Environmental Science Assignment: Seed Germination and Climate Change

This environmental science assignment presents the results of a seed germination experiment, analyzing the impact of different salt concentrations on seed germination rates. The study reveals a significant reduction in germination with increased salt levels, with 12% salt treatment showing the most impact. The assignment then delves into the effects of road salt on vegetation, discussing how salt-laden water and soil affect plant health, soil quality, and mineral nutrition. It also explores plant responses to excessive salt and factors influencing the degree of harm. Furthermore, the assignment addresses the impact of climate change on bird migration patterns, highlighting how changes in temperature and seasonal timing disrupt bird behavior and endanger their survival. The assignment concludes with a discussion on the potential consequences of these environmental changes and the need for further research.

Running head: ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE
Seed Germination Experiment
Name of the Student:
Name of the University:
Author Note:

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Answer 1)
Total number of seeds taken by six groups: 15+15+17+18+20+16
= 101
Total number of seeds treated with 0 percent salt: 14+15+17+17+20+15
= 98
Total number of seeds treated with 6 percent salt: 12+13+14+15+18+13
= 85
Total number of seeds treated with 12 percent salt: 8+6+5+10+9+11
= 49
Henceforth, calculating the percentage germination at each level of salt treatment
At 0 percent salt: (98/101) x100
= 97.029 percent (Expected germination Rate)
At 6 percent salt: (85/101) x 101
= 84.158 percent
Therefore, Reduction in germination occurred: 97.029 percent – 84.158 percent
= 12.871 percent
At 12 percent salt: (49/101) x 101
= 48.51 percent
Therefore, Reduction in germination occurred: 97.029 percent – 48.51 percent
= 48.519 percent

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Answer 2)
The treatment with 12 percent salt shows the most impact on germination of the
seeds. Overall, the germination reduction counted after 12 percent salt treatment was
approximately 49 percent, which was a relatively high rate of reduction in seed germination
due to salt intolerance.
Answer 3)
 Road salt effecting vegetation
As roots and foil are exposed to salt-laden water, plants become injured. As salt water
sprays from the ground from moving vehicles, the vegetaition is harmed from the roadside
veichel movement. Saltwater loaded by the soil profile can also percolate, and come into
contact with particulates of soil, soil microbes and plant roots. Foliage destruction by salt:
Air tension increases. Throughout the root zone, salt ions retain air molecules very
tightly, rendering it impossible to extract sufficiently water from roots. Sensitive plants may
result throughout reduced growth and yield from it "physiological drought."
The soil quality is affected. In rock salt, the sodium ion portion is linked to soil particles
and transfers soil components such as potassium and phosphorus. It contributes to decreased
soil density and compaction, and diminished runoff and aeration. Furthermore, chloride and
calcium can be used to activate heavy metals. Under these conditions, plant growth and vigor
are poor.
Accumulation to plant toxicity. Root and leaf absorbs the chloride component of salt and
is focused on active tissue. Repeatedly exposed plants can accumulate chloride ions for long
periods of time in toxic levels, leading to the burning of leaves and twigs.

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Mineral nutrition affected. If both the sodium and chloride components of salt have
excessively concentrated in the root zone, these ions are preferred for plants to absorb instead
of nutrients like potassium and phosphorus. Potassium and phosphorus deficiency may occur
in plants (des.nh.gov).
 Plant response to excessive salt
By comparison to animals, plants have no pathways to extract residual salt from tissue
and may only release "salt" by dead leaves and needles. Since conifers do not spill leaves
annually, they appear to suffer more quickly than deciduous trees from accumulated salt.
The tolerances of plants to salt treatment differ. Plants resistant to salt thrive as well
under natural conditions in salt soils. Most plants like grasses respond to high amounts of salt
very easily. Tolerance varies between species for woody plants. Waxy leafy plant species or
scaled, covered buds are usually more salt spray tolerant.
Exposure to sodium can result in reduced development in salt responsive plant
species, stunted leaves, heavy seed loads, branches and twigs die-back, plants snoring and
excessive decreases in leaves. Excessive salt induced plants are often more vulnerable to
biotic pathogens and insect pests. The degree to which a plant is harmed depends on the salt:
The salt type and quantity applied. Plants may be very harmful to sodium chloride
(rock salt). Chloride-free de-icing compounds such as urea for use in vegetation are safer.
Selection of the amount of fresh water. While salts are quickly released by water on
drained soils, in poorly drained soils they continue to accumulate, such that vegetation
damage is high in these soils. The likelihood with injuries would be minimized by large
amounts of water from either runoff or melting snow. Rainfall washes plant surfaces of salt as
well.

