Get lost in nature

hidden life of plants

Table of contents

1

Introduction Of Plants

7

Earth without plants

2

Contribution of plants/ Benefits of plants.

8

We protect Plants

3

Types of plants. - Flowering plants - Dryland Plants - Aquatic Plants

9

Conclusion

4

Anatomy of plants.

10

Plant photo gallery

5

How seeds find new homes

6

How plants grow

2

3

4

CHAPTER 1 Introduction Of Plants

Plants grow almost everywhere in the world around us. Some are so small that they can be seen only with a microscope. Plants grow not only in wellwatered soil, but in oceans, rivers, lakes and swamps, in deserts, on rocks, far above the ground on branches of trees, on old pieces of wood, even on such unlikely things as crusts of bread, old shoes, or on top of arctic snow.

5

INTRODUCTION OF PLANTS

Some strange plants eat insects, and others steal food from their neighbors. Plants and animals are the living, growing things of the earth. Most animals move around, and many of them havesound apparatuses, for making noises. Most plants spend their whole lives silently in one place. Because they live so quietly, we sometimes forget that during their growing seasons they work hard all day long. For plants are just as alive as animals, and they have the same problems: finding and keeping a place to live, getting food, fighting animal enemies and plant rivals

6

7

INTRODUCTION OF PLANTS

8

INTRODUCTION OF PLANTS

PHOTOSYNTHESIS Photosynthesis is a key topic for an introduction to plant biology. It is a process that occurs in plant cells that uses the sun’s energy to produce sugars from carbon dioxide and water. The process is simply a series of chemical reactions, probably the most important chemical reactions of Earth. The green color of plants is caused by a molecule called chlorophyll. Chlorophyll a has the ability to absorb light energy from the sun. The energy that is absorbed is used to force reactions with water and carbon dioxide. The result of these reactions is the production sugars and oxygen gas.

Energy + Water + Carbon Dioxide

Sugar + Oxygen

Photosynthesis takes carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, converts it into sugar and releases oxygen back into the atmosphere. Over time photosynthesis changed the atmosphere of the Earth by increasing the amount of oxygen in the air.

9

INTRODUCTION OF PLANTS

Other woody plants include a group known as the gymnosperms. This group includes pine trees and their relatives plus other non-flowering trees. Less advanced plants include ferns, lycophytes and mosses. Plants made the move from water to land around 500 million years ago. Living on land is significantly different to living on water and plants have had to make serious changes to their body plans in order survive on land.

Pine Tree Seed

10

INTRODUCTION OF PLANTS

Land plants separated their body plans into roots, stems and leaves. Roots absorb water and nutrients from soil, stems transfer materials between roots and leaves, and leaves produce sugars that provide the plant with energy to survive.

Plants are an incredibly important kingdom of organisms They are multicellular organisms with the amazing ability to make their own food from carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. They provide the foundation of many food webs and animal life would not exist if plants were not around. The study of plants is known as botany and in this introduction to plants we look at key topics such as the process of photosynthesis, different types of plants and the different parts of a plant such as roots, stems and leaves.

Seed Coat Megagametophyte Embryo

Nucellar Cap

There are over 400,000 species of plants currently on Earth and the majority of them produce flowers and fruit for reproduction. Plants that produce flowers belong to a group called angiosperms.

11

INTRODUCTION OF PLANTS

VASCULAR VS. NON-VASCULAR

Vascular

Non-Vascular

A critical step in the evolution of current plant species was the evolution of vascular tissue. Like humans have vascular tissue that transports blood through our bodies, the majority of species of plants have vascular tissue that transports water and nutrients around their bodies.

There are still many species on non-vascular plants but the vast majority of plant species contain vascular tissue. Non-vascular plants include organisms such as mosses and liverworts. Some biologists also consider the green algae to be non-vascular plants. Because non-vascular plants rely on diffusion to absorb water they are typically found in moist environments.

Before plants evolved vascular tissue, water was only able to enter into a plant by diffusing through the plant’s cells. This meant plants were unable to grow very large because diffusion is not efficient enough to support large plants. Once plants evolved vascular tissue, they were able to grow much larger and which allowed the evolution of the giant trees that now grace the Earth’s lands.

12

Vascular plants make up over 90% of all plant species that are currently found on Earth. More primitive vascular plants include lycophytes and ferns. These two groups reproduce with spores rather than seeds and are unable to produce wood.

