Science Buddies: "Ask an Expert"

Different environments affect plants differently, so how would plants growing in Chicago grow compared to how they would grow in Canberra or Blackpool?
I'm trying to find out how spaceweather affects the growth rate of plants, so if you know anything please let me know!

first of all you should indicate which aspect of an environment you are going to work on. for example you want to see how the difference in the weather of LA compared to NY affect the growth rate of the plant. after you found this variant everything else should be constant. in this way you don't need to plant two seeds in different environment.you only need to for example change the temperature.

wish it was useful,
if you had any other questions don't hesitate to ask

I'm testing to see if spaceweather affects plant growth, so I need to know about Earth's weather affects on plants as well.
I really just need to know what would make broadbeans grow faster or slower compared to what would happen in the other environments.

I've done one lot of growing, over three weeks, and the plants grew really well in Canberra, fast for two days in Blackpool and not at all in Chicago.
What makes the difference? They were left outside, and it was probably just to wet and cold for the plants in Chicago, but is there anything else that could have done something?

I read that radiation can affect plants too, so do you think it possible that some geomagnetic storms (or something else that causes radiation) could have done something?

as I understood you have grown a same seed in different cities. (If I am wrong just tell me) in this way lots of factors could affect your growth rate and in your experiment you would have lots of variants that you would never understand which one caused the effect. you should only change one factor in a time in one plant. as these factors are uncontrollable (e.g. you can't stop the radiations when you want to work on the temperature) you should simulate the environment of that city in a controlled situation in your own environment.

wish it was useful,
if you had any other questions don't hesitate to ask

Kamran Banan

The whole point of the experiment is that they are in different environments in different conditions.
If they were all in one spot they would all be getting the same type of space weather, wouldn't they?

Space weather affects different parts of the Earth at different times, which is why the plants are spread out across the world.

I just need to know anything about plants that will make them grow faster or slower.

For example, I read recently that radiation effects plants when they are seeds. However, my plants here have germinated at half the usual pace even though there has been extra radiation(huge geomagnetic storm and stuff).


Putting my idea out there, could space radiation perhaps make broad beans grow faster and normal radiation slower???

Dear Abbystar,

Geomagnetic storms have a minimal affect on plant growth. The results observed in your experiment are more likely related to more direct causes such as sunlight, temperature, and pollution. You may have an explanantion for your experiment with regards to these factors and not geomagnetic storms. Please ask any additional questions

Jay

Do you have a website or book I can look at to prove that geomagnetic storms don't affect plants? Or just a logical reason?
I need some kind of reference like that for my teacher.

The plants that have germinated are in a 'control' environment, meaning that they are inside and the temperature is usually around 20 degrees(celcius).
I'm hoping that by placing plants inside the plants will have less affect from space weather, do you think they will?

Also, do you know what happens when plants like broadbeans have radiation near them or on them or in space?

]I found this website: http://plantsinaction.science.uq.edu.au ... nt-biology

Do you think it is accurate??
Because if it is, that will help me SO much!

Abbstar wrote:The whole point of the experiment is that they are in different environments in different conditions.
If they were all in one spot they would all be getting the same type of space weather, wouldn't they?

You should change only and only one factor in a time for example you can make 2 boxes and put your plants in them and control and simulate the temperature by using a heater.

Space weather affects different parts of the Earth at different times, which is why the plants are spread out across the world.

I just need to know anything about plants that will make them grow faster or slower.

I don't get you. which one is your experiment. the reason of difference in growth rate in different environments or the factors that can control the pace of the plants' growth. ???

For example, I read recently that radiation effects plants when they are seeds. However, my plants here have germinated at half the usual pace even though there has been extra radiation(huge geomagnetic storm and stuff).


Putting my idea out there, could space radiation perhaps make broad beans grow faster and normal radiation slower???

I think if you could this article it might help you a lot : http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22375379

Abbstar wrote:]I found this website: http://plantsinaction.science.uq.edu.au ... nt-biology

Do you think it is accurate??
Because if it is, that will help me SO much!

yeah it is trustworthy. the website is for the university of queenland in Australia and some other universities are the sponsors of the book.

I know that you think I should only be changing one factor, but for this experiment, the whole point of it is thta I have different factos, and it is starting to get annoying with the whole "you're doing it WRONG!".
I need to prove that space weather affects plants in rainy and cold and sunny and hot and dry and snowy.

I know that in experiments it is best just to change one factor, but I only have a couple of months and I really don't have time for anything else.
If I could, I would definatly spread this experiment across a few years, or maybe even a whole sunspot cycle (22 years).

So please, I do know that I should be just changing one thing. They are all in the same size pots, using the same type of soil, and the seeds even came from the same packet! We are using the same amount of water each day, and measuring at the same time. Not the same time as in my 7:00 to their 7:00, but my 7:00 to their 8:00.

The only factor changing is the weather, in space and on Earth. One factor, but split in two and then into many little things.

I just need to know now what happens to plants that makes them grow faster and slower on Earth. In case you are still confused, I mean as in storms, rain, bugs, pollution, water types, etc.

Thankyou

Ok you want to work on 10 factors! no problem but each factor should be on one plant. for example you want to work on storm you can use a strong fan to simulate it or for the hot temperature you can use a heater. after you observed the results you can combine them for example you see that there was an increase in the growth rate of your plant when it is in hot temperature and windy situation now you can have box in which you have both windy and hot environment and compare it with 3 other boxes (1. only windy 2.only hot 3.the control sample)
about your last question you should search for it on the net I don't know and I think in this level of experiment you don't really need to know that.