TSOTS Assignment #4: An Ecological Analysis of the Garden and your Plants

Now that you have read about and discussed some of the factors that influence the forms and behaviors of ecosystems, apply those ideas to the appearance and behaviors of the garden in which your Brassica oleracea plants are growing by developing an analysis guided by the following questions:

1. What are some abiotic factors on which your plant depends for its survival? What about biotic factors that affect your plant? Describe some of these factors.
2. How do you know your plants are engaged in competition? For what are your plants competing, and who is the competition?
3. How are "winners" and "losers" determined in this struggle? Is it always so clear cut who "wins" and who "loses?" What makes that determination complicated sometimes?
4. Describe other types of interaction (besides competition) in which your plants are involved. Make sure to explain how this interaction affects each organism involved.
5. What evidence is there in the garden that succession (or something like it) is occurring in the garden ecosystem? Does it seem more like primary or secondary succession?

It is advisable to address each set of questions in a separate paragraph. This will improve readability of your analysis.



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TSOTS Assignment #3: Biogeochemical Cycles and Your Plants

Now that you have some idea of how the many parts of an ecosystem are interwoven and interact to keep life going, consider and respond to the following questions:

1. What changes do you notice in your plants this week? Describe the overall appearance of your plant.
2. How do your plants participate in the movement of water in the biosphere? How do your plants' roles in the water cycle relate to the changes you observed in your plants this week?
3. How do your plants participate in the movement of carbon in the biosphere?  How do your plants' roles in the carbon cycle relate to the changes you observed in your plants this week?
4. How do your plants participate in the movement of nitrogen in the biosphere?  How do your plants' roles in the nitrogen cycle relate to the changes you observed in your plants this week?

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TSOTS Assignment #2: Project Description

Instructions for  TSOTS Assignment #2:

1. Compose one paragraph (4 to 5 sentences) in which you explain what you think The Story of the Seed project is all about and what you think you might learn by doing it. This paragraph should go in a section just below your "My Bio" assignment.
2. When you are ready, hit "Publish" to make your changes live on your biology portfolio website. 

If you are having trouble coming up with a description of this project, see my "About" page.

This Student Blog Post Assignment should be completed within one week of it being assigned.

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