Renewable Revolution

Environment => Wonders of Nature => Topic started by: AGelbert on October 28, 2013, 11:59:25 pm

Title: The Fabulous Plant Kingdom
Post by: AGelbert on October 28, 2013, 11:59:25 pm
The secret lives of plants (https://renewablerevolution.createaforum.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fdl6.glitter-graphics.net%2Fpub%2F57%2F57396kkkx0l656b.gif&hash=c32645b24e82e03102d98ba7bc1b5f20c8714e24)
https://youtu.be/kTWcVnMPChM
Title: Re: The Fabulous Plant Kingdom
Post by: AGelbert on January 01, 2014, 10:50:24 pm
(https://renewablerevolution.createaforum.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.the-scientist.com%2Fimages%2FJanuary2014%2Fplant2_full.jpg&hash=637df270f1b308217b651a0320f03a6a8d45fbfa)
http://www.the-scientist.com/images/January2014/plant2_full.pdf

Move over "grape vine" communication simplicity, Learn about the plant internet!


This is plainly an altruistic mechanism because it does not stop the harm being done to the plant getting attacked by climate or a predator. It only warns the others nearby who then ramp up their own defenses. It's a TOTALLY UNSELFISH act.  :o  ;D

How signaling compounds zip along these fungal networks IS, UH, NOT CLEAR...  ;D ALSO "not clear" is how these signals USED by plants unrelated to the FUNGUS "evolved". They find it "debatable" BECAUSE the "evolutionary" DISTANCE between plants and (Primitive) fungi is rather large, not to mention the "what's in it for me" factor that doesn't seem to exist.  LOL!

And then there is the GIANT bag of worms for evolutionists that plants (no central nervous system and therefore PRIMITIVE by Darwinian standards of evolution) have FAR MORE DNA than WE DO!  (https://renewablerevolution.createaforum.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.freesmileys.org%2Femoticons%2Ftuzki-bunnys%2Ftuzki-bunny-emoticon-007.gif&hash=ed7d6f9e3b83c41ef042048a3ce985253afacbb0)

http://www.the-scientist.com/?articles.view/articleNo/38729/title/Genomes-Gone-Wild/

CHOICE SNIPPET: (https://renewablerevolution.createaforum.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.createaforum.com%2Fgallery%2Frenewablerevolution%2F3-051113192052.png&hash=93c42ef9f18fc5d9da50fd91fc19f70009f95f85)

Quote
... no experiment has yet demonstrated that volatile signaling between neighboring plants can benefit the emitting plant, prompting some researchers to suggest that “eavesdropping” is a more accurate description of what has been observed than “intentional” communication.

Either way, researchers who doubt that plants would have evolved to be altruistic have ruminated on the old question of the evolutionary origins of the phenomenon.


Altruism and Darwinism have NEVER GOTTEN ALONG. ANY TIME an evolutionary true believer runs into altruism ( an evolutionary DISadvantage as opposed to the apex predator selfish "evolutionary advantage" behavior), they go TILT! 


http://www.the-scientist.com/?articles.view/articleNo/38727/title/Plant-Talk/

Title: Evidence of healthy soil
Post by: AGelbert on January 02, 2014, 09:02:04 pm
Evidence of healthy soil

https://youtu.be/tiLQfCNkf7w
Title: Re: The Fabulous Plant Kingdom
Post by: AGelbert on January 06, 2014, 01:41:01 am
Mycologist Paul Stamets is doing great things for the biosphere. (https://renewablerevolution.createaforum.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.pic4ever.com%2Fimages%2F19.gif&hash=3f9f2fc2285bc756137e21463bc2a4c420b15ac3)

https://youtu.be/cwLviP7KaAc

In the last 20 years it has been discovered that plants are so intimately connected to fungi that without the mycelium aiding plant growth, plants of all types grow poorly.

A type of fungi in Chernobyl can actually use gamma radiation like our skin uses UV sunlight to make vitamin D (but the fungi makes nutrients instead). This is the first known use of a life form obtaining nutrition from gamma radiation.

A type of fungi concentrates radioactive Cesium-137 in surrounding soils onto itself, thereby making it possible for forest surrounding land to regenerate.

Paul is working on a plan to grow old forest within 100 miles of Fukushima starting with a mycelium radiation absorbing and soil cleansing network.

Oyster mushrooms turn toxic hydrocarbons into carbohydrates to clean up soils with oil contamination. After the BP oil spill, Paul designed floating oyster mushroom booms to bioremediate coastal marshes.

