Plant+and+Biomass+Videos

27 MAY 2010

VIDEOS - Rainwater can clog up plant pores, hence plants have different adaptations to counteract this: - Proboscis monkeys eat leaves - Insects have the ability to digest cellulose - Giraffes and Acacia tree - Plants have adaptations to protect themselves from predators/eat their prey:
 * grooves, drain-like structures to drain off water
 * dense hairs to keep pores clear
 * nettles have painful stings constructed with silica and water which release poison into the wound. dogweed is found next to nettles and is used to treat nettle wounds
 * non-sting nettles find protection in mimicry as they have striking resemblance
 * pebble plant camouflages by changing colour to match surroundings, looks like pebbles, protected from the star tortoise
 * passion plant has yellow spots which mimic butterfly eggs so that butterflies do not lay eggs there and no caterpillars do not eat up the leaves
 * bracken is toxic and rampant on hills –> animals which eat it go blind or get cancer. serious problem in Europe as this fern has no predator and is a fire hazard due to its dryness –> getting out of control!
 * mimosa: one touch makes it fold, 2nd touch makes the stalk fall, bend toward ground, droop, 3rd drop droop completely
 * venus flytrap: hairs on surface act as triggers – struggling triggers plant to squeeze tighter –> produce acids to digest insects
 * pitcher plant has nectar which attracts insects, is covered with microscopic spines – insects fall into pond of water inside and drown. sometimes frogs 'hang' inside plant to wait for insects

BIOMASS - any animal or plant produce - everything starts with sun –> photosynthesis - corn can be turned into ethanol – car can run on ethanol, vegetable oil can be converted to diesel for vehicles, supposed to be more environmentally friendly – drive up the price of corn –> a lot of money generated for the state, country, people, farmers - capture sunlight to produce renewable (arguable) energy source - has support from government - food prices all go up //SUN //Photosynthesis// - feed for one year = 1 gallon of diesel - highly controversial!
 * Biofuel:** diesel, ethanol, biodiesel, bioethanol, biofuel
 * Food:** corn –> sugar –> corn syrup (add enzymes to starch), rape seeds, soy, oil palm (Asia), sunflower//

QuEsTiOnS: 1. Are we addicted to oil? 2. Is technology the solution to this addiction?