Lab # 5

GERMINATION AND PRODUCTIVITY

EXPERIMENT

Question: Can plants germinate in the dark?

Hypothesis: Seeds don not germinate in the dark?

Treatments: Light and Dark

Method: Find a plastic seedbed that has 6 x 6 cups

               Add dark soil into the trays close to the top
               Add four seeds for each radish

               Water the soil until it gets wet

                Leave it for two weeks to germinate

EXPERIENT TO CONTROL LIGHT

PART 2

What was our control for this experiment?

The control for this experiment was to calculate the percent germination and total plant grow in heights of a radish seeds that grow in the normal light (sunlight) and the total darkness. Knowing our hypothesis that plant can not grow in the total darkness. Doing this study  we planted 4 seeds per cup in 36 cups for each sample (light and dark). After two weeks we do the analysis showing bellow.

What is the percent germination for the Light treatment? for the Dark treatment?

Result
Percent Germination Light treatment: 69/144 = 0.479 * 100% = 47.9% = 48%

Percent Germination Dark treatment: 50/144=0.347*100%=34.72%  

Make a graph of a total germination percent per treatment

 Calculate GPP (gross primary production) of the radishes use the following equation NPP + R= GPP.

Plants in the Light                                                               Plants in the dark

Weight before dry 11.4g                                                    Weight before dry 8.9g            

weight after dry 2.0g                                                          Weight after dry 1.9g

Loss 9.4g                                                                             Loss 7g

                                 

For both our treatments we used: Duration 7mins, Temperature 400F                                   

                                                                 

NPP + R= GPP:  2.0g+1.9g=3.9g

PART 3

Compare the difference in appearance in the dark treatment and the light treatment plants. If there is a difference in appearance, explain.

For the light treatment, the seedlings were green and grow curvedly because of the competitively for the sunlight as any other plant fight for energy.

For the  dark treatment, most seedling weak , yellow and dropped leaves and started dying, and when we were counting these seeds they broke only when you touch its leaf.

If there was growth in the dark treatment plants, explain why that growth may have taken place even though light was not reaching the plants.

The growth in the dark treatment  happened because the seeds have an embryo and it breaks the shell and come out  for searching light and as we know every plant fight for energy and ready to grow. In this treatment (dark) a little bit of sugar was stored in the embryo which was using to provide energy for  the leaves in a short period of time. Without the presence of sunlight, the leaves became weak and yellow because they didn't have chlorophyll. Even if those seeds were in a place that is dark they grow. 

Using your calculation of class’s data, draw or make three graphs, showing comparison on average height, dry and wet weight between light and dark treatment. Titles your graph label your x and y, and make sure your treatment are clear in each graph.

CONCLUSION

The light treatment work out as any plant that germinate in the light. The dark treatment was the one that we experimented because our question was if plants can germinate in the dark, so our hypothesis was wrong because seeds can germinate in dark. By doing this experiment we realized that does not matter where is (dark or light place) always germinate. There is no right or wrong answer until do an experiment.



Lab 4

FIELD TRIP MARMOT DAM

The Marmot Dam  in Sandy river was build between 1908 and 1912. It is a supplier hydroelectric power for the Portland area and was owned by Portland Generic Electricity (PGE). Marmot Dam was removed 2007 and 2008. Before it was removed the area was a logging land.

The government of Portland, Oregon is en charged of the area where the Marmot Dam was located.

The Dam was removed because it makes difficult the flow of the fishes upstream. In the Sandy river we can find four species of fishes such as Salmon, Spring Chinook, Steelhead, and Coho.

The big impact on fishes and their habitat is one of the main issue that it would affect because of the amount of sedimentation realized, but as I understand it did not affected because Salmons are used to survive in water with a amount of sedimentation. Fishes have its own environment where allow them to a specific amount of oxygen in order to survive.

Now after 7 years since the Dam was removed Sandy river flows free, and there is no more sedimentation meaning in big amount. The area where the building was it start to grow some trees some of them are about 5 to 6 feet tall, and is known as a secondary succession not only for the plants is also for the animals that start to build their habitat in the area. The soils looks like is fertilized, but in the upper area the land is kind of hard and quite of difficult to plant and has a better description like a rocky place. By the south of the Sandy river area there is a forest that is not recognized as a old grow, but it looks like have western Hemlock, Douglas fir, Big leaf maple, with open canopy which allow others seedlings to take place, and also has seedlings which make the environment a nice place even if there will be weeds. wildlife habitat is present there, but we could not have a chance to see any type of species, but according to guide we can find, bears, birds, elks, deers etc.

According to the guide in the future there will be a  park for recreation, where people will be able to camp, hiking, biking etc.

This is a very good example of a secondary succession where we were able to see what happen after a Dam was removed.  It is amazing how the environment response; in my perspective what I saw that the water looks green and it only fave 7 years since it was removed the building is just amazing comparing with others rivers that I have seen.