Blog Post Assignment #4

There are many factors that can, and do, affect the development of our plant. These factors can be separated into two groups: biotic and abiotic factors. Some examples of biotic factors include animals living in the area, insects, and even other plants. Animals in the area or insects might try to eat the leaves or stem, which will be harmful to the plant. This will affect the plant’s growth negatively. Other plants near our plant can also be affecting its growth, as they create competition for resources such as water. As stated previously, abiotic factors can also have an impact on the plant's development. Some of these factors are: water, sunlight, weather, and soil. If the plant cannot get sunlight and water, it will not be able to perform photosynthesis to create food for itself. This can also have an impact on the plant’s growth.

Our plant is in competition with other plants for the different resources that it needs to survive. We can know this because we already know that both our plants and the other plants all need water, sunlight, and space to grow. These are all sources that are intended to be shared by the plants in the box. However, this is not how it will work out. The plants compete to obtain the full amount resources that they need.

The winners in a competition are the plants that survive and continue being healthy. The losers in the competition are often are not as healthy, or are ultimately dead. It might not always be obvious to outside observers which plant is the winner and which plant is the loser.

There is not only competition in the garden however. There are some relationships between the plants and the animals that can either help, harm, or simply coexist with the plants. For example, the plants might have a parasitism relationship with insects that are eating the plant. This is only benefitting the insects, and not the plant.

Some evidence that proves that succession is happening in the garden is the fact that there is soil and a sort of mulch made from the previous plants old parts after they died.This is secondary succession.