Bibliography

Bibliography

Biology Online. (2000, January 1). Plant Meristems and Growth - Control of Growth &

Development. Retrieved April May 2, 2009 from http://www.biology/-

online.org/3/7_meristems.htm

Burdzinski, Carrie & Wendell, Douglas L. Mapping the Anthocyaninless (anl) Locus in Rapid-

Cycling Brassica rapa (RBr) to Linkage Group R9. Retrieved on April 26, 2009 from

http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/articlerender.fcgi?artid=2048511

Col, Jeananda. (2003-2009) Leaf and Leaf Anatomy. Retrieved on May 3, from

http://www.enchantedlearning.com/subjects/plants/leaf/

Government of Canada. (1999, April). The Biology of Brassica rapa L. Retrieved on April 28,

2009 from http://www.maltawildplants.com/CRUC/Docs/BRSRA/BrassicaRapa.pdf


Kimball, John W. (2003, August 7). Germination of seeds. Retrieved on April 27, 2009 from

http://users.rcn.com/jkimball.ma.ultranet/BiologyPages/G/Germination.html

Swamy, G Sivakumar. (1998, July). How do Plants Absorb Nutrients from the Soil? . Accessed

April 29. 2009 from http://www.ias.ac.in/resonance/July1998/pdf/July1998p45-52.pdf.

University of Hamburg. (2009). Lifecycle. Retrieved on April 27, 2009 from

http://www.biologie.uni/-hamburg.de/b-

online/library/fast/www.fastplants.org/Plant/LifeCycle_body.htm

University of Wisconsin. (2009) Life Cycle of Rapid Cycling Brassica rapa. Retrieved on April 27,

2009 from http://www.fastplants.org/img/sandbox/uploads/61.file.pdf

**Authors' Note: Do to the formatting of the site, there were errors in trying to make the bibliography double spaced and indented on the second line of any and all run-on sources. If you would like, I would gladly provide a hard copy of a properly formated bibliography.

Day 36 - April 27, 2009 (Conclusion)

This will, unfortunately, be my last journal.

I am on my last stages of life, and I don't want to trouble you with my decay. Soon my pods will begin turning yellow-brown. That means that my seeds are mature and no longer need me alive in order to survive. They will also begin to dry out, making them capable of being replanted. Shortly after, my leaves will finish drying out and so will my stem, as my internal moisture diffuses into the air. Then, I will wither, dry out, and unavoidably die and decompose. Decomposition is natural, though. All living things must decompose in order to return nutrients to the soil.

My goal is complete. I have successfully created several potential offspring. I've outlined the processes and internal regulations that I have, including my germination, vascular tissues, transport, respiration, photosynthesis, mitosis, meiosis, pollination, and my death. I've shown you my most intimate and detailed views of both my structure and my anatomy. I hope that you, my readers, have enjoyed this journey through my life - from seed to seeds.

Until we meet again in the lives of my offspring,

B. Rapa

Day 33 - April 24, 2009

Very little is changing now on the outside, however, on the inside.. Well, that's a different story. My seeds are continuing to mature and develop, like I mentioned on my last journal.
My body is winding down. My leaves are continuing to die as they're ability to function is no longer effective. All my stored nutrients are going into my upper body through my vascular tissues to provide fuel to my future offspring. I've lost almost all my petals, which were originally used to attract insects to spread my pollen. Those that are left are drying up and falling off.
Other than that, there isn't much more to add. I'm dying, and I'm alright with that. My time is naturally short -- 40 days at best. All I can hope for is that my offspring will continue my genetic continuity. I hope that both I and my breeding plant are homozygous dominant, that way all my offspring will be tall like me!
Until next time,
B. Rapa

Vascular Tissues: The tissues within the stem and veins of a plant. They contain properties found within leaf veins. They are used to transport water, food, and minerals through cellular diffusion and active transport.

Homozygous Dominant: A biological term meaning that a gene carries two alleles [traits] which are dominant. This means that this allele is active over other less dominant or "recessive" alleles.

Day 30 - April 21, 2009

I've basically halted all further vertical growth... I'm at 28.5 cm as of now! As you can see from my picture, all of my flowers have been fertilized and are growing healthy, plentiful pods. Unfortunately, I only have, at best, 5-10 days left to live. My existence, and thus my purpose, is just about carried out. Generally, I exist to reproduce. My goal is to produce many seeds from my single seed-body. The only further growth that I'll experience is the further loss of chlorophyll from my leaves and the maturity of my pods.





