1. CEE 210 Environmental Biology for Engineers
Lecture: Plant Biology
CEE 210 Environmental Biology for Engineers
Instructor: L.R. Chevalier
Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
Southern Illinois University Carbondale

2. Plants – Importance to civil and environmental engineered systems
Prevents soil erosion
Sequestration of carbon dioxide produced by fossil-fuel combustion
Removal of contaminants from soil
A source of fuel
Wastewater treatment
Wetlands

3. Objective Review the divisions of the plant kingdom
Review the basic plant anatomy
Understand basic process of oxidation reduction and how it relates to photosynthesis
Discuss the importance of plants to civil and environmental engineering
Understand the use of plants for
Reducing contaminants in soil
Wetlands
Wastewater Treatment

4. Plants – What are they? Multicelluar Photosynthtic Eukaryotic
Fundamental to ecosystems
Takes in CO2
Fixes CO2 to organic matter that provides food for other organisms
Produces O2

5. Plant Division Bryophytes Mosses
Lack specialized vascular tissue for transport of nutrients
Limits height
Has rhizoids instead of roots
Act as anchors
Do not absorb
Require moist conditions for motile sperm cells to reproduce
Saxifra arguta

6. Plant Division Seedless vascular plants Ferns
Transport water and nutrients
Specialized roots for absorption
Waxy layer on leaf to reduce evaporation
Lignin to provide structural strength
144 million years ago (dinosaurs) dominated in tropical climates
Basis of today’s coal deposits
Produces spores on the underside of fronds
May also reproduce asexually from horizontal stems (rhizomes)
Cystopteris bulbifera

7. Plant Division Gymnosperms “Naked Seed” plants
Seed is formed after fertilization
Contains the embryo, an outer seed coat
Includes
Conifer (most popular)
Cycad (palm-like plants)
Ginkgo biloba
Cycadaceae: Cycas cirinalis

8. Plant Division Angiosperm – the flowering plants
Dominated the land for 100 million years
Flowers, fruit and distinctive life cycle
235, 000 species
Duckweed (mm sized)
Eucalyptus tress (100 m tall)
Saguaro cactus
Water lily
Monocots
Dicots
Cactaceae: Carnegiea gigantea
Nymphaeaceae: Nymphaea

9. Plant Division Angiosperms (continued)
Further divided by the embryonic leaves of the seed
Monocots
Include corn and rice
Single endosperm in seed
Leaves have parallel veins
Vascular bundles arranged throughout the cross section (think celery)
Dicots
Include peanuts and beans
Two endosperms in seed (two halves)
Network of veins
Vascular bundles arranged in a ring

10. Monocot and Dicot Leaves

11. Monocots and Dicots: Comparison

12. Parts of the Plant
Root
Stems
Leaves

13. Roots The primary purpose of the root is _____________
The roots also provide the stems and leaves with water and dissolved minerals. 
In order to accomplish this the roots must grow into new regions of the soil.
The growth and metabolism of the plant root system is supported by the process of photosynthesis occurring in the leaves
Two major types of roots systems
Taproots
Fibrous

14. Roots

15. _____________________
Characterized by one main root
Smaller branches emerge from the main root
When a seed germinates, the first root to emerge is the radicle, or primary root
For conifers and dicots, this radicle develops into the taproot
Taproots can be modified for use in storage of carbohydrates (carrots, beets)
Taproots are important adaptations for search for water (poison ivy)

16. ________________
Characterized by having a mass of similarly sized root, referred to as adventitious roots
Fibrous roots systems are excellent for erosion control

17. Root structure Root cap Zone of division Zone of elongation
zone of cell differentiation
Root cap
Zone of division
Zone of elongation
Zone of maturation
zone of cell elongation
zone of cell division
root cap

18. Root structure Root cap Zone of division Zone of elongation
Cup shape group of cells at the tip of the root that protects delicate cells behind the cap
Secretes mucigel, a lubricant that aids in movement
Also plays a role in the plant’s response to gravity
If a flower pot is placed on it’s side, the stem would grow upward toward the light, and the root cap would direct the roots to grow downward
Zone of division
Zone of elongation
Zone of maturation

19. Root structure Root cap Zone of division Zone of elongation
Contains growing and diving meristematic cells
After each division, one daughter cell retains the properties of the meristems cell
The other daughter cell moves into the zone of cell elogation
Zone of elongation
Zone of maturation

