Tag: plant biology
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Clever things that plants do: No. 2, Carnivory you can count on…
This post explores the Venus flytrap’s ability to exhibit intelligent behaviour by counting prey interactions. It highlights the plant’s unique mechanism for trapping insects, requiring multiple sensory hair stimulations for digestive enzyme production. This ability demonstrates both the plant’s arithmetic skills and its adaptation to nutrient-poor environments, showcasing its carnivorous…
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Reading nature’s medicine cabinet
Nature’s Apothecary by Margaret Willes explores the historical roles of apothecaries and the medicinal value of 100 plants, with emphasis upon British herbal traditions. The well-crafted text is full of fascinating insights and illustrations, though it lacks comprehensive sourcing for some claims. Overall, it is an enriching resource on herbalism.
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Dead men’s shoes don’t walk, but they do talk…
Macarena Bustamante-Álvarez et al., uncovered ancient sandals made from esparto grass at an Iron Age mining site in Spain, dating back 2,400 years. The footwear exhibits skilled craftsmanship with precise design, demonstrating the significance of plant fibres in ancient economies. Unique preservation conditions allowed these artifacts’ survival. [But! there’s so…
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Flowers: Planet- and people-producers
David George Haskell’s “How Flowers Made Our World” explores the vital role of flowers and flowering plants in shaping Earth’s ecosystems and human connections. Comprising scientific insights, Haskell’s engaging narrative highlights plant biology, ecology, and the historical interrelation between flora and humanity, making an overwhelming case for their importance in,…
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The original illuminati?*
This post’s main focus is the study by Arobba et al. that investigates how five hunter-gatherers in Italy used small pine twigs for lighting caves over 14,000 years ago. This research combines analysis of ancient remnants and experimental archaeology, showing that the twigs provided sufficient light for navigation, enhancing our…
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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…