My leaves are naturally turning yellow and brown. You see, I have organelles called plastids. These are the organelles that I use to hold starches, pigments, and most of all perform photosynthesis. To prepare for my death, and my lack of need for energy, my chloroplasts begin shutting down. This makes the dominant green pigments fade and the yellow, orange and brown pigments from my chromoplast come through. The chromoplast had these pigments synthesised already, as they assist in photosynthesis.
Wish me luck in my last few days.


B. Rapa

Day 24 - April 15, 2009

Hello, readers! I have some big news today.

I'll be purposely fertilized via pollination with another plant and my "matchmaker" dried bee. The hair on the bee will trap the pollen, which will transfer between us two plants. However, over the course of my stay among the other Brassica Rapa plants, some pollen has been unavoidably distributed into my early blossoms. What does that mean, you ask? Well, that means that the some pollen has met the eggs in my ovules and they developed into plant zygotes. From there, my flowers were double-fertilized -- meaning that a second grain of pollen fused with the polar nuclei. This forms an endosperm nucleus.
Within each pod (matured fertilized flower), this fertilization occurs to about 5-20 seeds. With each seed with my pods, they'll mature and develop into seeds with a plumule. This contains the apical bud with the meristem and the two food-storing (from the endosperm) cotyledons. The nutritious wall of the ovule will also help coat my seeds... I'm going to be a parent!
There's also going to be chemical inhibitors in my seeds to prevent them from growing until they are leeched away.
Until next time,

B. Rapa

Zygote: A diploid cell which results from the junction of two gametes (male+female). This is also referred to as a fertilized egg.

Polar nuclei: The two nuclei in a [haploid] gamete within the embryonic sac within the ovule.

Endosperm nucleus: A second fertilized nucleus which is used for food for the embryo.

Pod: The name of the vessel that contains the seeds of a plant throughout their development.

Apical bud: The bud found at the tip of the stem. It contains meristematic cells.

Bee Carrying Pollen:

Image from:http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Features/Bees/Images/bee_pollen_macro.jpg

Day 21 - April12, 2009

Oh dear, I feel so exposed! My reproductive organs are now beginning to come out into the open! Within the next three days, all my flowers will be opened and I'll be able to reproduce with the best potential. I cannot asexually reproduce, so [artificial] pollination will have to be my fair shot at finding my botanic soul mate. Now that my flowers are opening, perhaps I should explain my anatomy. In the middle of my flower I have a pistil, which contains my stigma, style and ovule. My pistil is my female organs. Quite literally, when I am pollinated, pollen will be trapped in this tube and used to fertilize the eggs. On my male anatomy, I have my filament and anther, which forms my stamen. My filaments support my anthers. In turn, my anthers hold sacs of pollen which can be caught on insects and breezes to allow pollination. Here's a graphic image of my insides (18+ Only; Mature Botanical Content):

Image from: http://www.shaneeubanks.com/images/016_flower.jpg

Anyways, I'll keep you posted on my development.

B. Rapa

Asexual Reproduction: Reproduction that occurs with no outside/supplementary fertilization.

Pollination: The process in which plants are fertilized by the transfer of pollen into the stigma.

Day 18 - April 9, 2009

Lots to see today! I've significantly grown -- to 16.5 cm! My roots are taking advantage of the slow-release fertilizers and my cells are using the 24-hour light to their advantage! Speaking of roots, did I ever mention that I have a taproot root system? Most dicot plants -- like me -- have this type of system. Basically, my roots are more than capable of holding and transporting food for me. Of course, the food absorbed by my roots is transferred up my stem in vascular tissues -- similar to my leaf veins.

I have one primary root, with branching secondary roots, which makes up the taproot system. It looks something like this:

Image from:http://www.cactus-art.biz/note-book/Dictionary/aaa_Dictionary_pictures/Taproot_system.jpg

Day 15 -April 6, 2009

Plenty has changed in the past three days!


I've grown a whole 3 centimetres taller! I'm already about 6 centimetres tall! My flowers won't bloom for another few days yet, but right now I'm undergoing meiosis. Meiosis is the process which makes my egg and sperm -- my gametes. They're also known as my "eggs" in my ovule and "pollen" in my microsporangium on my anthers. Meiosis has 8 stages, double the number of stages that mitosis goes through. Meiosis only ever occurs within germ cells, which, when maturity is obtained, begin this form of division. Meiosis increases genetic variation within species. It begins in Prophase I, when chromatin coils and duplicates, as well as lines up with it's homogulous chromosome begins to cross over. While doing such, the chromosomes are attached to the spindle fibre by their centromere and the nuclear membrane dissolves... From there, my germ cells go into Metaphase I where they are completely crossed over and beginning to separate. Then, in Anaphase I the homogulous pairs are ripped apart, completing crossing over and separating the cells. Then, just like in Mitosis, telophase it begins and separates the two cells. The cells are now haploid cells. Now, to create the gametes, the duplicated and crossed over chromatin is separated once again in the four steps. In the end, it creates 4 different cells instead of 1 duplicate, like mitosis. In addition, in my ovule, only 1/4 gametes created will function, as the other 2 gametes from each germ cell will die in order to contribute all of their nutrients to the egg in order to make it function very well. That's meiosis! B. Rapa
P.S. What to learn more about meiosis? Here's a link to a wonderfully catchy song AND helpful song that my gardener's biology teacher displayed: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iCL6d0OwKt8