Paul explains how Turkey mushroom healed his mother of terminal cancer metastasized from the breast to the lymphatic system to the sternum, bones and liver.

This video is long and detailed. He reveals that, to this day, a full 73% of anti-cancer drugs are NATURAL non-patentable, something big pharma does NOT want you to know about.

He explains the powerful anti-fecal coliform and anti-pathogenic bacterial action of mycelium inoculated soil to the point of cleaning water without chemical treatment despite having a farm with cows and chickens.

There is a lot here. I recommend you listen closely. It is absolutely packed with useful information like the fact that the ice man (Neolithic well preserved man about 10,000 years old found in a glacier) carried two types of mushrooms vital to his existence that are still important to us today.

This man has most of the answers we need for how to de-toxify our world.   (https://renewablerevolution.createaforum.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.clker.com%2Fcliparts%2Fc%2F8%2Ff%2F8%2F11949865511933397169thumbs_up_nathan_eady_01.svg.hi.png&hash=599691109af22b33f1d59dd61eb97448a9427020) I hope somebody gets him the ten million dollars he needs to really get his patented mycelium products out there.
Title: Fungi Perfecti® is a family-owned, environmentally friendly company
Post by: AGelbert on January 06, 2014, 03:21:16 pm
Paul Stamets has come up with a lot of mycelium products for permaculture that he markets.

I noticed in his talk that he refuses to work with Monsanto  even though he is in contact with most soil product chemical producers.  ;D

The pentagon told him he was way ahead of them in antimicrobial products to fight biowarfare and insect disease vectors in bird flu, malaria and small pox, to name a few.

He figured out a way to cultivate mycelium with delayed sporulation. This was the key to carpenter ants and termites in houses to NOT realize it was toxic to them. They would take the rice coated in the fungi to the nests and become infected.

Paul makes it clear he does not want to hurt nature. His products are for insect control inside human dwellings. His products don't affect bees. In fact they kill the parasites that honeybee keepers now try to control with chemical pesticides!

Paul mentions how termites are so fastidious about keeping fungi that kills them out of the nest or mound that two termite guards at the entrance will, if a termite  returning to the nest has fungi  spores on it (spores have a strong smell), take the termite to the "garbage" area, decapitate it, and commit suicide. Two other guards instantly take their place.

I love to hear this man talk. He is a walking nature encyclopedia and he really does respect nature.


This is his web site with some cool stop action videos. Check it out! Write about your experiences with his products and post them here if you wish.

Quote
About Fungi Perfecti


Fungi Perfecti® is a family-owned, environmentally friendly company specializing in using mushrooms to improve the health of the planet and its people. Founded by mycologist and author Paul Stamets in 1980, we are leaders in a new wave of technologies harnessing the inherent power of mushrooms and mycelium worldwide. Fungi Perfecti is Certified Organic by the Washington State Department of Agriculture.

http://www.fungi.com/ (http://www.fungi.com/)
Title: Re: The Fabulous Plant Kingdom
Post by: AGelbert on April 30, 2014, 10:49:12 pm
Eight Month Period Time-Lapse Video of Acorn Growth (https://renewablerevolution.createaforum.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Frenewablerevolution.createaforum.com%2Fgallery%2Frenewablerevolution%2F1%2F3-120818185037-16412296.gif&hash=c8a4038d309a0f49ca4a7a464f30f9a340049cac) (https://renewablerevolution.createaforum.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Frenewablerevolution.createaforum.com%2Fgallery%2Frenewablerevolution%2F1%2F3-250718210628.gif&hash=a297e44320f13fa5f3eae64809a46139f5e2395a)

https://youtu.be/ZK4LjURtaDw
Title: Re: The Fabulous Plant Kingdom
Post by: Surly1 on May 01, 2014, 06:29:42 am
Enjoying this thread, AG.

Paul Stamets is probably 100 years ahead of the culture in terms of what he is working on. Easy to see how monied status quo interests would be arrayed against him. These discoveries are bad for business.

REALLY enjoyed the "Acorn" movie. I am left wondering, "How did Bromhall do that?"
Title: Re: The Fabulous Plant Kingdom
Post by: AGelbert on May 01, 2014, 04:20:28 pm
Yeah, I asked myself the same question about how he did that. I think he shot a picture at exactly the same time each day or every two or three days, ensuring it was NOT a cloudy day when he did it. He must have been using a light meter to make sure the light conditions were pretty much the same each picture. As you know a change in light is very distracting in a time sequence. It took eight months and he shifted the camera a couple of times but it came out great. I hope he is still tracking that oak. A 10 year time sequence would be spectacular.

