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Plants Are An Important Part Of The Ecosystem

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Plants are an important part of the ecosystem. They provide most of the oxygen on Earth and are part of the food chain for animals on land and sea (Miller & Levine, 2006). Plants are unique in their manner of reproduction. Some plants do not produce seeds. They reproduce asexually by vegetative reproduction, producing offspring that are identical to the parent plant (Miller & Levine, 2006, p. 622). Other plants produce seeds and depend on the seed’s survival to reproduce. The seed’s survival is dependent on several environmental factors, such as where the seed grows, presence of birds or other animals that eat the seeds, the temperature, moisture, and nutrient levels of the environment (Quinn, 2005). For a seed to grow and mature …show more content…

The environmental factor tested in this experiment was the addition of fertilizer versus just water giving water alone. It was hypothesized that if seeds were given fertilizer then they would germinate faster and their stems and roots would grow longer than the seeds that were given water only.
Procedure: Materials and Methods

Materials Pinto beans (x10) Petri dishes (x2) Water Sharpie

Fertilizer (liquid) Paper towels Ruler

Methods

1. Divide the beans into two groups, with five in each group.
2. Take a paper towel and place it inside the petri dish.
3. Wet the paper towel with water, making sure to add enough water to wet the towel but not so much that water is standing in the petri dish.
4. Place five bean seeds on the damp paper towel apart from one another. If there are edges of the paper towel hanging over the side of the dish, these can be folded over to cover the beans.
5. Label the bottom of the petri dish “water only.” This is considered the control group since they are receiving the basic requirements for plant growth. Note: it is best to label the bottom of the dish in case the lid is removed and is placed on the wrong dish.
6. For the second dish, repeat steps 1-3, adding 2 drops of fertilizer to each seed before covering it with the paper towel.
7. Label the bottom of the petri dish “fertilizer.” This set is considered the experimental group since they will be receiving a treatment in addition to receiving water. Note: it is best to

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