Transcript A Plant is Just a Plant: But what it that? - holyoke

A Plant is Just a Plant……But What is
That????
Consider:
-What is a non-scientific description of a plant?
-How often do you discuss a plant in your everyday
conversation?
-How do we think or talk about plants in our culture?
-Which plants do we consider sacred? Can you name
some? What about sacred plants from other cultures or
religions?
-In your opinion, what is the difference between a plant
and an electric pole?
Plants are amazingly complex organisms that
move, communicate, compete, establish
relationships with other organisms and provide
us with our food, oxygen and the services that
clean our ecosystems.
So why don’t we think more of them?
Movement in Plants
Perhaps our perceptions of plants would be different if
they moved before our eyes. Being stationary
organisms, we tend to think of them as unmoving and
static, when in fact, plants are in constant motion all
around us. We are just moving at a different speed.
Plants will bend and move toward the
sun with movements called
phototropism. Some plants are able to
move their stems toward the light
within a few hours. If we could speed
up time we would see all the trees and
plants around us bending and moving
with the suns as the day goes on.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=wjZ1UYwrO8A
This is the Walking Tree of Central
America. The roots of the tree detect
better soil, and grow stronger on that
side of the tree, and begin to die on the
other. Slowly over time, the tree
“walks” across the forest.
Fast-Action Plants
These plants have the ability to move their
stems and leaves incredibly quickly when they
receive a stimulus. Here are two plants that
move before our eyes.
The mimosa plant is also called
the sensitive plant. Its leaves
respond to touch by closing up.
Venus’ Fly Trap is a famous example of a fast
moving plant. How would life be different if
these plants were three meters tall?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ktIGVtKdgwo&featu
re=related
Perhaps our cultural and human respnses to plants
would be much different if we could see them
moving and growing around us. Would we be more
inclined to think of them as fellow beings rather
than things?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RctL5U2hTpg
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f2_VIZW0uNo&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rQYjZRuAay0
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dTljaIVseTc&feature=related
Scientists are discovering that plants actively communicate
with each other through the use of chemicals and
hormones. We are learning that plants are much more
aware of their surroundings than we thought.
Some plants, like strawberries, use thin connecting stems
called runners to warn each other when being attacked
by a predator
Other plants can recognize if their neighbour is a relative
or not, and will try to outcompete a stranger for resources.
Each spring the air is filled with invisible clouds of
chemicals and hormones as plants talk to each other.
Plants are in constant competition with each other for resources,
especially sunlight. Some species grow faster, others try to poison their
competitors, and others, like the Strangler Fig, take over and kill other
trees.
Many species of plants have developed close
relationships with other organisms. They are often so
close that they can’t survive without each other.
The Madagascar Star
Orchid has a flower
that can only be
pollinated by one
species of Hawk
Moth.
Acacia trees and ants also exhibit symbiosis.
http://video.nationalgeographic.com/video/player/animals/bugsanimals/ants-and-termites/ant_acaciatree.html
Of course we know that much of our food and medicine
comes from plants, but did you know that a lot of what
grows outside our homes can be eaten as well?
Clover, dandelion, goldenrod, cattails, maple and birch,
and roses are all examples..
Plants will also provide the cures for many of our worst
diseases, but only if we find them before the forests are
gone.
Like us, plants are complex
organisms that:
-move and grow
-communicate
-compete
-co-operate with other species
-provide us with essential
food and medicinal items