Blog Post #3 (Ayla)

Biochemical Cycles and Your Plants

     This week, our plants have grown a noticeable amount.  They're leaves are are wider, greener and they're stems are wider and stronger.  Some have been eaten by either caterpillars or butterflies and this is apparent because of all the holes in their leaves.  A few have managed to grow taller than their  neighboring plants.  Our "mutant" kale and collard green plant had sprouted taller than the rest which is surprising since it seems to be three plants growing almost as one.

     Our plants role in the water cycle is very apparent.  The plants soak up water with their roots to help them preform photosynthesis.  You call tell the plants are taking part in the water cycle because they are green which would not happen if photosynthesis was not occurring.  Water also helps the plants grow which our plants have done lots of.  Without water our plants would be crispy, yellow and die.

     Us as humans participate in the carbon cycle and so do our plants.  We breath out carbon dioxide and take in oxygen.  Plants, on the other hand, are the opposite; they take in carbon dioxide and release oxygen.  Without plants other living organism that release carbon dioxide such as humans, plants couldn't exist and vice versa. I can tell carbon dioxide is present in our plants because plants need carbon to preform photosynthesis.  Our plants are green, a product of photosynthesis, so I know it is occurring.

     The nitrogen cycle affects our plants.  The ground water that our plant absorbs in contains nitrates. When our plants get eaten by another organism these nitrates will be passed on.  This cycle continues up the food chain and then when the organism dies it gets released back into the ground.