INTRODUCTION OF PLANTS

PLANT BODY PLAN Plants have a relatively simple body plan. A plant can be split into two sections: the underground system known as roots and the above ground system referred to as shoots. The shoots typically include stems, branches and leaves. The evolution of roots was key to the success of plants on land. Roots grow underground in search for water and nutrients in the soil. Often almost half of a plant’s mass is hidden underground in the root system. Roots also help to anchor a plant to the ground so it doesn’t get blown away in the wind or in a flood. They can also be used to store excess food to be used at a later date. Eucalyptus tree Stems and branches connect leaves and roots to each other. They are the ‘highways’ that water, nutrients, and sugars travel through to nourish the various parts. Branches and stems influence the height and size of a plant which in turn affects how much light it will receive from the sun. A stem and branch can be green and fleshy but in many plants, they are brown, woody. Leaves are the main place where photosynthesis occurs. The leaves of the plant have the responsibility of producing enough energy to feed the entire plant. Leaves are optimized for this typical leaf is full of a green molecule called chlorophyll a which is the magic ingredient in photosynthesis. Chlorophyll a is able to use energy from the sun to kick start the process of photosynthesis. Leaves are also usually flat and have large surface areas to capture as much light from the sun as possible.

13

14

CHAPTER 2

Contribution/Benefits Of Plants

What sets Earth apart from other planets is its ability to sustain life. Plants are considered a critical resource because of the many ways they support life on Earth. They release oxygen into the atmosphere, absorb carbon dioxide, provide habitat and food for wildlife and humans, and regulate the water cycle.

15

CONTRIBUTION/BENEFITS OF PLANTS

PLANTS PROVIDE OXYGEN Without plants, humans and animals would have less fresh air to breathe. Through the process of photosynthesis, plants release oxygen back into the atmosphere. What you may not have known is that plants from the ocean are what provide most of the air that we breathe. These single celled plants that thrive in the ocean are also known as phytoplankton. Green terrestrial plants make up the rest of atmospheric oxygen that’s essential for the survival of living organisms.

HABITATS ARE CREATED BY PLANT DIVERSITY Plants are also important because they provide habitats for wildlife and humans. For example, many species of birds rely on trees and shrubs for habitat, whether they live in the crevices of trees or build nests on branches. Healthy habitats also provide wildlife with roosting cover and shelter from predators. Unfortunately, habitat loss is considered one of the causes for species endangerment and extinction. Forest ecosystems continually face deforestation in the form of fires, clear cutting for agriculture and ranching, and unsustainable logging. Plants play a pinnacle role in many of the Earth’s ecosystems so their presence is important to ensure wildlife and ecosystem health.

16

CONTRIBUTION/BENEFITS OF PLANTS

CARBON SINKS

One of the biggest environmental issues the world faces today is the burning of fossil fuels which has resulted in high levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. Although climate change is a reality the world must face, society is still highly reliant on fossil fuels to supply energy needs.

PLANTS FEEDS US ALL Since plants are considered primary producers, they play an important role in feeding the Earth’s wildlife and humans. Herbivores, such as deer, rely on plants directly to meet their dietary needs, while carnivores, such as lions, feed on animals that also feed on plants for their survival. And omnivores, such as humans, rely on both.

17

CONTRIBUTION/BENEFITS OF PLANTS

WATER CYCLE REGULATION About 10% of the moisture in the atmosphere is released by plants through the process of transpiration. Plants uptake water through their roots and release water vapor through small pores on the underside of their leaves. Through this process of transpiration plants also help circulate water from the soil back into the atmosphere. Not only that, but plants help stabilize bodies of water such as rivers, lakes and streams. Plant roots improve soil stability, prevent landslides, and keep these ecosystems intact. Despite the many benefits that plants provide, one of the environmental issues we face is environmental degradation. The Earth’s ecosystems are subject to deforestation, development and resource extraction. Because of the many ways plants help humans and the environment, ecosystems and plants need to be protected. During this time of environmental uncertainty, it’s important that we don’t take their presence for granted.

18

CONTRIBUTION/BENEFITS OF PLANTS

19

20

CHAPTER 3 Types Of Plants

One of the important categories of classification, plants can also be differentiated in terms of their size. From small, medium to huge, the growth of a plant remains limited to the size it corresponds. Take a look at their different types as per the category of size.

21

TYPES OF PLANTS

FLOWERING PLANTS Flowering plants are plants that bear flowers and fruits, and form the clade Angiospermae, commonly called angiosperms. The term “angiosperm” is derived from the Greek words angeion (‘container, vessel’) and sperma (‘seed’), and refers to those plants that produce their seeds enclosed within a fruit.

