Karishma Post 3

This week our team went out to the garden and took a look at our plant. It appears to be about three inches tall and is growing at a healthy rate. The leaves have grown to be much bigger and wider and nothing appears to be dead. Overall, our plant is healthy and doing well.

Our cabbage plant participates in the movement of water through the biosphere by performing transpiration. Transpiration is the process where water evaporates off of the plants' leaves. The process of transpiration aids plants because it cools them off and also pumps water and minerals in order for plants to perform photosynthesis. Transpiration plays a major role in the growth of plants. For that reason, one of the main factors that contributed to the growth of our plant is transpiration. Our plant uses water to perform photosynthesis as well. The plants use water, along with carbon and sun energy, to make sugars and oxygen. When it rains or the plants are watered, the plant used its roots to take in the water. This is known as root uptake. Through these processes, our cabbage plant participates in the movement of water through the biosphere.

Our plant also contributes to the movement of carbon through the biosphere by performing photosynthesis. Photosynthesis is the process in which plants take in sunlight, carbon dioxide, and water and convert it into sugars. Plants also participate in plant respiration. Plant respiration is where plants use the sugars they make and convert it back into carbon dioxide that is emitted back into the atmosphere. When a lart of the plant falls off into the soil, the plant begins to decompose and turn into carbon dioxide. Similarly, if an animal eats the plant, carbon dioxide is transferred from animal to plant.  Lastly, when plants die they turn into fossils. These fossils turn into fossil fuels and go back into the atmosphere as carbon dioxide.

Our cabbage plant participates in the movement of nitrogen through the biosphere during the process of nitrification. During nitrification bacteria convert ammonia into nitrates (NO3/NO2). The roots of plants uptake these nitrates. They use these nitrates in order to make proteins. Animals then eat these plants and that is how they get their proteins. When organisms decompose, they release nitrogen into the atmosphere as well.