I was absolutely fascinated by the way the oak leaves (notice their rounded lobes - that identifies the type of oak - I think it's Quercus alba) appeared to be flapping as if trying to fly up to the sky. (https://renewablerevolution.createaforum.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2F2.bp.blogspot.com%2F_9HT4xZyDmh4%2FTOHhxzA0wLI%2FAAAAAAAAEUk%2FoeHDS2cfxWQ%2Fs200%2FSmiley_Angel_Wings_Halo.jpg&hash=13281f1944b60773bf12b29387b70be77cc1fe16) Sorry Surly (not  ;D), for me, watching God's life forms in action is a religious experience.


(https://renewablerevolution.createaforum.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fdendro.cnre.vt.edu%2Fdendrology%2Fimages%2FQuercus%2520alba%2Fleaf1.jpg&hash=2d49499cef2edc7d7b68e7769fb3c0941781b5e1)
Quercus alba
Title: Re: The Fabulous Plant Kingdom
Post by: AGelbert on August 21, 2014, 06:35:34 pm
10 Incredible Plant Facts You Didn’t Know
By Kevin Mathews
1. The earth has more than 80,000 species of edible plants.  (https://renewablerevolution.createaforum.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.createaforum.com%2Fgallery%2Frenewablerevolution%2F3-200714183515.bmp&hash=4a3ad9d0a78a7e161f53ddd84f568082a5b0d2ad)

2. Ninety percent of the foods humans eat come from just 30 plants. (https://renewablerevolution.createaforum.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.createaforum.com%2Fgallery%2Frenewablerevolution%2F3-311013201604.png&hash=3793102f2f335b7a8fe106d54eac4db31f2674eb)

3. Nutrition doesn’t factor into the crops we do mass produce. (https://renewablerevolution.createaforum.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.pic4ever.com%2Fimages%2Facigar.gif&hash=dc9dccf92c6c88c99611b06c86d92629d69f2978) (https://renewablerevolution.createaforum.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimages.sodahead.com%2Fpolls%2F000370273%2Fpolls_Smiley_Angry_256x256_3451_356175_answer_4_xlarge.png&hash=15577651daa4c35ff4d6b26217f99db6ebfde0b3)


4. 70,000 plant species are utilized for medicine.  (https://renewablerevolution.createaforum.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.clker.com%2Fcliparts%2Fc%2F8%2Ff%2F8%2F11949865511933397169thumbs_up_nathan_eady_01.svg.hi.png&hash=599691109af22b33f1d59dd61eb97448a9427020)


5. Only one percent of rainforest plants have been studied for medicinal potential.  :o


6. Eighty percent of the Earth’s original forests have been cleared or destroyed.   (https://renewablerevolution.createaforum.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.createaforum.com%2Fgallery%2Frenewablerevolution%2F3-200714183404.bmp&hash=dc40a133c761f80036b08ef0f6c0427aaa7e9f4b)


7. Just 10 percent of the world’s plant-rich areas are protected.  (https://renewablerevolution.createaforum.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.desismileys.com%2Fsmileys%2Fdesismileys_2955.gif&hash=ddc12d8bdb1bc63b7998a6b086b79a71b7bda755)


8. More than half of plant species are native to just one country.  (https://renewablerevolution.createaforum.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.coh2.org%2Fimages%2FSmileys%2Fhuhsign.gif&hash=3732d0427be65896527fc3805c5be54a33cffd3b)


9. Sixty eight percent of plants are in danger of going extinct.  (https://renewablerevolution.createaforum.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.desismileys.com%2Fsmileys%2Fdesismileys_2955.gif&hash=ddc12d8bdb1bc63b7998a6b086b79a71b7bda755)

10. Plant species are going extinct—about 5,000 times faster than they should.  (https://renewablerevolution.createaforum.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.desismileys.com%2Fsmileys%2Fdesismileys_1593.gif&hash=628238f2fc26695937f6e97b91b050976065743b)


