Computer Transpiration Lab

Here's what my table looked like for the lab:

Analysis Questions:

1) Describe the process of transpiration in vascular plants.

The process of evaporation through stomata (which are almost always on the tops of plants' leaves) is called transpiration.

2) Describe any experimental controls used in this investigation.

The controls were the amount of plant used, time of 1 hour for transpiration, and starting temperature conditions.

3) What environmental factors that you tested increased the rate of transpiration? Was the rate of transpiration increased for all plants tested?

The environmental factors tested were wind, heat, and light. Each factor increased transpiration rate in all plants, with one exception: light slightly decreased the rubber plant's transpiration rate.

4) Did any of the environmental factors (heat, light, or wind) increase the transpiration rate more than the others? Why?

Wind increased the transpiration rate more than the others probably because it increases the movement of the leaves, thereby moving around the water and washing off the waxy layer on the leaf.

5) Which species of plants that you tested had the highest transpiration rates? Why do you think different species of plants transpire at different rates?

The rubber plant had the highest transpiration rates. Some species of plants might transpire at different rates based on the environment they live in. For example, plants in a hot desert might have adapted transpire slower to retain water as much as possible.

6) Suppose you coated the leaves of a plant with petroleum jelly. How would the plant's rate of transpiration be affected?

The petroleum jelly would decrease transpiration rate because it would block the stomata on the plant's leaves.

7) Of what value to a plant is the ability to lose water through transpiration?

Through cohesion and adhesion, water is carried up through the plant's xylem. Once the water has been evaporated through transpiration, more water is carried up. The water has nutrients from the soil, allowing nutrients to continually be traveling through and absorbed by the plant.

Plants hormones

Auxins:

• growth/behavioral processes
• plant life cycle and development
• elongation during root and stem growth
• required for fruit growth and delays  fruit senescence
• important in phototropism

Abscisic Acid:

• reacts to stress like temperature
• abscission of fruits
• inhibits plant growth to make sure it can survive stress
• induces seeds to synthesize storage proteins

Ethylene:

• stimulates release of dormancy
• stimulates root and shoot growth
• leaf and root abscission
• stimulates fruit ripening and flower opening

SoCal Flowers

Yesterday, after discussing The Botany of Desire, I walked around campus and closely observed 4 flowers. All the flowers smelled nice and were bright colors to attract bees and other insects.  I'm not positive, but I think the pollen is the male part of the flower that can be transported by insects and wind. Here's the observations and pictures!

Flower 1: (Daylily)

• Soft/velvety/smooth petals
• Yellow/orange pollen
• Green curling leaves
• Curling/shimmering petals

Flower 2 (Arctostaphylos pungens)

• Grows on tree with red-brown bark
• Bell shaped flowers and buds
• Furry stems
• pollen difficult to see but looks white
• Lightly textured leaves

Flower 3: (Dietes bicolor)

 

• Cream/light yellow
• Orange/brown spots
• Long green leaves on plant

Flower 4: (Acanthus hungaricus)

 

• Leaves have spikes to protect flower
• White flower with purple and green leaves enclosing it
• Thick green stem
• Bottom of petals are furry
• Small flies (or some other tiny insect)
• Many spiderwebs
• Large leaves