20. Root structure Root cap Zone of division Zone of elongation
The daughter cell from the zone of cell division elongates, sometimes as much as 150 x
This pushes the root tip through the soil
Zone of maturation

21. Definition Meristem Apical meristems Undifferentiated cells
Found in zones of growth
Root tip
Buds
Differentiation
Protoderm – near the outside of the stem, develops into the epidermis.
The epidermis is the outermost layer of tissue (dermal tissue) of leaves, stems, roots, flowers, fruits and seed.
Procambium – lies just inside the protoderm, develops into the vascular cylinder
xylem and phloem
may become the wood of the tree
Ground meristem – develops into the cortex or pith
produces the cork cambium
may becomes the bark of a tree

22. Root Structure: Zone of Maturation

23. Root Structure: Root Hairs
Cut a section just above the first root hairs
Cells have differentiated into tissues

24. Stem Provides support and protection
Transport system for water and nutrients
__________
Main water and mineral conducting tissue
At maturity, xylem cells lose their protoplasm forming nonliving hollow tubes
Food conducting tissue
Transports substance to and from the roots and leaves

25. Comparing Stem and Root

26. Trees: Cross Section

27. Plant: Cross section of a horsetail
Note: the carinal canal contains the vascular bundles , which are clusters of xylem and ploem.

28. Leaves Main photosynthetic organ of the plant
Composed of a lamina (blade) and the petiole

29. Photosynthesis
Diagram of photosynthesis showing how water, light, and carbon dioxide are absorbed by a plant to produce oxygen, sugars, and more carbon dioxide.

30. Oxidation-Reduction: What is it?
Rusting of metal
Process of photography
A car battery
Way living systems produce and utilize energy e-
All involve electron-transfer

31. Oxidation
Term derived from the observation that almost all elements react with oxygen
The product is a compound referred to as an oxide
Consider as an example the corrosion or rusting of iron ?

32. Reduction
Term originally used to describe the removal of oxygen from metal ores
“Reduced” the metal ore to pure metal ?

33. Atoms Recall the following Atoms have charged subatomic particles
Atoms are electrically neutral
The oxidation state or oxidation number is the sum of the negative and positive charges in an atom
Since every atom contains an equal number of positive and negative charges, the oxidation state or oxidation number of any atom is always zero
This serves as an important reference point

34. The Basic Model
The loss of an electron produces a positive oxidation state
The gain of an electron results in a negative oxidation state
The changes that occur in the oxidation state can be predicted quickly and accurately by guidelines of the representative elements (the vertical columns to the left and right of the periodic table)
Transition Metals
Representative
Elements

35. The Basic Model
The representative elements can be divided into two classes – metals and nonmetals
Metal lose electrons
With the exception of hydrogen, these are to the left of metalloid
Nonmetals gain electrons
Metalloids have properties similar to both
Boron, Silicon, Germanium, Arsenic, Antinomy, Tellurium, Astatine
nonmetals
metalloids
metals

36. Oxidation state of metals
Metals lose electrons, forming positively charge ions, called cations
Group number
Same as the number of electrons lost
Same as the charge of the cation formed
Same as the number of electrons found in the outermost shell of the atom (called valence electrons)
Calcium is used below t show the convention for writing oxidation reactions
Symbol of the atom
Number of electrons lost
Symbol of the cation

37. Electron Configuration TableH 1 He 2 1s LI Be B C N 3 O 4 F 5 Ne 6 2s 2p Na Mg Al Si P S Cl Ar 3s 3p K Ca Sc Ti V Cr Mn Fe Co 7 Ni 8 Cu 9 Zn 10 Ga Ge As Se Br Kr 4s 3d 4p Rb
Sr. Y Zr Nb Mo Tc Ru Rh Pd Ag Cd In Sn Sb Te I Xe 5s 4d 5p Cs Ba La Hf Ta W Ra Os Ir Pt Au Hg Tl Pb Bi Po At Rn 6s 5d 6p Fr Ac Rf Ha 7s 6d Ce Pr Nd Pm Sm Eu Gd Tb Dy Ho Er 11 Tm 12 Yb 13 Lu 14 4f Th Pa U Np Pu Am Cm Bk Cf Es Fm Md No Lr 5f