Details on all the above at link below:
http://ecowatch.com/2013/12/31/10-incredible-plant-facts/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=10-incredible-plant-facts
Title: Re: The Fabulous Plant Kingdom
Post by: AGelbert on September 24, 2014, 03:29:48 pm
(https://renewablerevolution.createaforum.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fstatic5.gamespot.com%2Fuploads%2Foriginal%2Fmig%2F8%2F1%2F9%2F3%2F2048193-680021_20130726_001.jpg&hash=307fc84dd4406cebdd5e93793d1e1c99551bc26c)
A routine day on the red planet.  ;D  Do Martians Socotrans have a secret? (https://renewablerevolution.createaforum.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Frenewablerevolution.createaforum.com%2Fgallery%2Frenewablerevolution%2F1%2F3-210818163125-16722324.gif&hash=fd301340fefe90d81ed8826dfa0568be12a1c0d8)

The Strange and Unique Plant Life of the Island of Socotra

(https://renewablerevolution.createaforum.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.createaforum.com%2Fgallery%2Frenewablerevolution%2F3-240914015514.png&hash=0758e96c4d3edf78b6bb9e192df719d8aa9967da)

The 'Lost World' of Socotra. Just look at that landscape and tell me you don't think a T-Rex would fit right in! (https://renewablerevolution.createaforum.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.createaforum.com%2Fgallery%2Frenewablerevolution%2F3-310714182509.png&hash=7a8191a3d5ff15c51ad36a342a0cd50a90b956bd) Sorry, no T-Rexes but there are plenty of strange life forms there.

Did they ever have T-Rexes here? That's a known unknown.  ;)  We will never know if they had T-Rexes on Mars because the, uh, Martians Socotrans won't tell.   (https://renewablerevolution.createaforum.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.createaforum.com%2Fgallery%2Frenewablerevolution%2F3-200714191258.bmp&hash=e4ed21caaca822f7445ccafd39f49a9f84be90ca)
 
Socotra - The Island Of Wonder
(https://renewablerevolution.createaforum.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.1000lonelyplaces.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2010%2F09%2FSocotra-Island-is-really-the-Galapagos-of-the-Indian-Ocean.jpg&hash=dbe9076ff9fde70d1d3581c29bb07c64d1da7418)

Socotra island is one of the strangest places in the world. Everything about the island is strange, its landscape, plants and its animals. The flora and fauna on Socotra island is considered the 'jewel' of biodiversity. The plants are all funny looking and have weird structure. Some animals on the island are slightly bigger and scarier, like crabs and other animals. The landscape is weird and you feels like you are on an alien planet.

(https://renewablerevolution.createaforum.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg.timeinc.net%2Ftime%2Fphotoessays%2F2010%2Fsocotra_postcard%2Fsocotra_01.jpg&hash=9c9df943451857a7aaf5a2847c0f4e03741674df)


(https://renewablerevolution.createaforum.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.anotherworldadventures.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2013%2F06%2Feexpedition-socotra-island-262x300.jpg&hash=b79857d59126aa7266b9b9205cf946751cd52962)

(https://renewablerevolution.createaforum.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fapi.ning.com%2Ffiles%2F5Y36hMbSNo%2AYyOb2KZVrUfRZ3hjqM1QRBd80HzgKQPs880rDdBN2zv5fVF9BXY%2Am0XygJ8kiOmE%2AN5oIFcXr21NQ0E5aj9Ai%2Fquora_com_.jpg&hash=98492e95a4e0bc59ea28a424de4ea72027308724)
Eden TWO?

(https://renewablerevolution.createaforum.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.worldfortravel.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2012%2F01%2FSocotra-Island.jpg&hash=053152e246f6ab885ac08aa8aa4822f50944f7d1)
🤔  (https://renewablerevolution.createaforum.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Frenewablerevolution.createaforum.com%2Fgallery%2Frenewablerevolution%2F1%2F3-210818163126-16771578.gif&hash=60d3e7427efc846ae1733eff0803c25b5d5b7862)

(https://renewablerevolution.createaforum.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2F4.bp.blogspot.com%2F-Z0PufvNgF4c%2FUHMJnH-AhiI%2FAAAAAAAAD3s%2FqoiJAPNJBY8%2Fs400%2FSocotra%2BIsland%2BPlants.jpg&hash=79be573a4b1b39071b2d610b2cceded0c79f0751)
Nate's Nonsense


(https://renewablerevolution.createaforum.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2F3.bp.blogspot.com%2F-fhM52Dj7BOE%2FTlSmtwdye7I%2FAAAAAAAAAA0%2FIvyxgZPyKfA%2Fs1600%2Fmonet.jpg&hash=224af134e57a964ec255ec4541ca66128b96e4f5)
Yup, we're from Mars too!  ;D No, we aren't feeling blue!  >:( (Primates of Socotra)

(https://renewablerevolution.createaforum.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fal-hakawati.net%2Fenglish%2FEnvironment%2FImages%2Fenv17c.jpg&hash=c0f320c691fa639bdcb4bf0b2cf2643806446b44)
We managed to save most of our on board Martian plants when we crash landed here about 6,000 years ago...  ;D

(https://renewablerevolution.createaforum.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.yemen.jp%2Fimages%2Fsocotra-02.jpg&hash=95546391ddb5536c7a12c4335da53c6c46e98aad)
Dragon Blood Tree   ???

