BIOL 114: The Effect of ash on Arabidopsis thaliana growth and development

According to the U.S Environmental Protection Agency, there are an average of 70,000 wildfires in one year in the United States alone. Wildfires have been a growing concern over the country, leaving the general community with questions like; how will the plants survive? Several studies have reported wildfire ash used to replenish soil to help plant growth. However, its impact on plant growth isn't fully understood—it could help or harm depending on factors like concentration. This experiment will explore how ash affects Arabidopsis thaliana plant growth measured by factors such as plant height, number of leaves, and rosette diameter, aiming to uncover its potential as a natural soil enhancer or its limitations in farming efforts. To determine the true effect of wood ash’s presence in the group on plants, an experiment was conducted using two grams of ash from an oak tree and the growth of seeds, while keeping a control that received the same amount of light and water. For the first two weeks of treatment, ash had a negative effect on plant growth, in addition, the plants grown in the ash mostly died compared to wild types. However, of the surviving wildtype plants that were exposed to ash after two weeks and survived, they ended up thriving. From this we learned; ash can be detrimental to survival in the early days of plant germination, yet surviving plants can grow and thrive.