Day 3 - March 25, 2009

Very little has changed today. My sprout is still pushing its way to the surface of the dirt in a hypocotyls arch. I can feel that my primary root has been branching out, digging through the dirt and absorbing nutrients. These nutrients are both natural and the nutrients released by slow-release fertilizer tablets. General diffusion and active transport allow my roots to absorb and transfer these nutrients throughout my body and help me grow before I can begin photosynthesis... On I go!

B. Rapa


Hypocotyls Arch: The arch in which a plant sprout, while still underground, appears to be in.

Diffusion: A dissolved particle/nutrient naturally moving from an area of high concentration to and area of low concentration in order to equally distribute itself. This can occur in ion and protein channels of cell membranes.

Active Transport: The movement of a particle or substance against the gradient (direction of flow) of a cell membrane. This type of transport can occur in protein and ion channels and requires the use of energy.

Day 2 - March 24, 2009

Image with the Aid of: http://users.rcn.com/jkimball.ma.ultranet/BiologyPages/G/Germination.html

Where would I be without osmosis? It’s the natural diffusion of water through cell walls and membranes. It has allowed me and my sister seeds to awaken and spread our primary roots. I’ve discovered my two cotyledons, or embryonic leaves, so that makes me a decotyledon plant! Lucky me! Since I have two of these early-leaves, my first bud, or plumule, is well protected. My hypocotyls is also starting to begin dragging my cotyledons up... But I’m not sure where we’re going! My hypocotyls the first section between my root and my cotyledons. I’ve barley broken out of my seed, and already I’m beginning to reach for high places!

B. Rapa

DEFINITIONS

Osmosis - diffusion of molecules through a membrane from a place of higher concentration to a place of lower concentration (until the concentration on both sides is equal)

Cotyledon - embryonic in seed-bearing plants

Plumule- the first bud of a plant, protected by the cotyledons

Decotyledon - A plant with two embryonic leaves

Hypocotyls – The section of shoot between the primary root and the cotyledon

Day 1 - March 23, 2009

Today, I was planted. My fantastic and wonderful gardener placed my into a film canister with moist top soil and with a wick in the bottom of the canister to automatically draw in moisture. She also added 3 fertilizer tablets and three other fellow seeds. My body is beginning to change, I think. I think my body is being hydrated and woken up from my dried, dormant state. This is because the soil and the water have damaged my seed coating, allowing water in to replenish my cells and leech away my chemical inhibitors. I have a small supply of nutrients stored within my vacuoles, so I should be able to being my growth. My metabolism should be high for now, and I will also have access to 24 hour light when I reach the surface, since I don't need rest periods to function. Wish me luck!


B. Rapa

Vacuole - An organelle within a cell which caches stores of nutrients. They are more numerous in plant cells, particularly in root, fruit, and seed cells.

Prologue

Through the creative mind of this high school biologist, a new story is about to reach your mind. I’m about to take you on the 40-day life and death journey the Brassica Rapa plant – From seed to seeds! Bear with me though, as it is written with scientific information, with both terms and simple definitions, pictures, illustrations and the like. The photographer/composite sketch artist, me, will be documenting the changes in development. Mind you, this blog will also be written in the perspective of the plant. However, plants do not, as far as we know, have thoughts, feelings, emotions or the ability to articulate their lives. This is a creative fallacy based on empirical evidence. This blog must also be taken with an open mind, a grain of salt and a ready-to-learn attitude. Without further ado:

Brassic Park: The Lifecycle of the Brassica Rapa

*Please note that the "Day" journals will decrease in number over time when there are conditions in which little change is documented and increased in times of vast changes.

Cellular Processes AND Internal Regulations (Since the cellular processes determine the regularion...) covered:
Root intake of nutrition, growth, Diffusion, Active Transport, Facilitated Diffusion, Osmosis, Cellular Respiration, Photosynthesis, Mitosis, Meiosis