discussion 5

 Each student please post one suggestion to Question #6 on Lab #6 – that is recommend one additional process (with a relevant relationship) on Daiseyworld that represents a biological or non-biological factor in climate change. Be sure to explain how this factor/process contributes feedback to the system.

Question 6 is:

) Suggest one additional process and/or relationship to Daisyworld that represents a biological or non-biological factor in climate change (beyond those represented on this website).  Indicate how this factor/process contributes feedback to the system. Be sure to comment on whether this new factor or variable adds stability or instability to the climate system. Introduce a factor that is realistic from our readings or the videos we have seen. (6 points)

Another factor that would influence the equilibrium of the Daisyworld is water. Water availability is necessary for plant survival since it plays a significant role in photosynthesis.

In this case, an increase in the number of plants would lead to a higher rate of water utilization in the soil. As such, water would be depleted leading to plant death. However, since plant species have different adaption to limited supply of water, they would not die all at the same time. The plants that are less adapted to limited supply of water would die off first, or only survive in the areas that have more water and thus those that are better adapted to such condition surviving in many parts of the Daisyworld. The reduced number of plants would then lead to less water utilization, and thus water would accumulate again in the soil supporting the growth of those plants that had died off when water was limited, provided that they had not become extinct and that the seeds of these two different plants are dispersed evenly in Daisyworld. This system would represent a negative feedback loop controlling the number of plants growing in Daisyworld.