Naked Science Forum

Life Sciences => Plant Sciences, Zoology & Evolution => Topic started by: thedoc on 22/07/2013 08:30:02

Title: How do indoor plants survive without sunlight?
Post by: thedoc on 22/07/2013 08:30:02
"Nishad, Puthiyottil"  asked the Naked Scientists:
   
Indoor plants like Money plant or Lucky plant are surviving in a closed chamber, on only water and without exposure to sunlight.
 
1: How do they survive without sunlight?
2: How do they survive without soil?
3: They are in a closed chamber. Do they really know when it is day and when night?
4: Don't they exhaust CO2 in the night? Causing it unhealthy for people working in closed chambers like our offices?
 
Regards
Nishad

What do you think?
Title: Re: How do indoor plants survive without sunlight?
Post by: Don_1 on 23/07/2013 14:22:09
To say an indoor plant is in a 'closed chamber' is a bit of an exageration. Your house will not be cut off from the world, even if you keep your doors and windows closed except when going or coming. Fresh air will get in through ventilation points and the odd gap in door/window frames etc. You, will be a source of CO2 and will probably tend to its needs for water and nutrition.

As to the matter of sunlight, an indoor postion can be a good substitute for forest. Look at the care instructions for the vast majority of house plants and you will note that they should be kept in a bright room but without direct sunlight. This mimics the light available to a plant growing under the canopy of trees in a tropical forest.
Title: Re: How do indoor plants survive without sunlight?
Post by: tangoblue on 25/07/2013 21:11:13
I'm sorry to go a little of topic but this has reminded me of the 'ecosystem in a bottle' for some reason.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2267504/The-sealed-bottle-garden-thriving-40-years-fresh-air-water.html (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2267504/The-sealed-bottle-garden-thriving-40-years-fresh-air-water.html)

The above article has the full story, but essentially it is a plant(s) that has survived in a sealed bottle for about 40 years surviving off of recycled air, water and nutrients - it even has its own rain cycle!

I thought it was really amazing but that's maybe just me.  The article is worth a read if you have the time anyway :)