Plant ProductivityPlant Productivity

Crystal, Barney, Nate, Crystal, Barney, Nate, Rachael, Cameron, and PujaRachael, Cameron, and Puja

Atlantic Forest, BrazilAtlantic Forest, Brazil

SEE-U 2000SEE-U 2000

IntroductionIntroduction

Plants allocate their energy and Plants allocate their energy and resources in a manner that is resources in a manner that is conducive for efficient growthconducive for efficient growth

Different species therefore may put Different species therefore may put more energy into the formation of more energy into the formation of roots or in the formation of shootsroots or in the formation of shoots

By determining the root/shoot ratio By determining the root/shoot ratio we can study these growth patternswe can study these growth patterns

HypothesesHypotheses

Null Hypothesis: There will be no Null Hypothesis: There will be no difference among species in root/shoot difference among species in root/shoot ratioratio

Alternative Hypothesis #1: Native Alternative Hypothesis #1: Native species (Acacia) will show a greater species (Acacia) will show a greater root/shoot ratioroot/shoot ratio

Alternative Hypothesis #2: Non - Alternative Hypothesis #2: Non - native species (Eucalyptus) will show a native species (Eucalyptus) will show a greater root/shoot ratiogreater root/shoot ratio

MethodologyMethodology

Three species were studied: Three species were studied: Eucalyptus Eucalyptus camal, Eucalyptus citrio, and Acacia camal, Eucalyptus citrio, and Acacia

16 individuals of each species were 16 individuals of each species were randomly selected from the IPE Nurseryrandomly selected from the IPE Nursery

Soil was separated from the roots Soil was separated from the roots Root length was measured from the first Root length was measured from the first

root to the root apical meristemroot to the root apical meristem Shoot length was measured from the first Shoot length was measured from the first

root to the apical meristemroot to the apical meristem

Seedlings in NurserySeedlings in Nursery

ResultsResults

Root/shoot ratios are as follows: Root/shoot ratios are as follows: – E. camal :3.8/1E. camal :3.8/1– E. citrio: 3.3/1E. citrio: 3.3/1– Acacia sp.:2.7/1 Acacia sp.:2.7/1

The Null Hypothesis was accepted.The Null Hypothesis was accepted.

Mean Rank of Root/Shoot Mean Rank of Root/Shoot RatioRatio

Ranks

16 23.63

16 29.41

15 18.63

47

VAR000011

2

3

Total

VAR00002N Mean Rank

Chi-Square Test ResultsChi-Square Test Results

Test Statisticsa,b

4.798

2

.091

Chi-Square

df

Asymp. Sig.

VAR00002

Kruskal Wallis Testa.

Grouping Variable: VAR00001b.

Analysis of Variance Analysis of Variance ResultsResults

ANOVA

VAR00002

12.819 2 6.410 2.668 .081

105.688 44 2.402

118.507 46

Between Groups

Within Groups

Total

Sum ofSquares df Mean Square F Sig.

Discussion/ConclusionDiscussion/Conclusion

A statistical analysis showed that A statistical analysis showed that there was no significant difference there was no significant difference between species with respect to between species with respect to root/shoot ratioroot/shoot ratio

Within species there was a wide Within species there was a wide range of root/shoot ratio affecting range of root/shoot ratio affecting the statistical analysisthe statistical analysis

Discussion/Conclusion (2)Discussion/Conclusion (2)

This can be attributed to small This can be attributed to small sample size, cold weather (frost), sample size, cold weather (frost), and age of seedlingsand age of seedlings

There may be a greater variation There may be a greater variation of root/shoot ratios among the of root/shoot ratios among the three species at a later stage of three species at a later stage of developmentdevelopment

IPE Nursery at the Morro IPE Nursery at the Morro do Diabo park reservedo Diabo park reserve