Ecology Lab

Ecology Lab Report
4/17/12

Abstract

Sampling Stomatal Densities of Various Species of Plants

The importance of stomata is the fact that they control the intake of carbon dioxide and the loss of water in plants. The ratio of intake to loss creates a better picture of which plants adapt would to their environment and which would not. Eight different plant species were sampled the stomatal densities and compared them to their environments. The densities were recorded for each species by painting clear nail polish on the adaxial side of leaf. Clear tape was laid over the nail polish then removed and placed on a microscope slide and placed under a compound microscope. Three sections of each leaf were observed with the highest recorded.
2009), thirteen species were studied of Spartina ranging high to low marsh and freshwater habitats. The scientists studying Spartina grasses used light and electron microscopes to measure and record the number of stomata on the adaxial side of the leaf. Thirteen species were collected and examined: Spartina alterniflora, Spartina anglica, Spartina argentineses, Spartina bakeri, Spartina densiflora, Spartina patens, Spartina spartinae, Spartina cynosuriodes, Spartina pectinata, and Spartina gracilis. The species were compared against herbarium specimens and Flora from the North American Keys; but the populations used in the study were grown under greenhouse conditions in Fort Hays State University and Washington State University. The scientists studying Spartina grasses used light and electron microscopes to measure and record the number of stomata on the abaxial and adaxial side of the leaf. Results showed that in freshwater species, there were more stomata on both sides; conversely, in saltwater species, there were more stomata on the adaxial side. Saltwater species were able to better adapt to their climate and water loss due to the number of stomata present (Maricle et al.
Eight different species were sampled for stomatal density: Rhoeo spathacea, Hibiscus sp, Bouganvilea sp, Zebrina sp, Ficus sp, Kalinchoe delagoensis, Cyperus papyrus, and Monstera deliciosa. Twelve leaf samples of each species were sampled except Monstera leaf for which twelve samples were taken from one leaf. Each lower surface had a small section painted with clear nail polish. After the nail polish dried, a piece of clear tape was laid over each polished part of the leaf to remove an imprint of the stomata. The clear tape was then placed onto a microscope slide and observed under a compound microscope. Each slide was examined and stomata counted in three different places on the leaf imprint. The field of view with the highest number of stomata was recorded. This was repeated for all twelve leaves for all eight species. A micrometer was used to measure the diameter of the field of view to calculate the area of field of view using the equation area of a circle = r. Then all measurements were converted to the units stomata/mm. Data was graphed and statistically analyzed using an