Horticultural Ecology | Lesson 7

Question 1

Light limitation (forest levels)

Answer 1

1. Emergent: top tallest
2. Canopy
3. Understory: could be canopy w/ more light
4. Shrub
5. Forest floor

Question 2

Too much water

Answer 2

Anoxic: no O2

Question 3

Too little water

Answer 3

No water = no nutrients
Transpiration: too fast = no cations
Adaptations: CAM(wind), c4(heat), taproots, pubescent leaves

Question 4

Hardiness

Answer 4

Will it survive winter

Question 5

Hardening

Answer 5

Slow growth
Wax on leaves thicken
↑ lignin
↓ water
↑ carbs
↑ roots development

Question 6

AACC Hardiness and Ecoregion

Answer 6

Hardiness - 7a

Ecoregion - Southern plains

Question 7

Ecoregions

Answer 7

Central appellations
Ridge and valley
Blue ridge
Southern plains
Northern piedmont
Mid-atlantic coastal plain

Question 8

Flowering

Answer 8

• Spring after frost
• fall when plant approaching dormancy
• summer = bad
• landscape plugs are good

Question 9

Woody

Answer 9

• B&B root ball

* Plant dormant: fall + winter

Question 10

Nutrients

Answer 10

• Avoid bagged compost, wood chips, dyed mulch
• Wood chips alone contain tannins, little N
• Add nutrients through compost (partially decomposed organic material)
• Add compost to bulk mulch, usually 20-40% compost, remainder bark mulch

Question 11

Community Interactions

Answer 11

square of happiness

Question 12

Mutualism, mycorrhizae

Answer 12

1. Increases root absorption
2. Dissolves and makes available phosphorus
3. Improves soil structure

Question 13

Parasitism

Answer 13

Orchids rely on mycorrhizal fungus for support of the seeds, as they have no internal food stores. As they grow, many species take more than they give, and some species do not supply the fungus anything in return.

Question 14

Responses to herbivory

Answer 14

1. Wounding
2. Chemical in saliva
3. Signal transduction pathway
4. Synthesis and release of volatile attractants
5. Recruitment of parasitoid wasps that lay their eggs within caterpillars

Question 15

Pollination

Answer 15

• plant gives bug something it wants (unless its an orchid and then it’s a bitch and looks like its mate and gives it nothing for spreading pollen)
• bug gets pollen stuck to it and spreads it to the next flower it visits

Question 16

Invasives

Answer 16

• An organism growing outside of its native system is non-indigenous.
• A non-indigenous species that is growing without natural controls is invasive.
• Invasive species introduction is one of the primary reasons for native species extinction.

Question 17

Importance of native plants for wildlife

Answer 17

• Ornamental plants are often chosen for their resistance to feeding.
• Natives are chosen for their ability to support other species through feeding.