Growing things – plant power Research

1. Growing things – plant powerResearch By Holly Marx

2. In this power point you will learn about pollination, germination, plant adaptations and more.

3. Could we live without plants? Why, Why not ? We cannot live without plants. Plants help us and the environment in many different ways. Plants make food, they produce all the food that animals and people eat. Plants also produce oxygen, oxygen is what people and animals must have to stay alive. All of the oxygen available for living things comes from plants. Plants are a perfect home for animals as well. Animals can live in, on or under plants and provide shelter from heavy rainfall or strong winds. Bibliography: http://mbgnet.net/bioplants/earth.html

4. How does pollination work? For a flower to be pollinated the pollen must move from the stamen to the stigma when the pollen moves it is called self – pollination. When the pollinators come and collect the pollen they can only take it to the same type of flower (e.g. pollen from a daisy can only go the another daisy). When the pollen from a plants stamen is moved to a another plants stigma, it is called cross – pollination. Bibliography: http://www.mbgnet.net/bioplants/pollination.html

5. What is bee pollen used for? Bee pollen is used as a supplements in the hive. Bee pollen comes from the pollen off a flower that the worker bees get on their front legs, and gets removed once they get back to the hive. Bee pollen is the food that they use too raise the bee larvae. It is 40% protein, it also contains a little a bit of nectar added by the bees. Bibliography: http://www.ehow.com/about_5137591_bee-pollen-used.html

6. What is germination? How does it work? When a baby plant is growing, we call it germination. The cotyledons store food for the baby plant in the seed to help it grow. Cotyledon - the hard outer case of the seed which holds the embryo (baby part of the plant) and gives it food supply. Bibliography: http://library.thinkquest.org/3715/germ6.html First the young root appears. The skin splits and the shoot straightens, pulling the cotyledons with it The main root gets bigger and grows side roots, and the first leaves appear.

7. What are the different ways of dispersal? There is many different ways of dispersal: Animal dispersal Animals disperse seeds in several ways. Some plants have sharp structures that get tangled in animal fur or feathers, and are then carried to new sites. Wind dispersal The kind of seeds which are often wind dispersed are smaller seeds that have wings or hair – like or feather-like structures. Water dispersal Many aquatic plants and plants that live near water have seeds that can float, and are carried by water Bibliography: http://mbgnet.net/bioplants/seed.html

8. What are plant adaptations? Plant adaptations help plants to survive in different areas. Adaptations allow a plant or animal to live in a particular place or habitat. Different adaptations might make it very difficult for the plant to survive in that area. This is why certain plants are found in one area, but not in another. Here are some examples of plant adaptations: • Desert • Grassland • Tropical Rain forests and Temperate Rain forests • Temperate Deciduous forest • Taiga • Tundra • In water Bibliography: http://www.mbgnet.net/bioplants/adapt.html

9. What’s the difference between a fruit and a vegetable? A Fruit is the ripened ovary of a flower of a seed-bearing plant and has seeds. A vegetable is not made from a flower, they are made from the plants roots and has no seeds. This is a list of fruits people call vegetables: • Tomatoes • Pumpkins • Cucumbers • Avocado • Squash and Zucchini • Peppers (all types) Bibliography: http://glassvisage.hubpages.com/hub/Difference-between-fruit-and-vegetable

10. How will we know a plant is poisonous? If you want to know how a plant is poisonous you can eat it! If you have a reaction after you have swallowed, wait till the pain dies down before testing another plant. You can also take a cutting of the plant to the local nurse and get the name of the plant, if you have poisonous plants around your home you need to get rid of them! Bibliography: http://wiki.answers.com/Q/How_can_you_tell_if_a_plant_is_poisonous

11. Interesting facts on the “wackiest plant” I could find. Welwitschia mirabilis: World's Most Resistant Plant! Namibia's plant Welwitschia Mirabilis can truly claim to be one of a kind. Welwitschia plant consists of only two leaves and a stem with roots. The stem can grow to be almost 2 meters high and 8 meters wide. Their estimated lifespan is 400 to 1500 years. It can survive up to 5years with no water. Bibliography: http://www.oddee.com/item_96804.aspx

12. Interesting facts on fern • The mamaku is New Zealand's tallest tree fern, growing up to 20 metres high. • One notable New Zealand fern is bracken (rārahu), which grows in open, disturbed areas. • The leaves of ferns are called fronds and when they are young they are tightly coiled into a tight spiral. This shape is called a 'koru' in Māori. • The silver fern or Ponga is a national symbol and is named for the silver underside of its fronds. Bibliography: http://www.doc.govt.nz/conservation/native-plants/ferns/