(https://renewablerevolution.createaforum.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.travad.info%2Fuploads%2Fimages%2F00%2F00%2F03%2F2011%2F04%2F06%2F1457e5.jpg&hash=11da525c75d272c84c04cecf2505a8ca3df61e82)
Martians Socotrans like good views. It ain't Olymbus Mons, but we make do. 8)

(https://renewablerevolution.createaforum.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fmedia-cdn.tripadvisor.com%2Fmedia%2Fphoto-s%2F01%2Fde%2Ff4%2Ff9%2Fospiti-in-spiaggia.jpg&hash=f1d409deedc7747699f4b7a91bce1f07dd7ae8a5)
I may be a big crab but have a nice personality and am never crabby.  ;D


One THIRD of the flora on Socotra Grows NOWHERE ELSE ON EARTH.

The largest collection of rarest plants on earth is found on the island of Socotra, located in the Indian Ocean off the coast of Yemen. Socotra is home to approximately 800 species of plants, and over 33% of them are thought to be unique to the island and not found anywhere else in the world.

The island’s collection of rare plants is generally not seen by many tourists because the island belongs to Yemen, which has very strict regulations regarding tourists. In 2008, Socotra was named as a Natural World Heritage Site by United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), which recognizes natural geographical phenomenon.

More about the plants of Socotra:

(https://renewablerevolution.createaforum.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.popestrees.com%2FUSERIMAGES%2FDorstenia%2520Gigas.jpg&hash=381d8c2b6704fe75c7d3c04994fd36c1a24e9617)
Dorstenia gigas (Life was tough on Mars. Here it's a walk in the park!)

(https://renewablerevolution.createaforum.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fbotany.cz%2Ffoto%2Fdorsteniagigherb1.jpg&hash=ed6727c7a1539d18f1c27abb753b4feca40e7baa)
Dorstenia gigas (Look Ma, no SOIL!)

The Socotra fig tree Dorstenia gigas is thought to not require soil to grow and samples have even been found to grow against limestone rock. :o

(https://renewablerevolution.createaforum.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2F2.bp.blogspot.com%2F_WXKDNdDePGI%2FS6FYN5QXWbI%2FAAAAAAAABCU%2FCT6aeb2XE3E%2Fs400%2FIMG_8075.JPG&hash=d2d42c449e3e0bbd9df3f06d6a1c748dc557bc1f)
Dorstenia gigas 31cm tall x 6cm at soil level. Bud detail.

Some of the plant species native to Socotra are thought to date back over 20 million years. Agelbert Note: ONLY the Martians Socotrans know for sure and they won't tell!

(https://renewablerevolution.createaforum.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.factrange.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2013%2F12%2Fa5emMwE_700b.jpg&hash=543836e4664c4c1d1453b45418844f4feee37a61)
The island’s Dragon Blood Tree was named by traders who thought the plant’s red sap was actually the blood of the dragon. Agelbert NOTE: Hello? Angry Red Planet, anyone?  (https://renewablerevolution.createaforum.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.pic4ever.com%2Fimages%2Fgen152.gif&hash=d5b10968fe56c4cb95fae17cee3cb420a5f4e2da) When ya come from a red planet, ya have color coded SAP!

(https://renewablerevolution.createaforum.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.dailymail.co.uk%2Fi%2Fpix%2F2013%2F09%2F25%2Farticle-2431857-1831974400000578-129_634x421.jpg&hash=48c25f116e5cc0e6a7f1e025bbdd6ef2d009a21a)
Local "Humans" in a Dragon Blood Tree. We Martians Socotrans color code our kids too. After all, offspring should  know where they came from.  (https://renewablerevolution.createaforum.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.createaforum.com%2Fgallery%2Frenewablerevolution%2F3-051113192052.png&hash=93c42ef9f18fc5d9da50fd91fc19f70009f95f85)

http://www.wisegeek.com/where-is-the-largest-collection-of-rarest-plants-found.htm

Final NOTE: Any similarity between the humor above and fossil fueler, GW denier "logic" is deliberate.

