Tag: botany
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Chapter 7a Plants and the agricultural imperative
Rice, a vital food staple, supports half of the global population and illustrates the integral role of agriculture in human survival and civilisation. While agriculture fosters artistic development, reliance on a few crops raises concerns about food security. Challenges include disease risks and environmental sustainability, emphasising the need for diverse…
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Chapter 6 The intelligent plant(?)
This chapter explores the controversial concept of plant intelligence, examining how plants utilise other organisms for vital processes like pollination. It discusses debates surrounding definitions of intelligence and the potential for plants to influence human behaviour. ‘Plant neurobiology’ is discussed, in the hope of prompting reevaluation of plant capabilities and…
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Chapter 5 The sensitive plant
This chapter examines how plants possess sensory capabilities akin to human senses, exploring their ability to perceive touch, sight, smell, sound, and taste. Through mechanisms like thigmomorphogenesis, phototropism, and chemical signaling, plants adeptly interact with their environment, showcasing their sensitivity and survival strategies despite their immobile nature.
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Chapter 3 The economical and efficient design of plants
Taxodium, a remarkable gymnosperm, exemplifies nature’s design with its three essential tissue systems—dermal, vascular, and ground. These systems enable plants to achieve tremendous diversity and size while fulfilling human material needs, such as fibres for textiles. Plant structures also inspire innovative solutions in human engineering through biomimetics.
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Chapter 2 Oxygen, the planet’s most precious waste product
Plants, through photosynthesis, produce vital oxygen and organic compounds that support life on Earth and enabled the evolution of complex organisms. This chapter highlights the importance of photosynthesis in ecosystems and discusses potential improvements to increase efficiency for a growing human population, emphasising the need for more plant scientists in…
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Chapter 1 Plants: The great collaborators and crafters of planet Earth
Angiosperms, with roughly 369,400 species, exemplify plant diversity and ecological significance. This chapter explores various plant classifications, emphasizing interactions within the Plant Kingdom and between plants and other organisms. Mycorrhizal relationships are highlighted as critical for land flora evolution, shaping landscapes and humanity’s connection with plants throughout history.
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Introduction to Mr Plant Cuttings’ book project
This post highlights Mr P Cuttings’ ambition for a book about plants. Highlighting 10 need-to-know facts about our green neighbours, topics include plant diversity, structure, and senses, photosynthesis, agriculture, and cultural and wellbeing impacts of plants. By emphasising plants’ historical – and continuing – impact on human life, it hopes…
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A timely appreciation of plants
Christopher Woods’ book, “In Botanical Time,” explores the astonishing lifespans of the world’s oldest plants, illustrating their biology and ecology across 230 pages. Although well-written and richly illustrated, the book lacks source citations, which detracts from its scientific credibility. Nonetheless, it captivates readers with tales of remarkable plant longevity.
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Lichens and humans cement a friendship
The post discusses a study by Nisha Rokaya et al. exploring a synthetic lichen system to address concrete cracking. This approach combines fungi and algae/cyanobacteria to create a self-healing solution by producing calcium carbonate for repair. The research shows potential for sustainable construction but requires further testing for effectiveness in…
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Hedging your climate change bets (or, betting your climate-change hedge..?)
The “Superbloom at Carrizo Plain National Monument, 2017” highlights the transient beauty of desert blooms. However, a re-vegetation initiative in the Taklamakan Desert has shown promise as a long-term solution to combat desertification and mitigate climate change by creating a carbon sink. The project emphasises careful management due to potential…
Plant Cuttings 