So, what’s the deal with pine needles?

Genevieve Chung

Ethel Stanley

Susan Finazzo

Why use plants as models for data collection?

• Plants are everywhere familiar

• Students ‘see’ them without seeing them.

• Plants respond to the environment, both macroscopically and microscopically.

• You probably won’t have PETA knocking your door down.

Why do pines?

• Common plants

• Background info available

• Perennial evergreens have ‘history’.

• Tree leaves exist in microenvironments.

Student Generated Data

• Student develop hypotheses (re:leaves).– Directional differences (east facing vs. west

facing)– Age factors– Canopy location– Different tree data, irrigated vs. non-irrigated– So many questions, so little time…..

Our Data

• East and West Branches• This year’s and last year’s

growth• Number of fasicles• Length of fasicles• Wet weight• Dry weight

Data Presentation with Merlin

Sample Number

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

Sample1(mm)

Sample2(mm)

Sample 3(mm)

Sample 4(mm)

Sample 5(mm)

Sample 6(mm)

Sample Number

Le

af

Le

ng

th

• Sample 1

– East side

– 15 fasicles, 2009

• Sample 2

– West side

– 48 fasicles, 2009

• Sample 3

– East side

– 30 fasicles, 2010

• Sample 4

– West side

– 32 fasicles, 2010

• Sample 5

– East side, main branch

– 66 fasicles, 2009

• Sample 6

– West side, main branch

– 84 fasicles, 2009

Data Presentation with Merlin

0

100

200

300

400

500

600

700

800

900

0 5000 10000 15000 20000

Fresh Weight (mg)

Su

m N

ee

dle

Le

ng

th (

mm

)Sample Net fresh weight (mg) Sum Needle length

1 3,086 139.70

2 6,785 366.15

3 3,964 189.95

4 4,468 225.05

5 13,716 568.70

6 15,841 765.60

More Merlin

Sample Dry weight mg Sum Needle length

1 1568 139.70

2 3507 366.15

3 1510 189.95

4 1729 225.05

5 7255 568.70

6 8090 765.60

0

100

200

300

400

500

600

700

800

900

0 2000 4000 6000 8000 10000

Dry Weight (mg)

Su

m N

ee

dle

Le

ng

th