Typically, plants in an environment
supply themselves by what nature brings to them. During the different change of
seasons, their supplements from the environment change due to the difference in
climate. For example during the summer, plants are supplied with more moisture,
hot temperatures, and sunlight which would keep most plants alive; however,
some plants will wilt due to the probable lack of water. During the winter
season, many plants drown due to rain but others survive and grow to be healthy
due to their reliance on water. In other words, these plants are given their
nutrients daily and their conditions are not controlled, as the environment is the
supplier and the environment tends to vary. With this, the plants are able to
undergo photosynthesis, as well cellular respiration. In short, most plants live
in an ecosystem that has inputs and outputs making them live in an open
ecosystem. This means they receive their energy from surrounding environments
and exchange their energy within the ecosystem (McCobb, 2016). Aside from an
open ecosystem, there is also a closed ecosystem, which does not rely on
exchange of matter with its surroundings. This usually involves one autotroph
which can use its waste products to convert them into food (McCobb, 2016). In
short, an open ecosystem has both outputs and inputs while a closed ecosystem
has nor inputs nor outputs (Friedl).
A mesocosm
is an experimental tool used to create a small environment with controlled
conditions. In other words, it is a small replication of an ecosystem.
According to Matthew C.Watts and Grant R. Bigg: “Many studies use these
controlled environments to examine ecosystem responses to factors such as
nutrient addition and light limitation.” A mesocosm is used to observe the
adaptation of an organism based on its controlled supplements. These studies
help understand the needs of a plant and explain possible reasons as to their
survival or deaths. This experimental tool models a closed environment: it
allows light and energy to enter the environment however matter does not enter
not does it leave the small contained environment. There are two forms of mesocosms:
Aquatic and Terrestrial. An aquatic mesocosm is a replication of water-based
environment while a terrestrial mesocosm is based on land organisms.
In this
mesocosm project, the plant that will be experimented on will be a grown Neanthebella
Palm, a form of a Delray plant. The Neanthebella Palm originated from Guatemala
and is known as a houseplant (indoor plant). Its normal height tends to be from
18 inches to 36 inches, some can be even taller than that. Its survival
temperature is around 60 to 90 degrees Fahrenheit, therefore the plant can
thrive of a variety of light conditions; However it cannot be kept under “direct
sunlight.” The amount of water needed for this plant varies based on the amount
of light received but he soil cannot be too wet or too dry (Delray Plants ).
Works Cited
McCobb, Melissa. “Closed Ecosystems and Mesocosms.” Biology. Nogales High School, La Puente,
7 Dec 2016. Print. 03 Jan 2017.
"Modelling and the monitoring of mesocosm experiments:
two case studies." Modelling and the monitoring of mesocosm experiments: two case studies. N.p., n.d. Web. 03 Jan. 2017.
"Neanthebella Palm." Neanthebella Palm. N.p., n.d. Web. 03 Jan. 2017.
What Is an Ecosystem? - Definition & Explanation - Video
& Lesson Transcript. (n.d.). Retrieved January 03, 2017, from
http://study.com/academy/lesson/what-is-an- ecosystem-definition- lesson- quiz.html
amazing!
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