Tracing matter and energy through environmental ecosystems: in specific, how plant production of organic carbon (biomass) is related to availability of an essential resource for photosynthesis (light). Do taller plants produce more biomass than shorter plants? How are plant height and stem density related to the amount of light reaching the ground?
At the conclusion of the lesson, students will be able to:
- measure plant biomass in relation to light availability at the soil surface
- examine soil and roots
- draw conclusions about how aboveground biomass, plant height, stem density, and light availability are related
Lesson created by Emily Grman and Sue Zygadlo, 2008