User:Walkerka/sandbox

Article Evaluation

Botany

This article is listed as "good", and is logically constructed, following an easy-to-follow flow of information. Illustrations provided throughout encapsulate the spirit of the topic when appropriate and inform the reader when needed. Of note, the Calvin Cycle illustration falls somewhat outside of the breadth of the summary, and might not be as effective in providing a useful overview of the topic as intended. Furthermore, the introductory paragraphs could be condensed into a more succinct overview of the topic. Instead, much of this material could be omitted and used to supplement the categories below. The included section on Plant Ecology seems out of place, and largely addresses a new topic without sufficient relevance to the topic of botany. Impressive breadth of references used throughout article, many from peer-reviewed primary literature. An extensive bibliography is also included.

Plant physiology

In contrast to the Botany article, the article on plant physiology feels incomplete, and this is reflected in the article's rating. Overall, the writing within many of the article's categories feels inappropriately informal, including many terms of uncertainty and often leaving facts without reference. The article is a part of the WikiProjects Plants collaboration, but is rated as B-Class quality. While suggestions from the Talks section has been used to partially remedy this issue, sections such as 'Signals and Regulators' fall short of making the appropriate inclusions. Also included in the Talks section is a curious notice about the use of the article's definition of plant physiology. This definition uses the term to define itself, effectively stating: "plant physiology is the study of physiology of plants". Number of references provided relatively low for a more technical article, many from textbooks and articles rather than primary scientific literature. For this article, no bibliography is included.

Both articles discussed above vary greatly from our conversations in Plant Behavior thus far, and parallels can be drawn most distinctly with the Talk sections of each. Whereas in-class conversation has been focused on an exchange of information that is, at times, speculative, the wikipedia articles above are focused upon succinct presentation of absolute, citable facts.

Possible Topics

Swarm behavior

Discussion on this page is wholly centered on swarm behavior of animals. The article summary suggests that swarm behavior is exhibited "particularly [by] animals". Later entries into the article, however, address machine computations, thereby diversifying this article. No mention is made, however, of swarm behavior in plants. An entry could be made here discussing the swarm behavior of plant roots.

Mast (botany)

As per suggestions posted to the Talks section of this article, but left unaddressed for a long period since, the topic of predator satiation needs to be added to this article. Although a high degree of certainty has yet to be reach concerning the mechanisms of this behavior, numerous scientific articles address, and strongly support, the theory of predator satiation. This allows for an abundance of proper citation. Furthermore, some parsing of this article may be necessary to distinguish between the different uses of the term "mast" (between the synchrony behavior and the fruiting body).

Second Draft

The below contribution will be made to the article on swarm behavior. Placement of this addition will be under the "Biological Swarming" heading, following the more substantially discussed topics above. I will also be either making a contribution to the Talks page, suggesting the sub-header for the article be changed from the current "animal behavior" tag to more accurately reflect the content of my contribution, as well as others.

Scientists have attributed swarm behavior to plants for hundreds of years. In his 1800 book, Phytologia: or, The philosophy of agriculture and gardening, Erasmus Darwin wrote that plant growth resembled swarms observed elsewhere in nature. While he was referring to more broad observations of plant morphology, and was focused on both root and shoot behavior, recent research has supported this claim.

Roots, in particular, display observable swarm behavior, growing in patterns that exceed the statistical threshold for random probability, and indicate the presence of communication between individual root apexes. The primary function of plant roots is the uptake of soil nutrients, and it is this purpose which drives swarm behavior. Plants growing in close proximity have adapted their growth to assure optimal nutrient availability. This is accomplished by growing in a direction that optimizes the distance between nearby roots, thereby increasing their chance of exploiting untapped nutrient reserves. The action of this behavior takes two forms: maximization of distance from, and repulsion by, neighboring root apexes. The transition zone of a root tip is largely responsible for monitoring for the presence of soil-borne hormones, signaling responsive growth patterns as appropriate. Plant responses are often complex, integrating multiple inputs to inform an autonomous response. Additional inputs that inform swarm growth includes light and gravity, both of which are also monitored in the transition zone of a root's apex. These forces act to inform any number of growing "main" roots, which exhibit their own independent releases of inhibitory chemicals to establish appropriate spacing, thereby contributing to a swarm behavior pattern. Horizontal growth of roots, whether in response to high mineral content in soil or due to stolon growth, produces branched growth that establish to also form their own, independent root swarms.