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Questions and Answers
Define abiotic factors affecting plant growth.
Define abiotic factors affecting plant growth.
Non-living factors that affect plants.
Define biotic factors affecting plant growth.
Define biotic factors affecting plant growth.
Living factors that affect plants.
What are climatic factors as applied to plant growth?
What are climatic factors as applied to plant growth?
Average weather conditions affecting plant communities.
Explain edaphic factors and their impact on plant growth.
Explain edaphic factors and their impact on plant growth.
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What is the primary source of water for plants grown outdoors?
What is the primary source of water for plants grown outdoors?
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Define abiotic factors and provide examples of non-living features that affect a community in an ecosystem.
Define abiotic factors and provide examples of non-living features that affect a community in an ecosystem.
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Explain what biotic factors are and give examples of living factors that affect organisms.
Explain what biotic factors are and give examples of living factors that affect organisms.
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What are climatic factors and how do they impact communities in an ecosystem?
What are climatic factors and how do they impact communities in an ecosystem?
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Define edaphic factors and explain their significance to plant growth.
Define edaphic factors and explain their significance to plant growth.
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Study Notes
Environmental Factors Affecting Plant Growth
- Abiotic factors: non-living factors that affect plant growth, including:
- Temperature
- Light intensity
- Air speed
- Water current
- Humidity
- pH
- Dissolved oxygen
- Salinity
- Nitrate, phosphate, and other plant nutrients
- Biotic factors: living factors that affect plant growth, including:
- Living organisms in the ecosystem
- Climatic factors: average weather conditions that affect the community in an ecosystem
- Edaphic factors: soil-related factors that affect plant growth, including:
- Soil pH
- Minerals
- Moisture
- Humus
Water and Plant Growth
- Water is essential for plant growth, and plants acquire most of their water from the soil through root hairs
- Water is necessary for:
- Photosynthesis
- Maintaining turgor pressure
- Transporting nutrients throughout the plant
- Plants lose water through all parts, but most water is lost through the leaves
- Plants reduce water loss by closing the stomata
Temperature and Plant Growth
- Temperature is the main environmental factor affecting plant growth
- Temperature determines:
- Planting dates
- Growing season
- What plants can be grown in a locale
- Temperature affects:
- Rate of plant growth
- Plant quality
- Hardiness: the ability of a plant to survive outdoors in a given location
- Cool-season plants: require cool temperatures to germinate, grow, and mature properly (e.g., pansies, daffodils, peas, spinach, lettuce)
- Warm-season plants: require warm temperatures to germinate, grow, and mature properly (e.g., zinnia, tomato, pepper, okra)
Light and Plant Growth
- Light has three principle characteristics that affect plant growth:
- Quantity (intensity or brightness)
- Quality (different wavelengths of light)
- Duration (photoperiod)
- Plants grow best in full sunlight, but some require low light intensity
- Red and blue lights are the most effective for plant growth, while green light is reflected by plants and is the least effective
- Incandescent lights emit high levels of red and orange light, but produce too much heat to be an effective lighting source for plants
- Cool white fluorescent lights are high in blue and encourage leafy growth
Plant Adaptations
- Embryophytes: protect embryos on parent body, surrounded by protective tissue, and nourish embryos
- Gametangia: multicellular organs that produce gametes (eggs or sperm)
- Sporangia: multicellular organs that produce spores
- Apical meristems: growing points located at tips of plant structures
- Cuticles: waxy coat on plant surfaces above ground
- Stomata: pores in leaves and other photosynthetic organs for gas exchange
- Vascular tissue: provides support and transport, with two types: xylem and phloem
- Secondary compounds: provide defense (toxins, antifeedants), support (lignin), and UV protection (flavonoids)
- Sporopollenin: coat on spores and pollen
Plant Evolution
- Earliest body fossils of plants date back to 475 million years ago
- Plant spores were found in plant sporophyte tissues
Environmental Factors Affecting Plant Growth
- Abiotic factors: non-living factors that affect plant growth, including:
- Temperature
- Light intensity
- Air speed
- Water current
- Humidity
- pH
- Dissolved oxygen
- Salinity
- Nitrate, phosphate, and other plant nutrients
- Biotic factors: living factors that affect plant growth, including:
- Living organisms in the ecosystem
- Climatic factors: average weather conditions that affect the community in an ecosystem
- Edaphic factors: soil-related factors that affect plant growth, including:
- Soil pH
- Minerals
- Moisture
- Humus
Water and Plant Growth
- Water is essential for plant growth, and plants acquire most of their water from the soil through root hairs
- Water is necessary for:
- Photosynthesis
- Maintaining turgor pressure
- Transporting nutrients throughout the plant
- Plants lose water through all parts, but most water is lost through the leaves
- Plants reduce water loss by closing the stomata
Temperature and Plant Growth
- Temperature is the main environmental factor affecting plant growth
- Temperature determines:
- Planting dates
- Growing season
- What plants can be grown in a locale
- Temperature affects:
- Rate of plant growth
- Plant quality
- Hardiness: the ability of a plant to survive outdoors in a given location
- Cool-season plants: require cool temperatures to germinate, grow, and mature properly (e.g., pansies, daffodils, peas, spinach, lettuce)
- Warm-season plants: require warm temperatures to germinate, grow, and mature properly (e.g., zinnia, tomato, pepper, okra)
Light and Plant Growth
- Light has three principle characteristics that affect plant growth:
- Quantity (intensity or brightness)
- Quality (different wavelengths of light)
- Duration (photoperiod)
- Plants grow best in full sunlight, but some require low light intensity
- Red and blue lights are the most effective for plant growth, while green light is reflected by plants and is the least effective
- Incandescent lights emit high levels of red and orange light, but produce too much heat to be an effective lighting source for plants
- Cool white fluorescent lights are high in blue and encourage leafy growth
Plant Adaptations
- Embryophytes: protect embryos on parent body, surrounded by protective tissue, and nourish embryos
- Gametangia: multicellular organs that produce gametes (eggs or sperm)
- Sporangia: multicellular organs that produce spores
- Apical meristems: growing points located at tips of plant structures
- Cuticles: waxy coat on plant surfaces above ground
- Stomata: pores in leaves and other photosynthetic organs for gas exchange
- Vascular tissue: provides support and transport, with two types: xylem and phloem
- Secondary compounds: provide defense (toxins, antifeedants), support (lignin), and UV protection (flavonoids)
- Sporopollenin: coat on spores and pollen
Plant Evolution
- Earliest body fossils of plants date back to 475 million years ago
- Plant spores were found in plant sporophyte tissues
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Description
This quiz covers the different environmental factors that affect plant growth, including abiotic, biotic, climatic, and edaphic factors in both terrestrial and aquatic environments.
