To what extent does plasticity of dipterocarp seedlings affect growth and survival in the tropical rainforest environment?
To what extent does plasticity of dipterocarp seedlings affect growth and survival in the tropical rainforest environment? 050139246 The Journal of Ecology (September 2007) To what extent does plasticity of dipterocarp seedlings affect growth and survival in the tropical rainforest environment? Abstract This study focused on survival and growth of three dipterocarp seedlings in exposed areas compared with shaded areas of the tropical rainforest, in order to determine the role plasticity plays in this. All species of dipterocarp seedlings showed some degree of morphological plasticity in response to the different environments. Each of the three dipterocarp species showed equal plasticity in terms morphological traits when subjected to different light conditions. Chlorophyll content was found to be a genetic trait rather than a trait of plasticity. Herbivory was also found to be determined by species rather than environment. Damage by herbivores was found to play a larger role in plant growth and survival than anticipated, perhaps more so than plasticity. Further study is required to determine the extent herbivory affects the growth and survival of these seedlings. Introduction The importance of tropical rainforests and their role in supporting much of the world's biodiversity is widely acknowledged, yet there is worldwide concern over the consequences of human
Surveying the Distribution and Abundance of Plants in Different Coppices
Surveying the Distribution and Abundance of Plants in Different Coppices Aim: To survey the distribution and abundance of plant species in old and new coppice woodland and determine the factors that cause these patterns. Introduction: Coppicing woodlands is a method by which trees such as hazel and ash are cut back to almost ground level, leaving just the stumps or 'stools', from which many new shoots will grow from. The wood cut from these trees was once used for a wide variety of things, including thatching spars and firewood. As the trees were cut back, this allowed a lot more light to reach the woodland floor, allowing a greater diversity of both plant and animal life-forms to exist. After eight years, once the trees have many shoots which have grown back to replace those cut off, these are then cut off too between November and March, allowing even more shoots to grow in their place, and again allowing more light to the floor. This cycle continues, however, most coppices are now neglected and have consequently over-grown. Variables: Light- different amounts of light could cause a different variety of plants to grow in the separate coppices, as they will all photosynthesise at different rates. Also, a different light intensity could create different numbers of plants in the coppices, as well as causing them to be spread out over a wider area, creating more competition
strategic development
INTRODUCTION Marks and Spencer (hereinafter called M&S) is one of UK's leading retailers of clothes, food, home products and financial services (Kippenberger 1997). M&S has a record of success and profitability since its establishment with well known reputation for its innovative, quality products and reasonable price which offers customers value for their money. M&S sales and services been declined in mid to late 1990s. The purpose of this report to identify the key drivers that made M&S falls in their performance. The external environment scanning is concerned with the forces and factors that impact upon M&S. However, analysing those forces and factors will assist M&S in identifying the change in the environment, is often referred to as the macro-environment, planning in how to cope with such a change, and being ahead of the competitors in the adaptation to the new environment and the response to the market demands. PESTEL framework and Porters Five Forces model are the techniques that author uses to identify and analyse the problems that M&S experienced in the mid to late 90's. Then the author carries out an internal analysis of the organisation's resources and competences. Resource audit, value chain and SWOT analysis are the techniques to examine the activity of the M&S in order to reveal what was the basis of their competitive advantage. Furthermore, the author
An Investigation into Microclimate on a Sand Dune System
Geography Coursework: An Investigation into Microclimate on a Sand Dune System - First Draft Introduction Aim To provide detailed place study of a sand dune system on the Mediterranean coast. In particular to:- * Understand the physical morphology of sand dune systems * Consider the role of succession in the development of sand dune systems * Consider the impact of tourism on fragile ecosystems and consider how this can best be managed. We will be visiting a sand dune on the south coast of France near Montpellier; here will conduct our investigation and collect data to be used to complete our objectives. Objectives Profile To predict where ground temperature, soil temperature, air humidity, air temperature and wind speed will be higher and lower, and how to collect this data. Predictions for each Variable Ground Temp - I predict that the ground temp will be higher on the peaks and lower in the troughs this would be because the peaks would be more exposed to the sunlight whilst being to low to be affected by the wind. The troughs I expect to slightly overcast by the shadows of the peaks and marrum. Soil Temp - I predict that the soil temperature will gradually get cooler the further away from the sea the readings are taken. This would be because the further back you get the more vegetation and woodland you get which would shelter and therefore cool the soil.
Chemicals and the environment
CHEMICALS AND THE ENVIRONMENT Pesticides A pesticide is any substance or mixture of substances for preventing, destroying, repelling or mitigating any pest. www.epa.gov.html (office of pesticide programs) Pesticides can be used to control the numbers of pests which affect or reduce crop yields. They work by eliminating the organism or substance responsible for reducing crop yields as stated below. Pesticides are toxic substances deliberately added to our environment. They are used because they are toxic and biocidal- to kill and harm living things. www.pesticides/about.html In many ways crop plants are no different from plants growing under more natural conditions. They compete with other species for light, water and minerals. Insects feed on their leaves and die by being infected with viruses or fungi on the plant. This all reduces the overall growth of the plant and will most likely affect the number of seeds it produces which in turn reduces the yield of the plant. Crop farming today is based mainly on monoculture. With plants growing closely together insect pests and fungal diseases can spread rapidly meaning large areas are affected and heavy damage results in a short period of time. It is therefore important to control unwanted organisms that cause disease in order to obtain a good harvest. This is why the use of pesticides is extremely important in farming
'Genetic Engineering: Friend or Fiend'
'Genetic Engineering: Friend or Fiend' What is GM? A deliberate alteration to the gene of a living organisms e.g. animals, plants, or bacteria to change their characteristics, is said to be genetically modified. [2] It involves the combining of genes from different organisms to make a new gene, which would be placed inside the DNA of the species to be manipulated. E.g. a fish gene could be placed into a tomato gene. All organisms have the same genetic code which is made useful for the fields of medicine, agriculture, food and the environment. [3][6] (Tomato PIC)[5] How is Genetic Engineering applied to the world? GM is used in a range of fields ranging from agricultural settings to the making of medicines. Genetic engineering started around the 1960's and the development of techniques in the 1970's provided an increase for the productivity in agriculture. [1] Around 67.7 million hectares of land are used worldwide in 18 different countries to grow modified crops with two thirds of the GM crops being herbicide tolerant which means the crop is immune to the weed killer sprayed. Before GM products were developed, there would have been competition between the weeds and the crops for the nutrients and minerals in the soil. This caused the yield of crop production to be lower. [1] The United States is the most profitable country containing the largest amount of GM grown
Coconuts (Coco Nucifera) - Origin and Current Locales.