22

TYPES OF PLANTS

They are by far the most diverse group of land plants with 64 orders, 416 families, approximately 13,000 known genera and 300,000 known species. Angiosperms were formerly called Magnoliophyta.

23

TYPES OF PLANTS

DRYLAND PLANTS Flowering plants are plants that bear flowers and fruits, and form the clade Angiospermae, commonly called angiosperms. The term “angiosperm” is derived from the Greek words angeion (‘container, vessel’) and sperma (‘seed’), and refers to those plants that produce their seeds enclosed within a fruit. They are by far the most diverse group of land plants with 64 orders, 416 families, approximately 13,000 known genera and 300,000 known species. Angiosperms were formerly called Magnoliophyta.

24

TYPES OF PLANTS

Androsace-

Among Androsace, the members of the A. villosa group provide many drought-tolerant long-lived specimens. A. jaquemontii, an intermediate-sized plant, has rich pink flowers and its culture is very easy. Forms of A. villosa are numerous and all are compact and free-blooming. A close relative, A. barbulata, is a particular favourite that I have in a trough. They are all slow-growing, gradually forming larger, tight buns or custom-fitted mats. The list of new Androsace from China numbers almost a dozen. Most of these are from drier sites and are more suitable for our growing conditions. There is a wonderful variation in size, flower and texture, and one is a newly described species.

25

TYPES OF PLANTS

AQUATIC PLANTS Aquatic plants inhabit the shallow water or littoral zone of lakes and streams. Aquatic plants growing along a lake’s edge are both a protective and nourishing component of the lake ecosystem.

From a human viewpoint, aquatic plants are often seen as a hindrance to human recreation, but many people also recognize the importance of macrophytes for healthy lakes. The aquatic plant community is a critical habitat and nursery for fish, a source of oxygen for all organisms, a refuge for prey as well as a foraging area for predators, a buffer against erosion and sediment resuspension from both waves and shoreline inputs, and can significantly contribute to overall lake primary productivity

26

TYPES OF PLANTS

Moneywort Bacopa monnieri

Hornwort

Rotala Rotundifolia

Ceratophyllum demursum

Rotala Rotundifolia

Pygmy Chain Sword

Cryptocoryne Wendtii

Java Fern

Echinodorus tenellus

(Green)

Microsorum pteropus

Amazon Sword

Java Moss

Anubias

Echinodorus amazonicus

Taxiphyllum barbieri

Anubias Barteri

Cryptocoryne Balansae

Elodea Densa

Cryptocoryne beckettii ‘Petchii’

27

30

CHAPTER 4 Anatomy Of Plants

Plant anatomy or phytotomy is the general term for the study of the internal structure of plants. Originally it included plant morphology, the description of the physical form and external structure of plants, but since the mid-20th century plant anatomy has been considered a separate field referring only to internal plant structure. Plant anatomy is now frequently investigated at the cellular level, and often involves the setioning of tissues and microscopy.

31

ANATOMY OF PLANTS

Leaves The leaves conduct the majority of photosynthesis. While leaves can come in a wide variety of shapes and sizes, the blades are often thin and flattened in shape to maximize the surface area exposed to sunlight. The terminal part of the leaf is called the blade, or lamina. Simple leaves have one blade per petiole, while compound leaves have multiple blades attached to each petiole. Some plants, such as grasses, lack a petiole. Instead, the blade directly envelops part of the stem.

What causes leaves to change color? There are different chemicals in leaves that make them turn different colors, different trees produce different color leaves. Leaves contain chemicals, not all leaves have the same kind, however all leaves do have chlorophyll. This chemical gives them their green color. Some leaves contain anthocyanins, this chemical gets caught in the leaf when the chlorophyll is gone. Anthocyanins causes leaves to turn red and purple. There is also carotenoids, this chemical when left in the leaf causes the leaves to turn yellow, orange and brown.

32

ANATOMY OF PLANTS

33

ANATOMY OF PLANTS

Stems Plant stems have several functions. These include providing structure, supporting the leaves, buds, and flowers. Additionally, the stem will aid in orienting the leaves to maximize photosynthesis. Stems are composed of nodes, points at which leaves and branches attach, and internodes, the regions of stem between the nodes. The petiole is a stalk that anchors each leaf at the node.

34

ANATOMY OF PLANTS

35

ANATOMY OF PLANTS

Roots Plants have specialized organs that help them survive and reproduce in a great diversity of habitats. Major organs of most plants include roots, stems, and leaves. Roots are important organs in all vascular plants. Most vascular plants have two types of roots: primary roots that grow downward and secondary roots that branch out to the side. Together, all the roots of a plant make up a root system.