38. 4p 3d 4s 3p 3s Energy 2p 2s 1s H 1 He 2 1s LI Be B C N 3 O 4 F 5 Ne 6
nonmetals
metalloids
metals H 1 He 2 1s LI Be B C N 3 O 4 F 5 Ne 6 2s 2p Na Mg Al Si P S Cl Ar 3s 3p K Ca Sc Ti V Cr Mn Fe Co 7 Ni 8 Cu 9 Zn 10 Ga Ge As Se Br Kr 4s 3d 4p Rb
Sr. Y Zr Nb Mo Tc Ru Rh Pd Ag Cd In Sn Sb Te I Xe 5s 4d 5p Cs Ba La Hf Ta W Ra Os Ir Pt Au Hg Tl Pb Bi Po At Rn 6s 5d 6p Fr Ac Rf Ha 7s 6d Ce Pr Nd Pm Sm Eu Gd Tb Dy Ho Er 11 Tm 12 Yb 13 Lu 14 4f Th Pa U Np Pu Am Cm Bk Cf Es Fm Md No Lr 5f

39. Quick Quiz on Concepts
Write the oxidation half-reactions for the following, indicating the charge of the ion formed and the number of electrons lost. For example:

40. Reduction of nonmetals
The electrons lost by the metal are not destroyed, but instead, gained by the nonmetal
The nonmetal is then said to be reduced
The gain in the negatively charged ion (called an anion) is called a reduction reaction 8p 8n

41. Quick Quiz on Concepts
Write the reduction half-reactions for the following, indicating the charge of the ion formed and the number of electrons lost. For example:

42. Summary Table Group Number Number of Electrons Lost
Charge of Cation Formed I 1 +1 II 2 +2
III 3 +3 IV 4 +4
Group Number
Number of Electrons Gained
Charge of Anion Formed IV 4 -4 V 3 -3 VI 2 -2
VII 1 -1
VIII
no tendency to form anions

43. Application of Concept: Oxidation-Reduction between Metals and Non-Metals
Oxidation must always be coupled with reduction
Electrons lost by one substance must be gained by another
Electrons cannot be destroyed or created
The transfer of electrons results in a drastic change to the elements involved
Consider sodium, Na
Silver grayish metal
Consider Cl
Greenish colored gas +

44. Quick Quiz on Concepts
Consider the metal-nonmetal combinations below. Predict the chemical formula. The first one is worked for you.
Example: Na and S
Solution: Na+1 S2- therefore Na2S
Mg and O
Al and F
Ca and F
Mg and N

45. Transition Metals Behavior is similar to representative metals
Oxidized by nonmetal (e.g. lose an electron to form an ionic compound)
Can exhibit multiple oxidation states, forming cations with different charges
This is due to the partially filled inner electron level (e.g. 4s filled before 3d)
Element of environmental concern: Iron
Can lose 2,3,4,6 or 7 electrons
Transition Metals
Representative
Elements

46. Quick Quiz on Concepts
Determine the oxidation state of metals in the following compounds.
Cu2O
Cr2O3
MnO2
Al2S3

47. Types of Redox Reactions: Combination Reactions
These involve combining two elements to form a chemical compound.
One is always oxidized
One is always reduced
Example 1: Formation of water from hydrogen and oxygen
oxidation states: +1 -2
“free elements”
(each hydrogen)
Note: Hydrogen is oxidized and oxygen is reduced.

48. Types of Redox Reactions: Combination Reactions
These involve combining two elements to form a chemical compound.
One is always oxidized
One is always reduced
Example 2: Formation of sulfur trioxide from oxygen and sulfur
oxidation states: +6 -2
(each oxygen)
“free elements”
Note: Sulfur is oxidized and oxygen is reduced.

49. Types of Redox Reactions: Decombination Reactions
The result of a combination reaction can be reversed.
Example 3: Decomposition of potassium chlorate, KClO3
oxidation states: +1 +5 -2 +1 -1
“free elements”
(each oxygen)
Note: Chlorine is reduced, while oxygen is oxidized

50. Types of Redox Reactions: Single Displacement Reactions
In some redox reactions, an element replaces or displaces another from a compound. The element that replaces the element in the compound is oxidized, the element displaced is reduced.
Example 4: Displacement of hydrogen by a iron
oxidation states: +1 -1 +3 -1
“free element”
Let’s break this down with respect to the oxidation of the iron

