Plant adaptation lab

I need someone to follow the instructions and and write me a good report free plagiarism. 

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you have 24 hours to finish the whole report with everything 

These are my hypothesis:

1. soil moist content at  bottom of hill higher  than top.

– temperature would be lower  of bottom from top.

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-more leaves in soil with higher moisture content.

 2. waxiness of cuticle (bottom/top of hill vs. out in open/ in shade)

– higher temperature  result in plants with thicker cuticles (wax).

3. Leaves have higher density in wetter areas  than drier areas.

  

REPORT ASSIGNMENT

You will turn in an abbreviated lab report with the following sections:

1. Introduction (describe your questions, hypotheses, and rationale and how they relate to adaptations to water stress). You do not need to write a traditional full introduction, just 2-3 paragraphs to clarify your thinking.  

2. Methods (describe your study area and species (if you can’t identify the species, describe it), what you did in the field, the lab [except standard protocols can be referred to and very briefly described], and your analysis)

3. Results (describe and provide tables of your data, your statistics, and at least ONE helpful additional table or figure)

4. Discussion (describe your interpretation of your data and its comparison to others’ work in the class or other literature.) 

5. References (provide at least TWO references using APA or any ecology journal’s reference format). These can be in the intro or discussion, but the discussion might be most helpful.

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Plant adaptations lab

LAB #1: PLANT ADAPTATIONS TO WATER STRESS

OBJECTIVE: To conduct an observational study examining plant adaptations to water stress. In accordance with the course learning outcomes, you will be able to:

1. Explain plant water relations and describe plant adaptations to water stress (CLO #1)

2. Explain the mathematical model of plant water relations (CLO #2)

3. Synthesize your research with the primary literature in ecology (CLO #3)

4. Apply the scientific method to an ecological study of plant adaptations (CLO #4)

5. Communicate physiological ecology in a short written report (CLO #5)

BACKGROUND INFORMATION:

Water is crucial to plant functioning; water stress (a significant deviation from optimal water availability conditions) leads to a host of negative physiological changes, including reductions in stomatal conductance and photosynthesis and accumulation of abscisic acid and solutes. Water moves within plants due to molecular diffusion (along concentration gradients) and bulk flow (along pressure gradients). Water potential (Ψ) quantifies the water status of plant systems. Water moves from higher Ψ to lower Ψ; Ψ are usually negative. Plant uptake of water and transpiration (loss of water vapor through leaves/stems) is driven by a water potential gradient (Ψ) related to solute concentration (Ψs), pressure (Ψp), and gravity (Ψg; ignored for movement <5 m).

Ψ = Ψs + Ψp + Ψg

Additional solutes always lower Ψs. Ψp is positive in plant cells due to the rigid cell wall and is positively related to plant turgor. Water potential of the soil is negative (Ψ ≈ -0.3 MPa), but not as negative as in the plant cells (Ψ ≈ -0.6 MPa) due to the high content of solutes. That means water moves from the soil into the plant cells. Similarly, the water potential of the plant cells (Ψ ≈ -0.6 MPa) is not as negative as the water potential of the air (Ψ ≈ -100 MPa), so water moves from plant cells into the air (i.e., transpiration).

Transpiration is extremely costly to plants, especially when water supply is limited. Water that is taken up by plant roots is transported upwards from the roots to the stem and leaves. This transpiration stream provides plant cells with water and mineral ions and allows for CO2 exchange with the atmosphere. Stomata (pores in the epidermis of plants) help regulate the rates of photosynthesis and transpiration. When stomata are open (high conductance), gas exchange occurs and the rates of photosynthesis and transpiration are high; when stomata are closed (low or no conductance), gas exchange is limited and both rates are low. The tradeoff between photosynthesis and transpiration is a strong constraint on plants and is associated with adaptations to prevent water loss. These adaptations may be related to plant physiology, morphology, and phenology. In this lab we will look at leaf adaptations, including: stomata (density, location, and structure) and leaf morphology (size, thickness, shape, color, texture, hairs, etc.).

