The experiment would determine the dangers of having invasive species present in the Massachusetts environment, specifically threats to the economy and ecosystems. Furthermore, we would be able to identify how the invasive species can affect of native species in their environment. Through this research, possible prevention methods for future invaders may be determined along with the necessary protocols to hone in on the most threatening invasive species.
In this experiment, we will focus on invasive herbs. Each group will be assigned one herb species from the list of invasive plants from the Massachusetts Invasive Plants Advisory Group. The plants chosen have already met the criteria designed by the MIPAG to be classified as invasive. Each group will determine the extent to which the invasive species causes harm to the economy and environment. To determine the extent to which the species poses threats to the Massachusetts economy and environment, each group will gather the information necessary to determine the severity of the invasive species. The species will be ranked from most threatening to least threatening based on its effect on the economy and environment.
Ecosystems throughout the globe are under the threat of non-native invaders. The interactions that arise from the interaction between the native species and the introduced species often poses a threat to species that are already endangered. Previous research suggests that species under threat in their native environment undergo resource selection when they are forced to compete with non-native invaders. In a case study of the New England cottontail, native to New England, and its non-native competitor, the eastern cottontail, research reveals that the native plant’s use of specific invasive shrubs depends on the abundance of its competitor. Studies such as the one on the New England cottontail suggests the necessity for assessing the resource selection and interactions among native species and non-native species for successful conservation efforts (Cheeseman et al, 2018).
Using spinach leaves, we extracted the chloroplasts and observed the rate of photosynthesis in various concentrations of water. We created a control group in DI water, and two experimental groups- one in tap water with the other in salt water. The rate of the light-dependent reactions was monitored by comparing the absorbance of light in a spectrophotometer at 600 nanometers. As the DCPIP used in the experiment is reduced, the absorbance of light decreases. Similarly, the first stage of photosynthesis involves extraction of electrons from water by light energy for reduction. Knowing this, if the concentration of water increases within the plant cell, then the rate of the light-dependent reactions should increase as plants require water in the first step of photosynthesis. If our hypothesis is correct, the data would reveal that the chloroplasts exposed to tap water have a significantly lower absorbance over time than the chloroplasts exposed to salt water, where the concentration of H2O is less.
The purpose of this lab was to reduce benzoin with sodium borohydride to 1,2-diphenylethane-1,2-diol and have the product analyzed with TLC. The presence of the product and its purity was verified by finding its melting point and comparing it to the provided melting point range. After the product had been reduced, the mass was found to be 0.49g, only 0.01g less than the starting material, giving it a percent yield of 98% as seen in Table 1. This is a high percent yield, which could be a result of a successful reaction. However, the melting point of the crude product shows otherwise, with a wide melting point range of 124-133°C. Knowing that the melting point of benzoin is around 132°C, it is likely that the resulting product was not successfully converted to 1,2-diphenylethane-1,2-diol, but potentially an unpure benzoin product containing perhaps benzoin and the 1,2-diphenylethane-1,2-diol. To improve this, the sodium borohydride could have been added in more even increments across five minutes and waited longer than 20 minutes for a full reaction.
Using the spinach leaves, we extracted the chloroplasts and observed the rate of photosynthesis in various concentrations of water, with a control group in DI water, and two experimental groups- one in tap water, the other in salt water. The rate of the light-dependent reactions was monitored by comparing the absorbance of light in a spectrophotometer at 600 nanometers. As the DCPIP used in the experiment is reduced, the absorbance of light decreases since the first stage of photosynthesis involves the extraction of electrons from water by light energy. Knowing this, if the concentration of water increases within the plant cell, then the rate of the light-dependent reactions should increase as plants require water in the first step of photosynthesis. If our hypothesis is correct, the data would reveal that the chloroplasts exposed to tap water have a significantly lower absorbance over time than the chloroplasts exposed to salt water, where the concentration of H2O is less.
The process of photosynthesis is the method in which photoautotrophs such as plants and algae harvest energy from light and convert it to a usable form of chemical energy in the form of glucose. In the chloroplast of plant cells are stacked structures resembling disks which are called thylakoids, containing chlorophyll, a pigment responsible of light absorption. The granum, or stacked thylakoids are surrounded by a liquid known as the stroma. The structure of the chloroplast is crucial for the two parts of photosynthesis that biologists refer to as the light-dependent reactions, which occur in the thylakoid membrane, and light independent reactions (Calvin cycle), which occur in the stroma.
A petri dish containing only duckweed and a separate dish containing only salvinia are used for the control groups. The mass of the plants were initially all weighed the same. A third petri dish housed both species. Given all the same variables (besides space), the plants were subject to the same amount of light (14 hours) a day, same amount of distilled water as well as liquid fertilizer. Over the course of one week, the growth and the mass of the plants were monitored. By the end of 7 days, we observed the change in each species growth using their biomass, identifying the difference between the mass of the plants grown in the same environment, as opposed to grown separately.
Xylem are inhibited when guard cells cannot open- they require ATP to open. Phloem are inhibited when active transport cannot load sugar to the phloem to create positive pressure. Xylem moves water and soil minerals. Phloem moves sugar and hormones. Xylem are under negative pressure. They are made of dead cells used for moving water. Phloem are under positive pressure. The cells of the phloem are alive cells used to pump sugars in and out from source and sink. Flexibility affects both xylem and phloem. If the cells are flexible, both will not function effectively. ATP inhibition will affect phloem and cannot transport sugar. Xylem will not function without ATP because the stomates require ATP to open.
The aim of this experiment is to test whether or not two species of the same niche can occupy the same space and coexist. This experiment tests whether or not one of two species would outcompete the other when they both rely on the same resources. By using two floating aquatic plants, Lemna minor and Salvina molesta, two species of the same niche are brought together for the experiment. In nature, when two species of the same niche are brought together, possible outcomes include dominance by one of the species, partitioning of the environment and resources, or co-evolution, in which the species diverge from usage of the same resource. With limited time for the experiment, it is unlikely to observe evolution of the two selected species. It is therefore possible that the species may cohabitate and partition the resources so that they both thrive, or one will out-compete the other. In this experiment, we predict that one of the species will outcompete the other due to useage of the same resources.
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