51. Types of Redox Reactions: Single Displacement Reactions
Example 1: Displacement of hydrogen by a iron
oxidation states: +1 -1 +3 -1
“free element”
Let’s break this down with respect to the oxidation of the iron
And the reduction of the hydrogen

52. Photosynthesis: Redox in Plants
Cellular respiration is the oxidation of glucose (C6H12O6) to CO2 and the reduction of oxygen to water
Photosynthesis is essentially the reverse of the redox reaction in cell respiration

53. Photosynthesis: Redox in Plants

54. Application of Plants in Civil and Environmental Engineering:
Duckweed

55. Duckweed: What is it? Botanically, Lemnaceae
The smallest flowering plants
Float in still or slow-moving fresh water
Found around the world, except cold regiong
High protein
Fast growing

56. Duckweed - Research
Study of basic plant development, biochemistry, and photosynthesis
Toxicity of hazardous waste
Genetic engineers are cloning duckweed genes and modifying duckweeds to inexpensively produce pharmaceuticals
Aqua-culturalist find them an inexpensive feed source for fish farming
Environmental engineers are using duckweed to remove unwanted substances from water

57. Duckweed in the news…
Duckweed spreads across Lake Maracaibo, Venezuela
Venezuela struggles to remove aquatic plant faster than it spreads over nation's largest lake
Thursday, 17 June 2004 By Alexandra Olson, Associated Press CARACAS, Venezuela — Efforts to remove an aquatic weed from Venezuela's largest lake are barely keeping up with its growth, the environment minister said Wednesday.  The green plant, known as duckweed or lemna, covers about 12 percent of Lake Maracaibo's 13,500-square kilometer (5,400-square mile) surface, said Ana Elisa Osorio.  The lake in western Venezuela is one of South America's largest bodies of water and is an important oil-producing region.... [ read more ]
Additional Information: See NASA Earth Observatory Duckweed Invasion in Lake Maracaibo
Posted July 13, 2004 ( )

58. Duckweed: Bioremediation
Duckweed grows rapidly, and requires substantial amount of nutrients
They have evolved the ability to rapidly remove minerals from the water
These nutrients are converted in the plant biomass
Research has shown that duckweed is adept at removing phosphates and nitrogen, particularly ammonia
These are major contaminants from agricultural operations
The problem is increasing as modern farming operation concentrate livestock in small areas

59. Duckweed
Above:  swine in North Carolina, Below:  a duckweed treatment lagoon inside a plastic greenhouse.  Photos courtesy of Paul Skillikorn (

60. Duckweed Biomass After use, the biomass much be removed
This can be done by skimming
Duckweed grown on animal waste normally does not contain toxic pollutants
Uses
Food for fish or livestock
Fertilizer
If fed to animals, a retention period in clean water is necessary to ensure the biomass if free of water-borne pathogens

61. Schematic of WWT Operation
Based on the journal paper Smith, M.D., Moelyowati, I., 2001, Duckweed based wastewater treatment: design guidelines for hot climates, Water Science and Technology, 43(11):

62. Basic Concepts of DWWT Duckweed mat Fully covers water surface
Results in three distinct zones
Aerobic
Anoxic
Anaerobic

63. Basic Concepts of DWWT Aerobic zone Only 10 cm thick
Organic molecules are oxidized by aerobic bacteria using atmospheric oxygen transferred by the duckweed roots

64. Basic Concepts of DWWT Anoxic Zone
Organic nitrogen is decomposed by anoxic bacteria
End product is ammonia and phosphate
The ammonium (NH+4) and phosphate (PO3-4 )is used as a nutrient by the duckweed

65. Basic Concepts of DWWT Anaerobic zone
Anaerobic bacteria decompose organic waste
The resulting gases are carbon dioxide (CO2), ammonia (NH3), hydrogen sulfide (H2S) and methane (CH4)

66. Target Water Quality Parameters
DWWT are reported to reduce
BOD
Biochemical oxygen demand
COD
Chemical oxygen demand
TSS
NH+4
PO3+4
Fecal coliform

67. Design Equations Parameter Effluent quality
Rate constants (for depth ≥0.6m)
BOD
Le=Lie-Kt
K=0.158(1.052)T-20
COD
K=0.131(1.065)T-20
TSS
Se=Si[(-1.18/T)ln(t)+6.5)/T]
Fecal coliform
Ne=Nie-kt K=
Ammonium and phosphate have similar exponential equations
The units are:
t (day)
K (day-1)
T (˚C)

68. DWWT Design Schematic Influent Q Li Q/3, Li Q+aQ, Le Effluent Le
a = recirculation percentage
Q = flowrate (m3/d)
L = BOD concentration (mg/L)

69. DWWT Design Problem
Influent Q Li
Q/3, Li
Effluent Le
Q+aQ, Le
aQ, Le
Estimate the time it will take for the BOD to reduce 70% if the temperature is 25˚ C.

