The abundance of terrestrial and aquatic plants depends on several factors. Human actions influence some of these variables. For example, plants may be limited by soil moisture regime, pathogens, herbivores, disturbances, dispersal abilities, or climate. In addition, human actions influence the availability of nutrients and other resources. Other factors may limit plant growth, such as climate, light, and water availability. This article will discuss how these factors affect plant growth.
Carbon dioxide
Climate change and carbon dioxide: Linked? Perhaps. But climate models have failed to predict any major changes in our planet’s climate. The sensitivity to climate change that is observed in the real world is about three times smaller than what mainstream models assumed, and this warming is unlikely to be more than a moderate trend for the foreseeable future. But there is one implication of climate change for plants: doubling the concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere will result in a 1 C rise in global surface temperatures.
When atmospheric CO2 levels increase, plant leaves thicken to trap more CO2. Studies of a variety of plants found that this response enhanced leaf photosynthetic activity by as much as 40%. Plants may also have responded to elevated CO2 levels by regulating the openness of their stomata, which allows CO2 to diffuse into their leaves and water to diffuse out. Hence, elevated CO2 concentrations result in greater biomass and less water loss.
Soybeans are one of the most affected crops by elevated CO2. Soybeans exhibit greater responses to elevated CO2 levels than rice and wheat. Soybeans also respond to increased CO2 levels by promoting overall growth, photosynthesis, and harvestable yield. The findings are based on research that was published in the journal Global Biogeochemical Cycles. They provide a great deal of new knowledge on the effects of carbon dioxide on plant growth.
Light
Many factors affect plant growth and development. These factors include temperature, moisture, light, soil, and nutrients. Understanding the relationships among these factors is helpful when manipulating plants or diagnosing environmental stress. There are three primary characteristics of light that affect plant growth: its wavelength, its color, and its intensity. Plants can make use of more than one of these factors at the same time. Understanding the relationship between light and plant growth is vital for research.
The visible part of the light spectrum between 400 nm and 700 nm is essential for photosynthesis. More solar radiation also raises ambient temperatures and decreases soil moisture. In order to determine the influence of temperature on plant growth, researchers must first study the effects of light on plant physiology. Light affects plant growth by encouraging more transpiration, the movement of water loaded with nutrients through the plants. As a result, plants’ responses to light are highly correlated with the temperature.
In addition to the type of light, temperature, and humidity, the climate is another major factor in plant development. Temperature is the most important factor as it dictates how quickly and effectively plants can develop. Higher temperatures are a secondary factor that can reduce net CO2 assimilation and stomatal conductance. Lower temperature and drought stress have a greater effect on plants’ metabolic activities than high temperatures. Their maximum photosynthesis rate and the Rubisco carboxylation rate are reduced two to four-fold lower at a low temperature compared to a high temperature. They also recover more slowly than plants growing at higher temperatures.
Soil moisture regime
There are many ways to control soil moisture and how plants respond to it. In arid climates, arid soils can be defined by their physical properties, such as crusty soil surfaces. Soils in arid climates also have low evaporation and little or no leaching, so soluble salts accumulate. For these soils, the temperature must be above biological zero, or 5deg C. The resulting low moisture level limits biological activity in the soil.
Soil moisture regimes are dynamic properties that change over time in response to climate, topography, soil properties, and subsurface flow. They help determine which areas are best suited for water banking and dryland agriculture, and which areas require engineering considerations and irrigation technology. The main purpose of this process is to help determine where soil moisture can be controlled and managed. If the soil moisture regime is not regulated, plants may not grow or develop optimally.
The soil moisture control section consists of a layer of soil that is moist for more than half the cumulative days during the year. This layer is further influenced by the density of rock fragments, pore size distribution, and other environmental factors. Soil temperature data are important for understanding the impact of these environmental factors on plants. In addition, climatic conditions can be useful for estimating soil moisture regimes.
Radiant energy
If you are familiar with the term electromagnetic radiation, you will understand the idea of the radiant energy of plants. This type of energy travels through space without heating up and turns into heat when it comes in contact with a cooler surface. This form of energy is naturally produced by plants and is widely used in solar energy, radiometry, lighting, heating, and telecommunication. This is because light contains photons, individual particles carrying tiny packets of energy. The energy they carry is measured in electron volts.
The flow of energy in plants is influenced by environmental factors such as temperature, water vapor density in the air, wind speed, and atmospheric pressure. Radiant energy is transferred to and from plants by mechanisms of radiation and convection. These factors are shown in a plant’s 24-hour cycle. The effect of each factor depends on the basic properties of the plant. For example, a plant’s leaf area will absorb more sunlight than it will use at night.
Plants have evolved a network of adaptation mechanisms to adapt to light fluctuations. They have been grouped into two major groups based on how well they absorb light. One of the groups is able to adapt its light absorption capacity to its environment. The other group is able to capture radiation from radioactive sources. So, these adaptations on a cellular level are limited in capacity. To be able to utilize this energy efficiently, plants must adapt to environmental factors such as temperature, humidity, and light intensity.
Soil structure
The soil structure affects how water enters the soil and how much can be absorbed by the plants. It also affects hydraulic conductivity, which measures how fast water moves through the soil. Soils with a well-defined structure have large pore spaces, which increase the amount of water they can hold. Soils with excessive sodium, on the other hand, are characterized by tight pores and reduced air movement. Platy soils have low pore space and are often found in compacted soils.
There are several methods used to study soil structure, ranging from particle interaction at the nanometer scale to the function of the soil’s structure profile at the meter scale. However, despite the wide range of research on soil structure, knowledge of the processes involved remains incomplete. Thus, it is necessary to extrapolate from one scale level to another. Soil structure is a complex, multi-scale system containing various variables.
Soil and plants are inextricably linked. While plants exist without soil, it is rare to find soil that does not contain any plant life. The two systems are inseparable, but agricultural management strategies tend to treat them as separate systems. They look at the average properties of soil and plants, which are not necessarily representative of local conditions. Therefore, it is important to understand how soil and plants interact to optimize both plant growth and soil quality.
Invasive insect pests
Invasive insects are species that are introduced to a region through the deliberate or accidental introduction. The invasive species may come from any region in the world. Invasive species have been introduced to the United States through imported commercial commodities such as untreated wood packing materials from China. Dutch elm disease was brought to the United States on Asian timber. Invasive insects have also been introduced as part of the importation of African wildlife for zoos.
Climate change affects insect populations through changes in climate. It can alter the geographic distribution of many species and increase their invasion of new areas, which could lead to their extinction. Insect pest populations will be influenced by climate change both directly and indirectly through biotic interactions. Climate change is expected to affect invasive insect pest populations, directly and indirectly, thus influencing mitigation strategies. However, invasive species pose a serious threat to both humans and ecosystems and can have an impact on the U.S. economy.
Besides affecting ecosystem function and structure, invasive species also harm native animals and plants. The mountain pine beetle can wreak havoc on native plants by taking advantage of drought-weakened areas. These pests can also be harmful to wildlife, which may not have adapted to the invasive species. Without predators, the native species may not be able to compete with the invasive species.