Gametes: The sperm and egg. Haploid cells used in reproduction, they originate from the germ cells.

Ovule: The female sex organ on a plant which holds the female gametes.

Microsporangium: Pouches on the anthers that hold pollen.

Anthers: The highest male point of a flower, they support pouches which hold pollen (See: MICROSPOANGIA above)

Cross over: The process in which homogulous cells cross over in order to increase genetic variety.

Haploid: A state of a cell with HALF of the original chomorsomes, i.e. gamete.

Day 12 -April 3, 2009

I'm at the point of plant puberty now. I have a bunch of manufactured flowers now, but they haven't bloomed yet. I'm feeling my germ cells of my flowers go through meiosis, but I'll talk about that in my next journal. For now, my somatic cells are going though mitosis.

Mitosis is cell division. Prompted by my DNA, certain cells with different organelles and functions reproduce and build in different places. Some allow more water, some are more rigid and contain more cellulose, some have more plastids and some don't. However, all my somatic cells do the same thing; divide!


It all begins when my cells are mature and fully developed. Quite frequently lately my meristematic cells have been the cells to be replicating. Mitosis contains distinct phases; Interphase, prophase, metaphase, anaphase, and telophase, with cytokenisis and interphase pulling up the rear. In a quick overview, this includes my DNA to replicate and coil into chromosomes as my nuclear membrane dissolves. Then, the chromosomes are drawn along the middle of my cell by rigid proteins and then pulled apart from the centromere to the polar ends of the cell. While that's happening, the cells continue to pull apart with a cleavage furrow developing. Whilst this is happening the nuclear membranes reform. Then, my two cells, one new, one old, divide of the cytoplasm and repeat the process once they mature until they die.


Without mitosis, I wouldn't be growing!
B. Rapa

Flowers: The reproductive organ of plants, mostly angiosperm plants. They are often brightly coloured in order to attract pollinating insects.

Germ Cells: Cells which may go through a set number of rounds of mitosis. When that is complete, they will go though meiosis in order to produce haploid gametes.

Meiosis: The cellular division processed in which germ cells go through to create gametes.

Mitosis: The cellular division process in which somatic (body) cells [And some germ cells] go through in order to produce more cells.

Meristematic Cells: Cells which, at the time of cytokenisis and growth, do not have a specific/identified role. They are capable of mitosis. They are the collection of cells at the bud/top of a stem and tips of roots.

Day 9- March 31, 2009

March is almost over and I've barely been alive and growing long enough to enjoy it. What a shame, eh?

Big news! My first adult leaf has formed! I'm almost all grown up now, ha-ha! But with this new leaf comes a lot more energy... It's going to be the first major power plant in my cell. It will participate better in photosynthesis, and since it's light sensitive it's more likely to pull my towards the light source if need be. This new leaf has major differences in anatomy, including its veins, lamina and petiole. With this leaf I can use xylem and phloem to transport water, minerals and every to my developing stem to fuel my body.


My leaf is defiantly a machine all on it's own! In an analogy from my gardener's world, it's like a factory. It has "stoma" vents to let gasses in and out, with security around the vents to keep anything that should come into the cell out. It also has a layer or “waxy” walls to keep moisture controlled as well as absorb light and package photons, like a wall which doubles as a packaging centre. There are various layers of soft tissues which go though photosynthesis from the packaged photons, diffused water, and CO2 particles. It's like the workers within a factory, each one assembling sugars, water, and oxygen from their original molecular forms. Moisture, food energy, and water are leech into the veins like workers placing them onto a conveyer belt. Then, like the links of the conveyer belt rotating, the substances are transferred from cell to cell in the tissues and the substances are diffused to cells that need them.

Image from:http://www.enchantedlearning.com/subjects/plants/leaf/

Vein: A vascular bundle which provides support for the leaf. Veins use conducting tissues to transport food, water and minerals formed within the leaf and on the rest of the plant to other parts of the plant. This is NOT the same as a vein in an animal.
Lamina: The leaf's blade which contains the tissues used to sustain the leaf and thus the plant. Petiole: The small stalk that attached the leaf to the stem, with similar anatomy to the stem.
Xylem: The water-conducting (and thus transferring) tissues within a plant.
Phloem: The food-conducting (and thus transferring) tissues within a plant.