The BIG difference is that I'm trying to be funny, not ridiculous!
(https://renewablerevolution.createaforum.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Frenewablerevolution.createaforum.com%2Fgallery%2Frenewablerevolution%2F3-130418202709.png&hash=7503265ec59e4c28d735afb762bc39f4674bd838)

(https://renewablerevolution.createaforum.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Frenewablerevolution.createaforum.com%2Fgallery%2Frenewablerevolution%2F1%2F3-111018132401-16881856.gif&hash=ef5bd30cec7a50a81f3507f9bd328189dead7aa2) Save our Planet. Demand 100% Renewable Energy NOW!

Quote
Mr. Ron McCullough, TN 

We as a nation have to free ourselves from the tyranny and boundless greed of the fossil fuel oligarchs that keep us in the Dark Ages of renewable energy. How is it good governance to destroy the Earth for short term gains for the 1%? It's not. It's the result of corruption and cowardice of elected officials and it must stop!

Mr. Troy Kilbourne, MN 

A "Manhattan Project" for renewable energy is, I believe, the only thing that can reverse our course towards catastrophic climate change. We did it back then, and we can do it now.

Mr. Stephen Spaulding, NH

The fossil fuel industry knows its stranglehold on us inevitably has to end. It's feverishly trying every way it can to lock us into dependence for another half-century. We cannot allow this to happen.

Ms. Jean Elliott, IL

This is an emergency. Climate and pollution disasters loom unless we get off fossil fuels.

Sandra Doney, LA 

Let's care about quality of life and get our priorities straight!

Ms. Cecily Smith, AB 

The technology for renewable energy has already been developed and just needs investment. Leave fossil fuels down in the ground, No more pipelines!
Title: Re: The Fabulous Plant Kingdom
Post by: AGelbert on December 05, 2014, 09:52:27 pm
Darwin was WRONG about Plant life. (https://renewablerevolution.createaforum.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.pic4ever.com%2Fimages%2F34y5mvr.gif&hash=835b3a3f26d5d1b7f0acc379ad8ebd3fe9eea488) (https://renewablerevolution.createaforum.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.coh2.org%2Fimages%2FSmileys%2Fhuhsign.gif&hash=3732d0427be65896527fc3805c5be54a33cffd3b)


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s8V0IJ11CoE&feature=player_embedded
Do Trees Communicate in order to COOPERATE rather than COMPETE?   ???

Yes They Do  (https://renewablerevolution.createaforum.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.pic4ever.com%2Fimages%2Ftreeswing.gif&hash=03d29d18183a2924176defc1df7861676abb0960)
All Of Life Works Together

 "These trees are not individuals in the sense that Darwin thought they were individuals competing for survival of the fittest. In fact they're interacting with each other trying to help each other survive." says Professor Suzanne Simard in this enlightening clip about communication between trees in the forest.

 It's not "language" as we know it, but it is language in the oldest form. Chemical language! They are sending messages to each other so that they can both survive. 

 A network spanning the forest connects one plant to another plant through fungi. The trees shuffle carbon and nitrogen back and forth according to who needs it.

 All of nature is working together, in symbiosis so that life can thrive. We unlock secrets one at a time, as we observe, in awe.   (https://renewablerevolution.createaforum.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.pic4ever.com%2Fimages%2Fearthhug.gif&hash=3abcf70466f34337f2d702ebd9e02c650d5c4c20)

 --Bibi Farber
- See more at: http://www.nextworldtv.com/videos/interesting--other/do-trees-communicate.html#sthash.r2B2SywI.dpuf
Title: Re: The Fabulous Plant Kingdom
Post by: AGelbert on January 23, 2015, 12:31:44 am
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lOgP5NzcTuA&x-yt-ts=1421914688&x-yt-cl=84503534&feature=player_embedded
"Parasitic" wasps cause Oak trees to "build" wasp cribs (galls - they taste bitter too!) on the leaves and wood. The tree is unharmed. The wasps get their "houses".  (https://renewablerevolution.createaforum.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.pic4ever.com%2Fimages%2Ftreeswing.gif&hash=03d29d18183a2924176defc1df7861676abb0960)

Agelbert NOTE: Right behind my house I have some Hamamelis virginiana (witch hazel) trees that get galls on their leaves as well. But those are for a type of moth. It seems insects and trees are symbiotic, not "parasitic", as this video claims. Trees and plants NEED insects for pollination. Trees providing shelter for insects and their offspring is a mark of symbiotic cooperation.   (https://renewablerevolution.createaforum.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fdl6.glitter-graphics.net%2Fpub%2F2752%2F2752256x4e962185l.gif&hash=b172b54c5cf7f75b0c1e937dee34cbf4c99097bc)
Title: Re: The Fabulous Plant Kingdom
Post by: AGelbert on February 15, 2015, 06:01:55 pm
Oak trees should NEVER be cut down for wood or any other reason.

