage center for chloroplasts and photosynthesis. They have the ability to divide, making it easier for wounds to heal.

What is parent material?

Parent material is an accumulation of weathered rocks.

What does phloem do?

Phloem moves food and metabolites from the leaves to the stem, flowers, roots & storage organs.

What is physical weathering?

Physical weathering is the breakdown of larger rocks to smaller rocks.

How do plants influence erosion?

Plants can help reduce soil erosion because the roots help to hold soils in place.

What do plants get from the mycorrhiza relationship? What do legumes get from Rhizobium? What do the mycorrhizia fungi and the Rhizobium get in return?

Plants get water and minerals from mycorrhiza and the mycorrhiza gets sugars and other organic materials. Legumes get root nodules an usable nitrogen gas and the Rhizobium get moisture from legumes.

What are the strands of cytoplasmic material that connect individual cells called?

Plasmodesmata

How does pore space relate to productive soil?

Pore space allows space to hold air and water which can help plants grow.

What are the four sides of the ecological pyramid that support sustainable agriculture?

Production efficiency -economic viability -Environmental compatibility -social responsibility

What advantage is there to grazing animals on land that is not suitable for other types of crop production?

Ruminate animals can thrive off of land/plants that wouldn't support humans. Additionally, the land is not wasted and animal waste is a great natural fertilizer so over time this could potentially bring nutrients sufficient for farming back into the land.

What are saline and sodic soils?

Saline- Contain large quantities of soluble salts Sodic- Many cation exchange sites occupied by sodium

3. When did the rural/urban interface start and what problems for farmers does it cause?

Separation between urban and rural areas came about when farmers produced food for urban areas. Which caused urban areas to grow and this in turn forced farmers to less favorable farming areas.

What is a soil horizon? What is a soil profile?

Soil horizon is made up of the different layers of parent material. A soil profile is a vertical section of the soil horizon that extends to the surface of parent material.

What are the ways that soil organisms act on the soil?

Soil organisms act on the soil by performing many important processes such as nitrogen fixation and others.

What is soil structure?

Soil structure is the arrangement of soils particles.

What is soil texture and what are the components that contribute to a soil's texture?

Soil texture is the amount of silt, sand and clay in the soil.

What are the differences between spodosols, and oxisols?

Spodosls- Made by more weathered minerals. Oxisols- Made by forest vegetation and climatic factors (usually cold&humid).

What are stomates?

Stomate are pores on the outside layer of the leaf that allow water to enter and escape.

What is the USDA Plant Hardiness Zone map and how is it useful to anyone who wants to grow plants?

The USA plant hardiness chart shows the annual minimum temperatures for areas inside the US and helps farmers know where to plant certain plant dependent upon what they can withstand.

7. What are two ways the atmosphere influences how much solar radiation reaches the earth?

The atmosphere control how much solar radiation reaches earth by shielding the earth with clouds.