70. Duckweed: Patents
Use US Patent Office to review patents with key words
Duckweed
Water treatment

71. US Government Sponsored Research
Duckweed Research from NASA NASA research on duckweeds for use in advanced life support systems for human exploration and development of space.  Such systems will be required for missions to the planets.
National Institutes of Health NIH supports research on duckweeds as a model system to understand gene regulation, biosynthesis of essential nutrients, photobiology, and more.
National Science Foundation NSF sponsors fundamental research in areas of biology not supported by NIH.
USDA Research with Duckweeds USDA employs duckweeds as model systems for basic plant research and in studies of alternative treatment systems for animal waste.
US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) EPA reports that duckweeds are very promising for their potential to detoxify pesticide residues in the environment.
United States Geological Survey Biological Resources Division (BRD) supports work on waste treatment, wetlands, and global environmental change.

72. Objective Review the divisions of the plant kingdom
Review the basic plant anatomy
Understand basic process of oxidation reduction and how it relates to photosynthesis
Discuss the importance of plants to civil and environmental engineering
Understand the use of plants for
Reducing contaminants in soil
Wetlands
Wastewater Treatment

73. References Environmental Biology for Engineers and Scientists
Section Photosynthesis
Chapter 7
Furman University : Review of Plant Anatomy
Dr. Gilbert Muth: Biological Foundations Home Page
Glossary, Diagrams and Photos
Botanical Society of America
SIUC PhytoImages

74. References Atlas of Plant Anatomy, Dr. Paul Schulte, UNLV
Missouri Botanical Gardens, Duckweeds, Dr. John W. Cross
Internet Chemistry: Leeward Community College, University of Hawaii
Oxidation Reduction
Duckweed
Smith, M.D., Moelyowati, I., 2001, Duckweed based wastewater treatment: design guidelines for hot climates, Water Science and Technology, 43(11):

75. Images Roots and erosion Dr. Gilbert Muth Botanical Society of America
Wikimedia commons
Dr. Gilbert Muth
Biological Foundations Home Page
Glossary, Diagrams and Photos
Schematic of different roots
Microscopic image of root tip
Schematic of stem growth
Schematic of the cross section of a horsetail
Schematic of root-shoot-leaves
Botanical Society of America
Monocot leaf, cleared
Dicot leaf, cleared
SIUC PhytoImages
Saxifra arguta
Cystopteris bulbifera
Cycadaceae: Cycas cirinalis
Cactaceae: Carnegiea gigantea
Nymphaeaceae: Nymphaea

76. Images Plants and their structures Review of Plant Anatomy
Schematics comparing monocots and dicots
Schematic of plant parts
of Contents
Cites the images are from Image from Purves et al., Life: The Science of Biology, 4th Edition, by Sinauer Associates ( and WH Freeman (
Review of Plant Anatomy
Furman University
Image of tap root
Image of fibrous root
Rutgers: General Biology 101
Image of root tip (modified by this author in Photoshop)
BaileyBio.com
AP Biology: Powerpoint - Plant Structure
Schematic of zones in the plant root tip
Monocot-Diocot Seed
Penn State York
Duckweed
Photo

77. Images Calcium orbit Sodium solid Chlorine Table Salt
Sodium solid
WebElements
Chlorine
Table Salt
Department of Planetary Science, Lunar and Planetary Laboratory, University of Arizona
Photosynthesis leaf
Butler University Friesner Herbarium:
From Discover Science, Scott, Foresman, & Co., 1993
Photosynthesis plant

78. Sources of photographs and images in sidebar
Human brain
X-rays images
Cold Virus (altered in Photoshop)
About the Instructor
Professor, Civil and Environmental Engineering
Fellow, American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE)
Diplomat, Water Resources Engineering, American Academy of Water Resources Engineering (AAWRE)
Board Certified Environmental Engineer, American Academy of Environmental Engineers (AAEE)
Licensed Professional Engineer, State of Illinois