Surface & "TIPE"

[mat de maat]

Hello.

 

Within the framework of a French university "TIPE" -- namely: an own-iniative experimental study, a sort of micro-thesis -- we're asked to answer a biology or geology-related problematic, in connection with the annual topic. The topic of this year is: "Surface".

 

I first thought about the surface-tension matter in some agronomic issues (foliar fertilization etc.). How to carry out valid experiments and obtain valid conclusions for that subject is the problem: how to measure the dimension of the drop? how to quantify the plant reaction? etc. I then listed some other ideas:

 

1. (plant physiology) Relation between mycorrhizae and root-surface (but, risk to plagiarize those classic experiments, and pour some void in the emptiness).

For instance: "How mycorrhizae symbiosis acts on a "Zea mays" root surface?"

 

2. (geology) Relation between organic acids and superficial soil.

Pb. "To what extent the biosphere determines the nature of the superficial lithosphere? To what extent the superficial lithosphere determines the nature of the biosphere?" Possible experiments: standardized cultures on soils with various humic acid concentrations.

 

3. (bioengineering) Comparison between biosurface output from two starches : corn's and kudzu's.

 

4. (ecology) Green tropical surface, blue ocean surface, albedo and global warming.

 

5. (animal physiology) Sudation, and thermic exchanges at the epidermic surface.

6. (plant physiology) Stomatic surface, relation with the raw-sap rising. Experiments with abscissic acid to shut stoma.

 

 

I won't lie: those six ideas seem to me difficult to set up experimentally.

 

So, if you have any idea or problematic related to the "Surface" topic, if you think that those ideas would be easily answered by basic experimentation (we've got a 30€~$43 purse offered)... I'll be delighted to hear you about this.

 

 

Many thanks,

 

Rémi

Edited August 1, 2009 by mat de maat

[Omnivore]

I'm entering my last undergraduate degree and also have to do a thesis, coincedently i'm researching mycorrhizas.

Here is some ideas to build on: From my limited reading on Mycos so far i know they work to sequester immobile nutrients, mainly P, from the soil and make them increasingly available to the host plant. On their own plants naturally produce organic acids in root exudates to free up immobile nutrients. Perhaps mycorrhiza colinization has an effect on organic acid production in the plant since it takes that P assimilation burden away from the plants, there's an experiment. In addation, organic acid production by plants could change microbial composition in the rhizosphere. So maybe do an experiment that includes organic acids, mycorrhiza and other microbes. This is all just speculation, i have no idea if anything has been done, just ideas. Good luck

[mat de maat]

Many thanks Omnivore for your answer, I take notes.

 

Any other ideas?