Coconuts (Coco Nucifera) Origin and Current Locales The word coconut comes from the Spanish and Portuguese word coco, meaning monkey face. This is because Spanish and Portuguese explorers saw a monkey's face in the three eyes on the bottom of a coconut. They discovered these fruits on the Nicobar Islands of the Indian Ocean, where they were used primarily as currency up until the early twentieth century. Palm trees, whereupon coconuts grow, for the most part, have not been intentionally imported into countries. This is because the fruit naturally disperses itself from one tropical beach site to another through flotation on water. The coconut is the seed of the palm tree. It can float for weeks and even months without sinking due to the coir, or brown fiber of the plant, which also protects the embryo from being damaged by the seawater. When the fruit finally washes up on a beach, the embryo germinates through one of the three eyes of the coconut. This explains how coconuts were growing and being used by Old World natives in the Americas before Columbus arrived. Coconuts can be found in any lowland tropical and subtropical region around the world. They thrive where annual precipitation is low and around beaches because coconuts are not affected by salt water of the ocean, like most other plants. Coconuts use the tides of the ocean to their benefit by helping
DeVries, Correns, and Tschermak.
Julie Solyar Honors Post-AP Advanced Topics in Biology Mr. Seigman December 11, 2003 DeVries, Correns, and Tschermak Three botanists, Hugo De Vries, Carl Erich Correns, and Erich Von Tschermark-Seysenegg, made possible for the spread and understanding of Mendel's work that has led to the modern understanding of the gene today. They re-discovered Mendel's laws in 1900 by independently working on plant hybrids. Their discoveries paved the way for the connection between Mendelian genetics and medicine, which was instigated by Archibald Garrod. This was complimented by greater discoveries in genetics, especially by Thomas Hunt Morgan, Herman J Muller, George Beadle, and Edward Tatum. Hugo de Vries (1848-1935) worked at the University of Amsterdam in 1880, as a professor of botany. Simultaneously, he worked on a series of genetic hybridization experiments. Working with the Oenothera lamarckiana (the evening primrose), de Vries was able to produce his theory of mutation. He agreed with discontinuous variation, staging that species evolve from other species by large sudden phenotypic changes. In his case, he noticed that a plant would usually have offspring that contained noteworthy differences from it such as leaf shape or plant size. These offspring would then occasionally pass these traits to their offspring. Ignoring that these traits observed in the primrose usually were
To investigate the soil type found at selected sites on the South West facing hillside and identify the factors important in the formation of the soil types found at these selected sites.
My Aim * To investigate the soil type found at selected sites on the South West facing hillside and identify the factors important in the formation of the soil types found at these selected sites. o Geographical processes that will determine the soil types found are weathering of the parent rock, mass movement and relief of the land. Since the Ercall is a steep hill mass movement will lead to deposition at the foot of the hill therefore making the soil here deeper. The steep hillside means leaching will take place in the mid slope forming podzolic soils while the foot of the hill will be waterlogged creating gleyed soil. * To investigate oak tree productivity and ground plant communities found at the selected soil sites. o Certain conditions are favourable for certain types of plants therefore depending on the different soil properties at each site different ground plant communities will be found. Oak tree productivity will also vary depending on the limiting factors found at the soil sites for example water logging. First hand data collection A stratified sampling method was used to select four different sites for soil data collection. This method was used as different rock types could be divided into subsets allowing a soil sample to be taken for each rock type. A Dutch auger was used at each site to bore into the soil. The soil removed showed the differences in
Adaptations of Aquatic and Tertiary Organism.
Adaptations of Aquatic and Tertiary Organism. Within plants water is transported up the stem via the process of transpiration. The stomata, as well as permitting entry of carbon dioxide, allow evaporation of water from the plant this is the process of transpiration. Transpiration occurs all over the plant through stomata in the stem and epidermis as well as in the leaves, however the adaptation of the leaf is its large surface are this means the main source of water loss is from the leaves. There is also "cuticular transpiration" which is water loss through the cuticles of the epidermis cells, these accounts for around 5% of water loss within the plant. The rate of transpiration is specific to the environment. Experiments with the potometer and an atmometer the rate of transpiration is dependent on a wide variety of internal and external factors. The opening between the stoma creates a chamber underneath the lower epidermis lined with spongy mesophyll cells, known as the "sub-stomatal air chamber". The number of stomata, their distribution, structural features and how open they are at the time. Externally many things effect transpiration, such as; . Temperature High temperatures encourages evaporation of water from the mesophyll cells 2. Relative Humidity, the degree to which the atmosphere is saturated with water vapour. This is important because it determines the