Transpiration is affected by the near-leaf environment, not just plant characteristics. Four of the most important aspects of this environment are:

1. Temperature – transpiration provides a cooling mechanism to release excess heat and occurs more rapidly at higher temperatures due to increased evaporation

2. Humidity – low humidity provides a sharper vapor gradient between the plant and atmosphere, increasing transpiration

3. Wind – wind increases transpiration because it disturbs the thin layer of moist air near the leaf surface

4. Soil water – transpiration requires access to soil water; more water = more transpiration


There are many plant adaptations that

modify the near-leaf environment to reduce the water potential from the leaf to the air
; for example, leaf shape may affect the magnitude of wind. In this lab, you will be collecting observational data to investigate adaptations that minimize water loss.

Equipment: Field – This guide, pencil, paper, camera phone, shovel, shears, nail polish, tape

Lab – Microscope + tools, scale, measuring devices

Location: The Heritage Garden and hillside downslope of CUI into William R. Mason Regional Park

METHODS

Read through this handout so you know what you’re going to do. You may work in groups, but every student is responsible for their own report. (Note: there are basic protocols at the end of this document to help you understand what types of measurements are possible.)

Develop your hypotheses: Your multiple hypotheses must relate to plant adaptations to water stress. Here are a few questions under which your hypotheses might be developed: (1) To what extent is there phenotypic plasticity (i.e., acclimation) in leaf characteristics within a species depending on water availability?; (2) What trends are there in the types of leaf characteristics exhibited by different species that grow in habitats with different water availability (or wind exposure, temperature, or humidity)? You are welcome to develop a different question as well, but it must be more interesting than what plant adaptations you observe. Your hypotheses should be specific, describing what you expect to see and a rationale for why. It is ok to have different hypotheses for different species or for different water availabilities. It is ok to have alternative hypotheses that are directly contradictory as long as you have a rationale. But, you must be specific and have a logical rationale.

Develop your methods: You must measure several leaf characteristics. Your methods must directly relate to your hypotheses. Your methods should describe your sampling design, the types of leaf characteristics you will measure, and how you will analyze your data (basic statistics like mean and standard deviation, t-Tests, ANOVA, etc.). The sampling design should include replication so you can estimate variability. I will provide protocols for making imprints of leaf stomata and other types of measurements.

Conduct your study: Collect your data as outlined in your methods – if you change anything, make sure to make note of it. Mark your locations on the map (last page). Take general field notes (like you did for the CUI tour) describing your locations, making sure to take note of the four aspects of the abiotic environment described above as being important for plant water relations. Your general description should talk about the setting of your site (where it is, what surrounds it, if there are streams or other topographic features, flat or slope or ridge, etc.), the weather during your observation (including temperatures, clouds, wind), and the plant community (e.g., riparian, grassland, dead forbs, etc.). Take imprints of leaf stomata. Collect leaves for analysis using the shears.

Analyze your data: Input your data into Excel or similar. Do your statistical analysis. Make tables or figures that provide support for or falsify your hypotheses.

Interpret your data: Interpret your data in light of your hypotheses – is there support or do the results falsify each hypothesis? Do some research (textbook, internet, peer-reviewed publications, etc.) to see if you can find out why and to see how your hypotheses and results compare to those of other researchers. Describe why there are similarities or differences (methods?; location?; species?). Your research must include at least ONE peer-reviewed publication (journal article, conference proceedings, or government report) and at least ONE other source (anything reputable looking, including Wikipedia). You must CITE your research sources in your assignment.

REPORT ASSIGNMENT

You will turn in an abbreviated lab report with the following sections:

1. Introduction (describe your questions, hypotheses, and rationale and how they relate to adaptations to water stress). You do not need to write a traditional full introduction, just 2-3 paragraphs to clarify your thinking.

