THE ENVIRONMENT INFLUENCES THE GROWTH OF PLANT

Plants need a specific place for growing well. Every plant has some characters place respectively. The right place is the place which has a condition that is able to raise productivity. In natural science, there are some factors which can influence the plant for growing. There are abiotic factors and biotic factors. Abiotic factors are factors which come from the environment, such as temperature, sunlight, water, and nutrient of soil. There are the explanations why those factors can influence the growing of plants.

a. Temperature

Environmental temperature is one of important factor determining the distribution of plants, because of its effect on biological process and the inability of most plants to regulate body temperature precisely. For example if a plant is growing in the desert place (country), it can be faded if we plant it in the temperate place (country). The ability of plant to survive in some places is related with the weather or the climate of those places.

b. Sunlight

Sunlight is advantageous for photosynthesis in the plants. But, the light intensity is not the most important factor limiting plant growth in many terrestrial environments, but shading by a forest canopy makes competition for light in the understory intense. Light is also important to the development and behavior of the many plants that are sensitive to photoperiod, the relative lengths of daytime and nighttime. Photoperiod is more reliable indicator then temperature for cuing seasonal events, such as flowering.

c. Water

The readiness of water is being the most important factor for growing the plants. On the other hand, water can cause the die of plants. When the water is abundance, it can break the cell of plant and when the condition is deficiency of water, it can cause the plant become faded.

d. Rocks and nutrient of soil

In this factor, physics structure, pH, and mineral composition of rocks and soil limit the distribution of plants. For terrestrial ecosystem, it contributes to the patchiness.

The four abiotic factors are the major components of climate, the prevailing weather conditions at a locality. In addition, the biotic factors can be the important factors too. The biotic factors are the factors which come from the other organisms. These factors can examine the resistant power of the plant for surviving. The factors include the ability to resistant of plant disease and the ability to compete with the other organism.

There is a species of plant which can live in specific countries, Adenium obesum. Adenium obesum can live in the countries which have desert’s climate (tundra’s biome) or have some lighting all day (savanna or tropic biome). Adenium obesum has a big root, form being a root turber. This part has a function as water depositor. So, this plant can live in desert or tropic countries. Adenium obesum actually comes from Africa such as East Shore Africa until South Africa, and Uni Emirate Arab such as Senegal until Sudan, Kenya, Tanzania, Mozambique, and Namibia. Now, Adenium obesum can be found in Indonesia. It causes that Indonesia has a tropical climate. Adenium obesum is being a commercial plants in Indonesia now. The plant has scarce value. It needs a special treatment to make it still lives in Indonesia, because Indonesia has a rainy season, and we know that Adenium obesum does not need much water in its life. Although this plant has a special treatment, it does not reduce the value of plant because it grows some beautiful flowers in its variety.