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Full-Text Articles in Life Sciences
Top And Bottom Photosynthetic Activity In Nerium Oleander And Pandanus Baptistii, Ryan Arima, Jacob Gonzalez
Top And Bottom Photosynthetic Activity In Nerium Oleander And Pandanus Baptistii, Ryan Arima, Jacob Gonzalez
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Photosynthesis can be performed on any part of a leaf, yet many plants orient their leaves in different ways and are composed of different leaf anatomies. In this experiment we attempted to discover if there is a significant difference between photosynthesis on the top and bottom of Nerium oleander, a dicot that orients its dorsal face towards the sun, and Pandanus baptistii, a monocot that does not orient its leaves specifically to the sun. To perform this experiment, we used both the LI-6400 and the LiCor Integrating Sphere. With the LI-6400, we measured the photosynthetic rate of the top and …
Mechanical Strength Comparison Of Hydrated And Dehydrated Pteridium Stems, Michelle I. Kang, Kevin M. Ko, John H. Noh, Veronica R. Vega
Mechanical Strength Comparison Of Hydrated And Dehydrated Pteridium Stems, Michelle I. Kang, Kevin M. Ko, John H. Noh, Veronica R. Vega
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In this experiment, the mechanical strength of Pteridium stems was tested in two differing conditions: hydrated and dehydrated. It was hypothesized that there would be an increased performance of hydrated stems in the presence of mechanical stress. In order to test this hypothesis, twelve 20 cm pieces of stems were cut in alternation, separating those that would be dehydrated (6) with those that were hydrated (6). The dehydrated specimens were left to dry over a period of 24 hours. The diameters of each individual stem were measured to account for variation in size and remove excess variables. All twelve stems …
Fire Edge Effect On Water Potential And Stomatal Conductance In Salvia Leucophylla, Brigid N. Bergin, Paul Chung, Laura C. Miranda
Fire Edge Effect On Water Potential And Stomatal Conductance In Salvia Leucophylla, Brigid N. Bergin, Paul Chung, Laura C. Miranda
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While most plants caught in the middle of wildfires are completely incinerated, many in the edges survive despite suffering partial incineration and/or heat-induced damage. We hypothesized that heat damaged Salvia leucophylla will display a decrease in both stomatal conductance and water potential. We suspected that applying excess heat would lower the plant’s water levels and damage functional components necessary for photosynthesis, so the stomata would close to conserve water. S. leucophylla was chosen to study due to the likelihood of this widespread coastal sage to be found in the edges of wildfires in the Santa Monica Mountains. Using a heat …
The Effects Of Leaf Hydration On Light Reflectance In Salvia Leucophylla And S. Mellifera, Logan A. Schmitz, Kolina Mah-Ginn, Hayley Presthus
The Effects Of Leaf Hydration On Light Reflectance In Salvia Leucophylla And S. Mellifera, Logan A. Schmitz, Kolina Mah-Ginn, Hayley Presthus
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The presence of trichomes on a plant affect the plant’s ability to retain water; this, in turn, must affect light propagation and reflectance. It was hypothesized that a plant with a higher trichome density (Salvia leucophylla) would have a greater change in reflectance when exposed to a more aired or hydrated environment than a species with a lower trichome density (S. mellifera). Results obtained using a Unispec suggest that Salvia mellifera is more resistant to change in NDVI in response to drying and wetting. Water potential data suggest this may be related to the plant’s resistance to actual drying and …
Comparative Study Of The Mechanical Strength In Two Species Of Ferns: Polystichum Munitum And Pteridium Aquilinum, Russell P. Baetiong, Victoria M. Lekson, Olivier B. Monty
Comparative Study Of The Mechanical Strength In Two Species Of Ferns: Polystichum Munitum And Pteridium Aquilinum, Russell P. Baetiong, Victoria M. Lekson, Olivier B. Monty
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A comparative study of the mechanical strength in two species of ferns, the winter deciduous Pteridium aquilinum and the evergreen Polystichum munitum, was done. The mechanical strength of the leaf and stipe were used as a means for comparison. Additional data such as specific leaf mass (g/cm2) were also collected. The first hypothesis was that the evergreen fern would have higher leaf mechanical strength, while the second hypothesis was that there would be no difference in the mechanical strength of the stipe. The mechanical strength of the stipe was compared through the Modulus of Elasticity (MOE), while the leaf tensile …
Using The Unispec To Test The Difference In Reflectance Of The Yellow Petals Of Encelia Californica, Encelia Farinosa, And Spartium Junceum, Mariam E. Fam, Valerie E. Espinoza
Using The Unispec To Test The Difference In Reflectance Of The Yellow Petals Of Encelia Californica, Encelia Farinosa, And Spartium Junceum, Mariam E. Fam, Valerie E. Espinoza
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The reflectance spectrum of three yellow flowered species (Encelia californica, Encelia farinosa, and Spartium junceum), all grown on the coast of California, was tested to determine if reflectance among the yellow flowers was significantly different. It was hypothesized that there would be a significant difference in reflectance in the 400-700 nm wavebands for the three different species of flowers which all possess yellow petals. Using a Unispec Spectral Analysis System to obtain reflectance spectra for 12 yellow petals of three flowered species, a custom index was created in order to observe differences in the yellow color of the petals, which …