plants

• factors affecting plants

  • light
  • carbon dioxide
  • water
  • nutrients (mineral ions)
• human effects - trampling

  Trampling by humans of by animals can lead to an uneven distribution of plants. This will directly damage the plants resulting in some species not being able to survive where there is heavy trampling.

  Other human effects include: Habitat destruction, pollution, chemical use, animal agriculture.
• Soil pH

  Even small changes in pH can have a large impact on plant growth. Most plants grow best in a neutral or slightly acidic soil, however, this depends on the species of plant being studied. Most soils have a pH of between 4.5 and 7.5
• respiration

  Glucose + oxygen = carbon dioxide + water

  C6H1206 + 6O2 = 6CO2 + 6H20
• Aeration (air in soil)

  If soil is water-logged (flooded) or not aerated then is can create anaerobic conditions that can lead to toxins forming in the soil, the plants contracting diseases and plants being unable to absorb water and nutrients.
• Light intensity

  When the light intensity is higher, then plants can absorb more energy and grow faster. Plants usually grow quicker in unshaded areas with higher light intensity (high lux), than in shaded areas with lower light intensity (low lux). Lux meter can be used to record light intensity
• Aspect

  Aspect is the compass direction that a terrain surface faces.
• Temperature

  Increase in temperature will initially increase the rate of reaction as there is more kinetic energy.

  When the temperature gets too high, past the optimum, the rate of photosynthesis declines as the enzymes involved have been denatured.