KEVIN MORENO

AP BIOLOGY
23 OF APRIL 2013



MEASURING THE AMOUNT OF TRANSPIRATION IN PLANTS WHEN EXPOSED TO
DIFFERENT ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS.

Research:

Cells and organisms require of the exchange of matter with their environment for
their development growth and reproduction. Depending on the available
resources different responses are given. Plants apart from sunlight depend on
water and nutrients in order to sustain their lives and make photosynthesis.
Plants have developed many mechanisms for obtaining and saving water. Plants
are prone to loose water by transpiration the process by which Water on the
surface of spongy and palisade cells (inside the leaf) evaporates and
then diffuses out of the leaf. (BBC, 2013) Water potential is tendency of water to
move from an area of high concentration of water to an area of low concentration
of water. Transpiration creates a negative tension that pulls water molecules
from the xylem, which has a greater water pressure. This pull moves the water
and minerals through the xylem and is facilitated due to waters unique properties
cohesion and adhesion.
Plants seem affected by environmental factors such as light, temperature
wind and humidity. These environmental factors can either increase the rate of
transpiration (water loss) or decrease it. Light, increases the rate of transpiration
since the stomata (openings in the leaf) open wider to allow more carbon dioxide
into the leaf for photosynthesis. Next, temperature gradually increases the rate of
transpiration in plants. The higher the temperature the higher the transpiration
rate, because evaporation and diffusion are faster at higher temperatures. Wind,
results in a lower transpiration rate since wind removes water vapor quicker,
speeding the diffusion of more water vapor out of the leaf. Last mist (humidity)
decreases the water loss since the environment is already moist then the
diffusion of water vapor out of the leaf is slowed.


Purpose: To be able to identify how different environmental factors affect the
rate of transpiration in plants by using a controlled experiment Furthermore,
analyze which of this environmental variable has a greater effect on the
transpiration of the plant and reinforce studied concepts of ecology.

Hypothesis:
If the plant is exposed to a breeze (wind), then the transpiration rate will increase,
because breeze carries away the humid air surrounding the leaf and replaces it
with dry air.











Manipulated
variable
Responding
variable
Constants Control

Environmental
factors plant is
exposed to:
a) Light (JIFS)
b) Wind
c) Mist


The amount of
transpiration (water
loss) of the plant as
a response to the
environmental factor
measured in mL/m
2
.
Tap Water
Time of
experiment
(33 minutes)
Plant
sampling
specie
(Impatiens)
Plastic tubing
1mL of H
2
O
in pipette.
(Volume)
Water at
room
temperature.
Volume of
plastic tube.


Potometer at
room conditions.
(no additional
environmental
factor.)

Procedure

Materials:
1mL pipette
Plant cutting (what)
Ring stand
Clamps
16cm clear plastic tubing
Petroleum jelly (2g)
Plastic tray
Syringe (5mL)
Water
Masking Tape
Scalpel
100watts light bulb
Plastic bag (transparent)
Fan
Water spray


Procedures:
1) Place the tip of a 0.1mL pipette into a 16-inch piece of clear plastic tubing.
2) Submerge the tubing and pipette in a shallow tray of water and draw the
water through the pipette until all the bubbles are gone.
3) Critical: cut your plant stem under water in order to avoid air bubbles
going into the xylem.
4) Afterwards, insert the cut stem into the open end of the tubing.
5) Check again that there are no air bubbles in the tubing after taking it out
of the water.
6) Make sure to seal any gap between the plant cutting and the tube so that
air cant access and affect the experiment.
7) Then bend the tubing forming a U and use the clams in the ring stand to
hold both the pipette and the tubing.



















8) Depending on the Variable to be tested:
o Light: Place a 100 watt bulb 1 meter from t
o Wind: Place the tubing on a flat surface and then place a fan 1m
away from it on low speed so it creates a gentle breeze.
o Mist: (mist the leave with water and cover with a transparent plastic
bag; leave the bottom of the bag open.
9) Record the water levels in the pipette at the beginning of he experiment.
10) Start timing the experiment after you turn on the fan.
11) Record the water level of the pipette at the beginning of the experiment.
12) Record the water level in the pipette every 3 minutes for 39 minutes and
record in a data table.
o For recording
Measure the decrease of water in the pipette from the initial
water level to the current position every 3 minutes.

Results and Analysis




Analysis:
In the data collected we can observe that the different environmental conditions
yielded different results in which the transpiration either increased (more water
loss) or decreased (less water loss). First of all is important to notice that light
experiment had the highest transpiration rate with 44.52 ml/m
2
of water loss This
0.00000
5.00000
10.00000
15.00000
20.00000
25.00000
30.00000
35.00000
40.00000
45.00000
50.00000
0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40
W
a
t
e
r

l
o
s
s

p
e
r

m
e
t
e
r

s
q
u
a
r
e
d

o
f

l
e
a
f

(
m
L
/
m
2
)

Time (minutes)
Total water loss per meter squared of leaf (mL/m
2
)
under different environmental condition through 39
minutes.
Control
Fan (Wind)
Mist
Light (JIFS)
was then followed by the fan (wind) experiment with 33.05 ml/m
2
of water loss.
Next, was the control with 30.36 ml/m
2
of water loss, which is very closely
clumped together with the fan (wind) experiment.. Then with the least amount of
transpiration we the mist experiment with 10.39ml/m
2
of water loss. Something
important to mention is that the plants followed the expected behavior with the
applied variables. We could see that the light and fan (wind) experiments
increased the transpiration rate of plants while mist was the only one that
decreased. This can be observed by comparing the different variables with the
control. Also, something important to take into account is that the Light (JIFS)
experiment didnt used a heat sink. Therefore, the temperature produced by the
light bulb also affects its results.

Conclusions:

After analyzing the obtained data, we can conclude that the environmental
conditions due affect the transpiration rate in plants. Furthermore have observed
how the different variables showed either increase or decrease in the
transpiration rates of the plant. We learned that each different environmental
factor affects the plant in a unique way. We can also favorably say that the
hypothesis was proven correct. The experiment helped us reinforce concepts of
ecology by observing how a plant interacted with its abiotic factors. We also
learned how transpiration works in plants and inferred how was it that each
environmental factor caused the given reaction in the plant. The information
obtained after conducting the experiment proved being satisfactory as it was
close to previous lab results, yet there were some variations, but this could be
mostly have occurred to human error. There was most likely an error in one of
the experiments (wind) produced by the incorrect sealing of the gaps between
the plant sampling and the plastic tubing. In order to prevent this everybody
should double-check his or her potometer for gaps that can be sealed with
petroleum jelly. The experiment could yield better results if it was conducted over
a longer period of time of course due to the time constraints we couldnt do this,
but it will give more accurate data. The overall purpose of the experiment was
very clear and it can lead to further studies in which plants arent only exposed to
the current environmental factors, but more to conditions like pollution, which are
present today. Variables that could be tested are what will happen if plants
source of water is polluted, will they have the same rate of transpiration as plants
with unpolluted water? Another could be what will happen if the plant is exposed
to different kinds of pesticides, will their transpiration be affected? Additionally,
this could lead to the studies of how pesticides affect general plant functioning
and development.





Bibliography
BBC. (2013). Retrieved April 23, 2013, from Transport in Plants:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/gcsebitesize/science/add_gateway_pre_2011/gree
nworld/planttransportrev2.shtml

College Board. (2012). AP Biology Investigative Labs. New York: College Board.

Campbell, R. (2005). Biology Seventh Edition. San Fransisco: Pearson
Education.