Nutrition

 Permission to use by Lynette Schimming Dicentra formosa (Pacific Bleeding Heart) receives nutrition through its roots and, primarily, photosynthesis. The roots of the Pacific Bleeding Heart are six inches at a minimum in length. From the roots, the Pacific Bleeding Heart receives nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, calcium, magnesium, and sulfur. Nitrogen is an important part of making proteins and enzymes, the green pigment of chlorophyll, and rapid growth of the plant. Phosphorus is an essential part of photosynthesis by helping the transformation of solar energy into chemical energy. Also, phosphorus is involved with the formation of all oils, sugars, and starches. Potassium is important in helping build proteins, photosynthesis, fruit quality, and reduction of disease. Calcium is essential for the cell wall structure. Calcium provides normal transport and retention of other elements in the plant and is thought to counteract the effect of alkali salts in the plant. Magnesium is an important for the chlorophyll and photosynthesis in the plants. Sulfur is essential for protein production, chlorophyll formation, root and seed growth, and resistance to cold (the Pacific Bleeding Heart can only survive in temperatures higher than -23°F).

In photosynthesis, the Pacific Bleeding Heart receives hydrogen, oxygen, and carbon. In this process, the Pacific Bleeding Heart uses energy from the sun to change carbon dioxide and water into starches and sugars, which are stored in the plant. The plant then releases oxygen back into the atmosphere for other organisms (like the Alces alces or otherwise know as the "moose"). The following equation is the products and reactants of photosynthesis:

Light energy + 6 CO2 + 12 H2O --> C6H12O6 + 6 O2 + 6 H2O

Products of photosynthesis Permission to use @ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Photosynthesis.gif                           Cycles of photosynthesis Persmission to use @ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Simple_photosynthesis_overview.svg

The Pacific Bleeding Heart transports the nutrients by the xylem and phloem. The xylem pulls water up the plant. The transport of water is caused by the concentration of ions in the leaves is more than of the water in the xylem. The water moves from high water potential to low water potential. The water flow from the xylem is a rMultiple cross sections of primary and secondary xylem and phloem. Permission to use @ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Stem-cross-section2.jpgesult of transpiration, adhesion, cohesion, and tension. Phloem transports sugars and other nutrients from the source (roots or leaves) to the sink (growing, storing, or metabolizing tissue) of the plant. Sugars are transported by the Mass Flow Theory, which is high sucrose concentration in the sieve tubes caused by the osmotic pressure from the xylem. The Pacific Bleeding Heart stores water and nutrients in vessels and vacuoles in their cells.

 

                    

In the figure to the left, it show multiple cross sections of a flowering plant's primary and secondary xylem and phloem.

 

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