Environmental Factor: Sunlight

Our study area of the Old field at Unity has many environmental factors that influence the vegetation. The ones that stand out are water, sunlight, and nutrients from the soil. Sunlight is necessary for plants to grow, and light intensity and duration control how plants grow.

The sun coverage in our environment is 100% full. There are hardly any shaded areas, except for in the edges. When you get closer to the edges, common plants such as goldenrod and grasses start to disappear. The edges have very tall straight trees, with some shrubs at the base. Because these trees are very straight, the shade coverage they provide changes the plant species layout. Depending on the time of the day, the shade produced might cover the plants for an hour or two. In those areas, we saw more shrubs and bushes. The herbaceous plant species thrive in these areas because of the full coverage of sunlight. This allows the plants to go through their seasonal blooming cycle.

Sunlight is the main source of energy on Earth, which makes it an essential abiotic factor in our environment. Without sunlight, the herbaceous species we have identified would not be able to conduct photosynthesis. Without photosynthesis, the plants can’t make their own food and, ultimately, food for other wildlife species. Sunlight also plays a role in the production of oxygen and an area’s temperature.

Abiotic Factors. (2015, February 24). Basic Biology. https://basicbiology.net/environment/ecology/abiotic-factors

Microsoft Word - Important Abiotic Factors. (2017, February 6). PrimoPDF Http://Www.Primopdf.Com. https://www.cusd80.com/cms/lib6/AZ01001175/Centricity/Domain/735/Important%20Abiotic%20Factors.pdf