Introduction:
We, the Plant Physiology student have organized a field trip to Tanjung Tuan Recreational Park. This field trip mainly to study the stress physiology of plants that live there. Plants that live along the beach need to have special adaptation in order to survive. They need to adapt with hot temperature, high water salinity and tidal waves therefore our main job here is to study the special characteristics of plants there.
Methodology:
First step, we made a quadrate with dimension 5m x5m as being illustrated below:
 |
our site view
|
After making the quadrate, we start observed every single plants that live inside our quadrate. To relate the condition within our quadrate and the adaptation the plant we take soil sample, measure the light intensity and measure the humidity. We take 5 samples at 5 different location inside our quadrate for every measure we used. The method that we used in this field work is by using quadrat 5x5m. This is called systematic sampling.
Apparatus:
Lux meter
Soil borer
Measuring cylinder
Thermometer
Measuring tape
Humidity meter
Results:
Plants observed and their characteristics:
Name | Characteristics |
Hibiscus tiliaceus | - Thick leaves - Thick epidermis - Compound leaves - Grow towards the ocean - Fruits and leaves can be found more towards the ocean |
Pandanus tectorius | - Leaves with thorns - Herbaceous plants |
Palmae sp. | - Thick leaves - Thick waxy cuticle - Herbaceous - Stem with thorns (abundance at abaxial) - Fibrous root |
Ginger like plants 1 | - Thin leaves - Small size leaves - Thick waxy cuticle - Herbaceous plant - Stem with thorns - Fibrous root |
Ginger like plants 2 | - Thin leaves - Large leaves - Thick waxy cuticle - Herbaceous plant - Stem with thorns Fibrous root
|
Ficus sp. | - Annual plants - Leaves with thick waxy cuticle - Tall |
Soil investigation:
Soil characteristics | Site no. |
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
Depth of dry sand (cm) | 4 | 7 | 12 | 14 | 15 |
Temperature at a depth 10cm (°C) | 28.6 | 28.1 | 28.8 | 28.4 | 28.2 |
Amount of organic material at depth of 10-15cm (ml)
| 1 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 4 |
Microclimates | Site no. |
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
Air temperature (°C) | 23.6 | 23.2 | 23.2 | 22.2 | 22.1 |
Relative humidity (%) | 62.4 | 65.6 | 61.8 | 58.1 | 57.6 |
Aspect and exposure to sun and wind | Too much exposed to the sun and wind | Exposed to the sun and wind | Exposed to the sun and wind | Less exposed to the sun and wind | Lowest exposure to the sun and wind |
Exposed / sheltered | Very exposed | Exposed | Exposed | Sheltered | Sheltered |
Light intensity (lux) | 24x100 | 41x100 | 35x100 | 63x100 | 9x100 |
Hibiscus tiliaceus
 |
| Pandanus tectorius |
 |
| Ginger like plants 1 |
 |
| Ginger like plants 2 |
Ficus sp.
 |
| light intensity measurement |
 |
| Plant observation using binocular |
 |
| soil sample taken using soil borer |
 |
| light intensity measurement |
 |
| our site area |
 |
| we measured the site |
 |
| we can see the thorn present along the stem of ginger sp. |
 |
| abaxial and adaxial structure of the leaf Hibiscus tiliaceus |
 |
| abaxial and adaxial of palmae sp. |
 |
| quadrat measured 5m x 5m |
 |
| our group presentations |
Discussion:
First of all we look at the soil characteristics. The main soil characteristics that we study here is the depth of sand, temperature of sand at depth 10cm and the amount of organic matter present at depth 10-15cm. as we go far from the beach, the depth of dry sand increase this is due to decrease in level of water from the ocean. When the waves strike the beach, water from the ocean will be absorbed by the sand leaving the sand wet but the waves only push water to certain level that is the reason why we found some place has low level of dry sand while some has high level of dry sand. The soil temperature is almost the same.
Another soil characteristic that we observed is the amount of organic matter that present in the soil. The data that we get is the same as data depth of sand whereby as we go far away from the ocean, the amount of organic matter increase. From our investigation, this is also due to waves from ocean. The water absorbed by the sand leached the nutrient content inside the soil.
Besides soil characteristics, we also find the microclimate characteristics such as the air temperature, relative humidity, light intensity, the exposure of the site to sun and wind. As we go further from the beach we can see that the temperature become cooler, the air became more humid and the light intensity decreases. We can relate this situation with the vegetation present at the site. The size of vegetation of vegetation increase as we go further from the beach which decreases the exposure of the place to sunlight.
At Tanjung Tuan, we can see the variety type of plants. So, our observations were start from the plants that we found nearer the beach and further away from the beach. All the plants there have their own characteristics. As in our results, we found that the plant that near to the beach was Hibiscus tiliaceus.This plant has their own characteristic to make it survive at that place. As we can see obviously that place was the higher light intensity. So that, by looking at the morphology we can see clearly this plant have thick leaves and waxy. Then, what make it difference than the other plants there was the thickness of waxy layer on their leave surface. This is because of the adaptation of this plant to make sure they can reduce the rate of transpirations and survive. Besides, this plant slanting toward the ocean because the soil erosion that occur because of waves.
Next the plant that we found was Pandanus tectorius. This plant has their own characteristic to adapt with that environment especially animal threat. The special morphology that has for this plant was they have leaves with thorn. The leave was adaptive factor that this plant has in other to make it survive. Next plant that we can found was palmae species. This kind of species have thick waxy cuticle and the leaves is thin. This is because of the adaptation of this plant to reduce transpirations by having thick waxy cuticle. Besides, this plants also have stem with thorn. This is another adaptive characteristic that belong to this plant to make it survive.
Then was about ginger like plant. This plant also quite similar with the palmae species and Pandanus tectorius. But then it was morphologically different but taxonomically related. Next plant that we found was Ficus sp. This is the tallest that we found there in our quadrat. This kind of plant has leave with thick waxy cuticle to reduce the rate of transpiration. The type of vegetation of the plant within our quadart is beach tree.
We also see the different size between the plants that nearer to the beach and plants grow away from the beach. As we go away from the beach the size of the plants increase. This is because of the nutrient of the soil leached compared to the higher place. The nutrient of the composition is higher as we go further from the beach. Besides, this also adaptation to with stand strong wind from the ocean.
Some plants that live nearer to the beach have special adaptations whereby they absorbed the high salinity water and use them. This is because its cytoplasm has high concentration compared to the other plants. The faunas that can be found within our quadrat are small insect like ants and baby crab.
Conclusions:
The stress factor in plant includes salinity, light exposed and wind. From our study, we can say that most of the plant still can survive even in high light intensity, salinity and wind. This is due to the adaptation posses by the plant in order to live in such environment. We can see their adaptation clearly by looking at their morphology. Some may have thorns, thick cuticle and small size of the plant in order to adapt to the environment. Other than that, as time goes by, mutation may be occur due to the environment factor which can make them grow at different location. Besides, maybe in 10 years later, the beach area will be slowly loss due to the erosion. Perhaps we will found the vegetation at the beach area which exist now at the top of the hill later.
The sweet memories at Tanjung Tuan,last day presentation..Lets enjoy our group's poem..entitled LOVELY BREEZE...=)