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The plants are located in the distance from the treated floors. Plants within the spray
zone (about 15 feet and more if wind-free) of moving vehicles are more likely to be damaged
by salt. Injury on the side of the plant facing the road is usually most evident.
Surface-water flow direction. Channeling drainage water away from sensitive plants
prevents salt from reaching plant roots. Less likely are the plants located uphill or away from
the drainage areas.
Salt is used during the year. Salt in late winters and early spring has a greater risk of
damaging vegetation than salt used in winters. Because winter snow and leach salt
precipitation from the root area are less time to start growing in the spring (des.nh.gov).
Answer 4)
The pre visual of the data, which can show a possible impact on the vegetation of
roadside trees.
Answer 5)
Yes
Henceforth, it can be concluded that foliage of vegetation were due to:
Air tension increases. Throughout the root zone, salt ions retain air molecules very
tightly, rendering it impossible to extract sufficiently water from roots. Sensitive plants may
result throughout reduced growth and yield from it "physiological drought."
The soil quality is affected. In rock salt, the sodium ion portion is linked to soil particles
and transfers soil components such as potassium and phosphorus. It contributes to decreased
soil density and compaction, and diminished runoff and aeration. Furthermore, chloride and
calcium can be used to activate heavy metals. Under these conditions, plant growth and vigor
are poor.

5ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE
Accumulation to plant toxicity. Root and leaf absorbs the chloride component of salt and
is focused on active tissue. Repeatedly exposed plants can accumulate chloride ions for long
periods of time in toxic levels, leading to the burning of leaves and twigs.
Mineral nutrition affected. If both the sodium and chloride components of salt have
excessively concentrated in the root zone, these ions are preferred for plants to absorb instead
of nutrients like potassium and phosphorus. Potassium and phosphorus deficiency may occur
in plants.
Answer 6)
The birds rely on signs of nature to survive— the amount of time, changes in
temperature, atmospheric fragrances. Such signals were remarkably stable over thousands of
years and the pattern of flight of the birds was remarkably consistent.
But these warnings are growing and birds are becoming overwhelmed in this era of climate
change, with potential dangers (McCarthy).
Latest research in the journal United States and Canadian researchers Scientific
Reports explores the migration patterns of dozens of species of songbirds between 2001 and
2012 in North and South America.
Satellite images were used by the researchers to assess when birds reached their
spring ecosystems. Historically, the first indicators of spring arrived from birds— when
plants start to sprout leaves — a process known as "green-up." Birds have arrived either too
early or too late during the period observed by scholars. The arrival time gap rose an average
of 5 months a year and 5 days a decade. Spring has come late for birds heading to the west.
Spring has arrived early for birds in the east.
In fact, there was an especially distorting seasonal transition this year— according to
the World Weather Attribution report, the "initial leaves" in the spring arrived nearly three

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weeks earlier than expected in some areas. A few days may not seem like much, but for bird
health, timing is important. The difference in the expected arrival date for nine bird species
was double or triple that in other animals. These are nine birds: large crests, indigo buntings,
scarlet tanagers, grosbeaks rose-breasted trees, pewee, cuckoos, yellow-billed, northern
parulas, blue winged warblers and Townsend warblers who were mostly impacted.
If you reach outside the window of the "initial spring," birds ' rhythms will risk,
restrict and form their diet, and when they come too early, the remains of a colder winter will
blasted them away.
For example, when plants perceive that the weather has changed earlier than species
migrating, they bloom before animals may reach them. In the Arctic a month before normal,
some weeds emerged, which rendered hibernating animals miss a critical food source in the
Atlantic.
However, farmers who depend on predictable weather patterns for crops and harvests
can be devastated in early or later summers. The weather may deter essential pollinating
substances and crops may suffer as a result of the spring wintersawing temperatures seen in
the last few years.
Other birds already help control the species of insects and defend crops. If birds come
too early or too late, insect distribution will shift.
Climate change is also impacting other animals. As water temperatures grow, more
than 80% of marine creatures worldwide modify migration patterns. In the Arctic, caribou are
being affected by the growing fires caused by climate change, and rabbits can not change
their coats as quickly as possible from white to brown to account for early snowmelt, which
allows them to be exposed to predators. The fact that human climate change is caused
threatens, as habitats shift in a drastic way, to kill 20 to 50% of all organisms on the planet.

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Nonetheless, they are bound to be significant, the consequences of these changes are
unknown. However, the researchers behind the migration research are optimistic about birds '
resilience.
An experiment can be designed based on the bird migrations due by the climate
change which impacting the population of crops due to increased population of insects.

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References
McCarthy, Joe. "Bird Migration Patterns Are Getting Wrecked By Climate Change". Global
Citizen, 2020, https://www.globalcitizen.org/en/content/bird-migration-wrecked-by-climate-
change/.
des.nh.gov. "Water Quality Impacts - Environmental, Health And Economic Impacts Of
Road Salt - Salt Reduction - Watershed Assistance Section - NH Department Of
Environmental Services". Des.Nh.Gov, 2020,
https://www.des.nh.gov/organization/divisions/water/wmb/was/salt-reduction-initiative/
impacts.htm.