When Do Oak Trees Produce the Most Acorns?  ??? (https://renewablerevolution.createaforum.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.pic4ever.com%2Fimages%2Ftreeswing.gif&hash=03d29d18183a2924176defc1df7861676abb0960)

(https://renewablerevolution.createaforum.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fstatic.panoramio.com%2Fphotos%2Flarge%2F27744837.jpg&hash=f47ccc45838f19a951f2fdde89f432dea9f92ce9)
Deer and Oak tree

(https://renewablerevolution.createaforum.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.qdma.com%2Fimages%2Fmade%2Fuploads%2Farticles%2F7213%2Fred_oak_lead_574_339_s.jpg&hash=6719dcfd747aa4df139abb4d5c9ded8e34ca2892)
Red Oak tree (also known as Deer Oak) acorns

Oak trees produce the most acorns once they reach 50 years old.  :o Acorns are the reproductive nuts of oak trees, and the rate of acorn growth continues until the oak trees are approximately 80 years old before it gradually declines.

It takes an average of about 20 years before an oak tree even begins to produce acorns. Mass acorn production generally occurs every 2 to 5 years.


(https://renewablerevolution.createaforum.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Ffc07.deviantart.net%2Ffs70%2Ff%2F2013%2F346%2F2%2Fb%2Fsquirrel_117__squirrel_fast_food_by_easterngraysquirrel-d6xor0i.jpg&hash=ad3b62f5be3f88bb4630ada53ff542c44d2b8708)

Since acorns are heavier than other plant seeds, oak trees cannot rely on the wind to spread them out to grow new trees. Instead, acorn dispersal is largely due to squirrels and jay birds collecting acorns and spreading them out to grow.

More about acorns:


•A liquid extracted from acorns was thought to be a cure for alcohol addiction in the 1600s. (Agelbert Note: It probably wasn't the acorn juice, but the threat of a person who liked booze being forced to take a swig of those bitter and stomach turning tannins in acorn juice, that did the trick  ;)  ;D)


(https://renewablerevolution.createaforum.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2F3.bp.blogspot.com%2F-CGP11zbgNPU%2FUkRqd5ca9wI%2FAAAAAAAAH-8%2FuuT25ehW-Vs%2Fs400%2FUntitled10.png&hash=b043c92674c811fb6a2faa7a2b85cf091bf91d6a)   
Over 100 different animal species include acorns as a major component of their diets. This includes deer, squirrels, wild turkeys, rabbits, blue jays, and raccoons.
(https://renewablerevolution.createaforum.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.createaforum.com%2Fgallery%2Frenewablerevolution%2F3-150215175913.jpeg&hash=43211ea94616383ffbd81815384f68dee97d6df1)

(https://renewablerevolution.createaforum.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fupload.wikimedia.org%2Fwikipedia%2Fcommons%2Fa%2Faf%2FKorean_acorn_jelly-Dotorimuk-03.jpg&hash=d582bb04183bf997aa668f82aaa25df70fdb35e1)
Dotorink

•A Korean jelly known as dotorimuk is made from acorn starch, and is generally served as a savory dish combined with scallions, carrots, and sesame seeds.

http://www.wisegeek.com/when-do-oak-trees-produce-the-most-acorns.htm

Agelbert NOTE: Oak tree and multiple animal species fauna flora symbiosis is another example of the impossibility of flora to have 'evolved' millions of years PRIOR to the animals they REQUIRE (covering a lot more biological territory than pollination and seed dispersal) to survive and propagate.  (https://renewablerevolution.createaforum.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.pic4ever.com%2Fimages%2F129fs238648.gif&hash=bbf8ad9cbaff9e7d3097c40c21a931e6649a237f)
Title: Re: The Fabulous Plant Kingdom
Post by: AGelbert on April 06, 2015, 01:15:02 am
(https://renewablerevolution.createaforum.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fdl5.glitter-graphics.net%2Fpub%2F3328%2F3328805eipbi6o30e.gif&hash=6b47effe687cb862012c19507f1979f43ff67a02)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4w04os447Mo&feature=player_embedded
Title: Re: The Fabulous Plant Kingdom
Post by: AGelbert on April 08, 2015, 08:41:08 pm
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GEtl09VZiSU&feature=player_embedded

The healthy little bugs in the ground 
Soil and dirt, same thing, right?