36

ANATOMY OF PLANTS

37

38

CHAPTER 5

How Seeds Find New Homes

Plants make seeds that can grow into new plants, but if the seeds just fall to the ground under the parent plant, they might not get enough sun, water or nutrients from the soil. Because plants cannot walk around and take their seeds to other places, they have developed other methods to disperse their seeds. The most common methods are wind, water, animals and explosion.

39

HOW SEEDS FIND NEW HOMES

Wind Dispersal Have you ever blown on a dandelion head and watched the seeds float away? This is wind dispersal. Seeds from plants like dandelions, swan plants and cottonwood trees are light and have feathery bristles and can be carried long distances by the wind. Some plants, like kauri and maple trees, have ‘winged’ seeds. They don’t float away but flutter to the ground. With wind dispersal, the seeds are simply blown about and land in all kinds of places. To help their chances that at least some of the seeds land in a place suitable for growth, these plants have to produce lots of seeds.

Dandelion Seed

40

HOW SEEDS FIND NEW HOMES

Examples Of Wind Dispersal Seeds

Maple Seed

Cotton Seed

41

HOW SEEDS FIND NEW HOMES

Water Dispersal Many plants have seeds that use water as a means of dispersal. The seeds float away from the parent plant. Mangrove trees live in estuaries. If a mangrove seed falls during low tide, it can begin to root in the soil. If the seeds fall in the water, they are carried away by the tide to grow somewhere else. Kōwhai trees also use water dispersal. They have a hard seed coat that allows them to float down streams and rivers. That is one of the reasons kōwhai trees are commonly found on stream banks.

Cattail Seed

42

HOW SEEDS FIND NEW HOMES

Examples Of Water Dispersal Seeds

Lotus Seed

Coconut

43

HOW SEEDS FIND NEW HOMES

Animal Dispersal Over 70% of plants in woody forests in New Zealand have fleshy fruit that is eaten by birds. Chemicals in our native birds’ digestive systems help to weaken the tough coats around these seeds. Birds often fly far away from the parent plant and disperse the seeds in their droppings. The kererū, tūī and bellbird play an important role in seed dispersal. Trees that produce the largest fruit – miro, pūriri, tawa and taraire – rely on the kererū because it has such a large, wide beak to eat the fruit.

44

HOW SEEDS FIND NEW HOMES

The kererū is important in the seed dispersal of large native berries in forest ecosystems. Kererū are the only birds left big enough to swallow the large fruits of the karaka tree.

Kererū feeding on a karaka berry

45

HOW SEEDS FIND NEW HOMES

Explosions This method of seed dispersal isn’t quite as exciting as it may sound. Some plants, like peas, gorse and flax, have seedpods that dry out once the seeds are ripe. When dry, the pods split open and the seeds scatter. If you’re lucky, on a hot summer day when you walk by a gorse bush, you will hear the gorse seedpods popping open.

46

HOW SEEDS FIND NEW HOMES

47

48

CHAPTER 6 How Plants Grow

When plants have the right balance of water, air, sunlight and nutrients, their cells grow and divdie, and the whole plant gets bigger and bigger. And that’s how plants grow.

49

HOW PLANTS GROW

Water & Nutrients

Water is necessary for the growth of all living things, including plants. Most plants use their roots to get water from the soil, but some can use their leaves get water. Plants also need air to breathe like we do, but they do it very differently. The air around us is a mixture of different molecules that have names like oxygen, carbon dioxide and nitrogen. Humans and animals breathe in the oxygen, and breathe out carbon dioxide. Plants do the opposite. During the daytime, they breathe in the carbon dioxide, and breathe out oxygen.

50

HOW PLANTS GROW

Fertilizer also provides plants with nutrients and is usually given to plants when watering. The most important nutrients for plant’s growing needs are nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium. Nitrogen is necessary for making green leaves, phosphorus is needed for making big flowers and strong roots, and potassium helps the plants fight off disease. Too little or too much water or nutrients can also be harmful.

51

HOW PLANTS GROW

Air & Soil What else helps plants grow besides water and nutrients? Fresh, clean air and healthy soil. Dirty air caused by smoke, gases, and other pollutants can be harmful to plants, limiting their ability to take in carbon dioxide from the air for making food (photosynthesis). It can also block out sunlight, which is necessary for healthy plant growth as well.