2. Methods (describe your study area and species (if you can’t identify the species, describe it), what you did in the field, the lab [except standard protocols can be referred to and very briefly described], and your analysis)

3. Results (describe and provide tables of your data, your statistics, and at least ONE helpful additional table or figure)

4. Discussion (describe your interpretation of your data and its comparison to others’ work in the class or other literature.)

5. References (provide at least TWO references using APA or any ecology journal’s reference format). These can be in the intro or discussion, but the discussion might be most helpful.

The lab report should be short (500-800 words), double-spaced, and turned in on Blackboard before class on Friday, February 9 (week 5).*I will change the semester calendar to reflect this.

Map of field sites (mark and label the approximate location of your field sites)

Basic protocols

INDEPENDENT VARIABLE

Abiotic factors:
Measure your abiotic factors, such as temperature, soil water, or wind, using one of the available pieces of equipment. If not possible, then make sure you qualitatively assess the abiotic factors (e.g. obvious soil moisture differences, North facing hill versus E, W, or S-facing hills, obvious wind exposure/protection)

DEPENDENT VARIABLE

Leaf size (cm2)
– outline and count squares on grid paper or ImageJ image processing (more accurate)

Leaf density
– calculate g/cm2

Leaf shape and margin
– qualitative; compare to guide

Leaf spectral absorbance/reflectance
– spectrophotometer

1) Prepare your samples

a. Wear goggles and gloves!

b. Tear leaf into small pieces, discarding large veins

c. Weigh out 0.3 g of leaf tissue

d. Place leaf tissue into small beaker with 30 mL ethanol

e. Grind tissue in ethanol until pulverized

f. Filter liquid through a coffee filter into a clean beaker

i. Throw away your used coffee filter!

g. Fill a clean glass cuvette to 2/3 full with your leaf liquid

h.

2) Test whether your samples are too concentrated for the spectrophotometer

a. Make a blank (fill a clean glass cuvette 2/3 full with ethanol)

b. Set spectrophotometer wavelength to 640 nm

c. Push A/T/C button to select % transmittance (%T)

d. Wipe your blank with a Kimwipe, insert it, and close the door

e. Press the 0 ABS/100%T key to set the blank to 100% transmittance

f. Remove the blank and set it aside

g. Wipe your leaf liquid sample with a Kimwipe, insert, and close the door

h. If the sample has >40% transmittance, dilute by adding ethanol and inverting to mix, then retest (sample should have >30%)

3) Develop absorbance curves using the spectrophotometer

a. Decide on a set of wavelengths to test and make a table to record your data

b. Set the wavelength on the spectrophotometer to your minimum

c. Push A/T/C to select absorbance (A)

d. Wipe your blank with a Kimwipe, insert it, and close the door

e. Press the 0 ABS/100%T key to set the blank to 0 absorbance

f. Remove the blank and set it aside
g. Wipe your leaf liquid sample with a Kimwipe, insert, and close the door

h. Record the absorbance

i. Repeat part 3b-3h for the rest of your set of wavelengths and for each of your samples

4) Clean up!

a. Dispose of leaf extract and any other trash in proper waste container

b. Wash beakers and cuvettes

c. Wipe down tables/machines/etc

Leaf hairiness
– use dissecting scope with bottom of leaf facing up, mark 1 cm section of leaf margin (i.e., edge) using a clear ruler, and count number of leaf hairs in that section

Stomata count/density
– you can also compare count/density for opened and closed stomata, etc and record qualitative properties

1) Paint a thick swath of nail polish on the leaf surface

2) After the polish dries, stick a piece of tape over the dried polish

3) GENTLY peel the nail polish swath from the leaf

4) Tape the swath to a very clean slide and label it with species/treatment/sample #

5) Use a microscope to examine the leaf impression at 400x and observe stomata

6) Count all stomata in your microscope view in several areas of the slide and record it!

7) Repeat for all samples

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