Day 6 - March 28, 2009

My body is continuing to change. My bud, or meristem is developing and I'm beginning to feel a stem coming on!

My body is continuing my internal regulations, from nutrient uptake from my roots to cellular respiration and photosynthesis to keep me green and fed. The more I experience it, the more I know that cellular respiration isn't just as simple as oxygen and sugar turning into energy. It's happening in my cells' cytoplasm as well, and it's making me feel more and more energetic! The ATP in my body feels awesome, since it's formed from my own adenine base from my DNA and ribose, the sugar from my RNA. It's also coupled with three phosphate groups. My ATP is formed in my mitochondria, like I said before, however, ADP, my one-phosphate-short-future, is a big contributor. It's a form of respiration called Aerobic, which uses a sugar molecule (C6H12O6) , 6 oxygen molecules (6O2), 36 ADP molecules, and 36 inorganic phosphates (Pi). Needless to say, hydrogen is separated from the sugars and helps for water... then the party starts, the water provides a massive release of energy and BAM! 36 ATP! This energy helps my somatic cells grow and develop, so my cells can divide and I can grow up, up, up!

B. Rapa

Meristem: The budding stem which contains some plant cells which do not have a distinct feature or purpose. They adapt and multiply based on what is needed (leaf, stem, etc...)

DNA: Deoxyribonucleic Acid. DNA is a long strand of polymers located in the nucleus of a cell and formed from nucleotides (Adenine, Thymine, guanine, cytosine), sugars and phosphates. DNA shaped like a double helix. It contains all genetic information.

RNA: Ribonucleic Acid. Structurally similar to DNA, however, it is usually single-stranded. The RNA molecule plays an important role in producing protein from DNA "blueprints". Certain types of RNA, such as “Messenger RNA” are a ribonucleic acid that carries genetic information for protein synthesis in cells.

ADP: Adenosine Diphosphate. The 'spent' ATP, it is minus one phosphate. It returns to the mitochondria to be synthesised into ATP or may be disposed of as waste.

Somatic Cells: All body cells other than germ cells (Sperm, egg).

Day 5 - March 27, 2009

Ah! I'm free! No longer am I trapped beneath the surface, I'm free to spread my embrionic leaves with all my might! What's this? Oxygen, CO2 and light!? These wonderful things are sustaining me as much as the nutrients in the soil and are keeping me growing! Oxygen and CO2 are being absorbed into my pores and distributed through my cells, which love these great gasses! Oxygen is, in small amounts, is being used by my mitochondria to aid in cellular respiration and to create ATP. It's also, in small, necessary amounts, being converted into CO2 when combined with some waste particles and transported out of my cells. This helps my cells function productfully. However, light and CO2 are what helps me create my food! First, light energy is collected by proteins on my cellular membranes, then water and CO2 combine with the photons to create sugars [C6 H12 O6]. This process is called photosynthesis, which occurs in my choloplast! Soon I'll have the energy required to help me grow my adult leaves and so on... O
Onwards and Upwards!

B. Rapa

Oxygen: A colourless, odourless gas that aids in cellular respiration and is created from photosynthesis.

CO2: Carbon Dioxide, a colourless, odourless gas. It can be a result from cellular respiration as well as contribute to photosynthesis.

Mitochondria: An organelle found in plant and animal cells in which cellular respiration is formed.

Cellular Respiration:The process in which cells break down energy-containing [e.x. sugar/glucose] molecules into usable energy with the aid of oxygen. It occurs in the mitochondira, and is known to aid in fuctions and processes, such as active transport. This energy created is often represented as ATP.

ATP: Adenosine Triphosphate. This is type of nucleotide which is primarily used in the transport of chemical energy within living cells, as it carries energy.

Photons: A photon is a packaged form of light energy, collected in plant cells and transported to the choloplast.

C6H12O6: A general momosaccaride created from photosythesis which provides "food" to the plant cell. The complete equation is 6CO2 + 6H2O +photons (light energy) -> C6H12O6 + 6O2 (Carbon dioxide, water, and light create sugar and breathable oxygen)

Photosynthesis: The process in which plants create sugar and oxygen from carbon dioxide, water, and light.

Cloroplast: This organelle is a plastid containing chlorophyll, which makes plants green. This organelle is also the location in which plant cells carry out photosynthesis.

Plant Cell Image:

https://eapbiofield.wikispaces.com/file/view/plant_cell.jpg