Part 2: Adaptations and Reproduction

Part 2: Adaptations and Reproduction

Review: Plants need 6 things to grow 1. Air (Carbon Dioxide) 2. Water 3. Light 4. Nutrients 5. Proper Temperature 6. Space

Adaptations Adaptations are characteristics that allow a living thing to survive. Which of the following leaves is better adapted to catch the light in a shady forest? OR

Adaptations: Shade vs Sun Plants Shade plants have larger leaves. Large leaves are like huge baseball mittens. Instead of catching baseballs, they make catching light super-simple. In shady areas there is not a lot of light, so they need to be good at catching any light that leaks through. Big leaves help do that.

Notice how large the leaves are at the bottom of this shady forest floor?

Leaves in the Desert Large leaves in the desert would capture so much light that they would dry out and die. Plants in the desert have tiny leaves. Tiny leaves trap water inside of the plant better. Cactus needles are just super-skinny leaves.

Root Adaptations How are desert plants adapted to their environment? Why? How do plants adapt to wet zones? Why? Roots in Wet Zones Desert Roots

Tundra

Clues: How are roots and leaves adapted to the Tundra? The Tundra is: Super-cold. The ground is solid ice almost all year. During the summer, only a thin top layer of ice will melt. Plants do not drink a lot of water during the year. They must be adapted to store as much water as possible just like plants in the desert would.

Life Cycle of a Seed Plant Seeds make plants Plants make flowers Flowers make fruit Fruit makes seed Repeat

Introducing.Seeds

Seed Dispersal Seed dispersal is a plants way of spreading its seeds. Why do plants even need to spread their seeds? Plants spread their seeds so that they don t all grow in the same spot. Imagine your grandparents, parents, you, your future kids, and your future grand kids all lived in the same house. Not a good idea. It s the same with plants. They want their babies to spread into new environments. We Will Live Together Forever

4 ways that plants can disperse their seeds 1. Animals (Feces and sometimes by sticking to fur.) 2. Wind 3. Water 4. Exploding Pods

Through Feces (poop) Plants want animals to eat its fruit. Why? So that you can spread the seeds inside by either throwing them, or pooping them out. By the time the animal is ready to poop, it will be far from the original plant. Genius strategy! 1. Animal Dispersal Sticky Seeds Some seeds (burdock seeds) hitch a ride on animals and eventually fall off somewhere else.

Think Tank: Are these adaptations? Why or why not? 2. Wind Dispersal Dandelion Seeds Wind catcher Seed Tumbleweed Seeds

3. Water Dispersal Coconut trees drop their seeds (the coconut) into water so that the water can take it elsewhere.

4. Exploding Seed Pod Dispersal These exploding fruits can launch seeds a meter away or even more! Make sure you are watching this In PowerPoint and in presentation Mode so that you can see the animation.

Flowers Main Purpose in Life -Attract Insects -Create Seeds -Transform into a fruit to store seeds. I will become a fruit!

Watch These Flowers Become a Fruit

How Do Flowers Become Fruits? When pollen reaches the stigma of the flower it causes the flower to die and the bottom piece (ovary) to start growing into a fruit. Pollen sticks to bees and birds. Bees and birds spread this pollen to stigma of the flower. Watch this in powerpoint in presentation mode To view the animation.

Parts of A Flower Usually brightly colored to attract Insects. Male Part --stamen Anther- makes pollen Filament- a stick that holds up the anther. Seeds Female Part --Pistil Stigma- Very sticky so pollen can stick to it. Style A tube that transports pollen down into the ovary. It is like a built in slide. Ovary houses the seeds. Becomes the fruit.

You Try No Cheating

Can plants reproduce without seeds? Yes Bulbs Runners Cuttings

1. Bulbs Seeds not required. Some plants such as garlic and onions make special stems called Bulbs. They look like light bulbs. Plant a bulb and VOILA! It grows into a new plant. See no seeds required.

2. Runners New Plants are born from the stem of the parent plant. The stems of these plants grow sideways and are called runners. Can you guess why they are called runners? When the stem touches the soil, roots form and a new plant is born. No need for pollination and seeds.

Watch This Video on How To Plant Runners

3. Cuttings Cut a stem off a parent plant. Plant the stem in some soil or water. Roots will form. It will grow into an exact copy of the parent plant. Basil plants, Coleus plants and spider plants are good choices for this type of asexual (Vegetative) reproduction.