52

HOW PLANTS GROW

Healthy soil is extremely vital to plants. In addition to essential nutrients found in soil, soil provides an anchor for plant roots and helps support the plants.

53

HOW PLANTS GROW

Light and Temperature Plants need sunlight to grow. Light is used as energy for making food, a process called photosynthesis. Too little light can make plants weak and leggy looking.

54

HOW PLANTS GROW

They will also have fewer flowers and fruits. Temperature is important too. Most plants prefer cooler nighttime temps and warmer daytime temperatures. Too hot and they may burn, too cold and they will freeze.

55

56

CHAPTER 7 Earth Without Plants

Imagine a world without plants and trees? Could such a world even exist? Imagine no paper, cardboard, chewing gum, or any other tree product.

57

EARTH WITHOUT PLANTS

Let’s start with what are trees. Trees are the largest and the longest living things ever on this planet. Trees have a tremendous and miraculous feast of engineering that combines a complex chemical factory with huge biological systems. They also can transport water and salt from the earth’s soil to the tree’s leaves and some of the trees are humongous and have the heights crossing over 400 feet.

58

EARTH WITHOUT PLANTS

But due to our nature that we take everything for granted, we have reduced them with less than 6%. Just because we have them for so many years. We think that it will be there forever but that’s not how it works. We have blessed with so many things but we keep on finding a luxurious life and nowadays trees are themselves a part of luxurious life. Because not everyone has access to them.

We all know that one day there will be that time when there would be nothing left but regret our own decision that we have made. We have cut a lot of trees for our luxurious lifestyles. Which have to lead to degradation of the environment and the loss of many key species.

59

60

CHAPTER 8 We Protect Plants

Forests are the lungs of the earth, essential for environmental stability and human health and happiness. These magnificent and ancient ecosystems are home to 50% of all terrestrial species on Earth. And yet, especially in tropical regions, forests are under siege. Our planet’s forests are being destroyed at an alarming rate, driven by unsustainable agriculture, development, logging, and mining. Luckily, there are solutions within our reach.

61

WE PROTECT PLANTS

Conserve Trees & Forests In Your Area Forests and trees, especially big trees and mature forests have many benefits. They provide habitat for a multitude of species, store carbon, maintain water quality, stabilize the climate, and provide places for people to recreate and connect with nature. Encourage your local government to conserve forests, create parks, and oppose destructive suburban sprawl and other developments. Volunteer with a local land trust or parks and recreation department, or consider a conservation easement if you own forested land.

62

WE PROTECT PLANTS

63

WE PROTECT PLANTS

64

WE PROTECT PLANTS

Plant Trees, The More The Better! Reforestation is a critical part of the solution to climate change, and restoring previously degraded ecosystems provides essential habitat for threatened species. Plant trees in your community or donate to organizations that plant trees around the world. Keep in mind that planting trees should never be an excuse for destroying existing forests and, when you donate, make sure that your money goes toward restoring native ecosystems rather than planting timber monocultures destined for logging.

65

WE PROTECT PLANTS

Support Forest Conservation Organizations. NGOs like the TREE Foundation, the Nature Conservancy, the Sierra Club, Center for Biological Diversity, and Rainforest Action Network offset deforestation and conserve threatened ecosystems around the world. In the absence of effective and environmentally-friendly governance in many areas, NGOs provide important organizational and monetary support for a variety of conservation efforts. Find a reputable conservation charity that speaks to you and send them a tax-deductible donation. Or find a local forest nonprofit and volunteer!

66

WE PROTECT PLANTS

67

WE PROTECT PLANTS

68

WE PROTECT PLANTS

Teach Kids About Forests Through Books & Outdoor Exploration Kids are the future, inspire in them a love of our planet. Read books about trees, teach them about forest ecosystems or, better yet, explore a park with them! Not only is nature good for kids, exposure to nature as children is correlated with positive environmental attitudes as adults. Let their curiosity run wild, you might discover something too!

69

70

CHAPTER 9 Conclusion

71

CONCLUSION

72

CONCLUSION

What I was trying to convey that from all of this is that I have told you many measures of how we can die if we don’t save the plants and trees but what will help everyone to understand is that if we don’t do any measure to save them then one day there will be no one to lead your family tree will have no one to lead it forward and there your family will come to an end. We should understand the causality that we might face if we don’t take these things seriously.

73

74

CHAPTER 10 Plant Photo Gallery

75

PLANT PHOTO GALLERY

76

PLANT PHOTO GALLERY

77

PLANT PHOTO GALLERY

78

PLANT PHOTO GALLERY

79