 Wrong.

 Let's take a closer look.

 Dr. Elaine Ingham, a world renowned soil biologist and founder of the Sustainable Studies Institute and Soil Foodweb Inc., shows us just how vital healthy soil is to our soil, and to life on Earth itself.

 By taking good care of their soil, farmers and small growers can yield healthier crops in a higher abundance.

 It's all about the little bugs (good bugs!) that live inside the ground.  (https://renewablerevolution.createaforum.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.pic4ever.com%2Fimages%2F128fs318181.gif&hash=eff6d5f3831782966c2ff2081f07bf7fc5b22a6b)

http://www.therealfoodchannel.com/videos/farming-1/this-is-the-difference-between-soil-and-dirt.html

Agelbert NOTE: As the Dr. Ingham points out, WATCH the TEMPERATURE of your compost to make SURE the micro biota have enough oxygen to STAY AEROBIC.   (https://renewablerevolution.createaforum.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.pic4ever.com%2Fimages%2F129fs238648.gif&hash=bbf8ad9cbaff9e7d3097c40c21a931e6649a237f)

Title: Re: The Fabulous Plant Kingdom
Post by: AGelbert on May 21, 2015, 10:58:21 pm
Sequoia sempervirens

Where Is the Tallest Tree in the World?

As of 2015, the world's tallest tree is "Hyperion," located in Redwood National Park, in California. It was discovered in 2006 by hikers Chris Atkins and Michael Taylor. The tree is a coast redwood (Sequoia sempervirens) and it is 379 feet 4 inches (115.62 meters) tall. The exact location of the Hyperion is not known, however. Scientists are keeping the location of Hyperion secret in order to protect it.

(https://renewablerevolution.createaforum.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.backyardnature.net%2Fn%2F09%2F090517rw.jpg&hash=9e3705d8ea4df14922641e44fff75174527b1f65)
(https://renewablerevolution.createaforum.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.pic4ever.com%2Fimages%2Fearthhug.gif&hash=3abcf70466f34337f2d702ebd9e02c650d5c4c20)

Coast redwoods grow mostly in California and California's forests and state parks are believed to be home to the largest trees in the world. Another redwood, Del Norte Titan, is located in Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park in California. This tree is so large that if the tree were to be cut into planks, it could build 120 houses.

More about trees and plants:
(https://renewablerevolution.createaforum.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.createaforum.com%2Fgallery%2Frenewablerevolution%2F3-180614133106.gif&hash=f26708c516ebb4b9a80dea544380859872bf3d9f)

•Plants absorb carbon dioxide and release oxygen during the day, and absorb oxygen and release carbon dioxide at night. They release far more oxygen than they absorb.

•The origin of the word "tree" is "tre" from Old English. "Forest" comes from the old French word "foresta" which meant "woodland."

•Two mature trees produce enough oxygen to fulfill the annual oxygen needs of four people.
  (https://renewablerevolution.createaforum.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.pic4ever.com%2Fimages%2Ftreeswing.gif&hash=03d29d18183a2924176defc1df7861676abb0960)

http://www.wisegeek.com/where-is-the-tallest-tree-in-the-world.htm
Title: Re: The Fabulous Plant Kingdom
Post by: AGelbert on October 01, 2015, 12:18:03 am
A Decade of Pacific Phytoplankton Blooms
https://youtu.be/QSDaBJgGIKU
Title: Re: The Fabulous Plant Kingdom
Post by: AGelbert on November 05, 2015, 03:08:33 pm
https://youtu.be/Bpqm21irxiU

Curved Lines Produce More  (https://renewablerevolution.createaforum.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.pic4ever.com%2Fimages%2F128fs318181.gif&hash=eff6d5f3831782966c2ff2081f07bf7fc5b22a6b)

Quote
Why does a tree not produce a leaf that's square?

 It's to maximize the edge. You will get more production out of a curved line than a straight line.

Permaculture is fascinating in that it teaches us to look at nature's non- linear systems, and understand the basic underlying patterns of natural phenomena.

In the example of an oak leaf we find a pattern that allows for maximum accessibility and minimum amount of path. Maximum edge means maximum use of pattern.

Planting in circles instead of rows is a practical use of this concept.

 --Bibi Farber
Title: Re: The Fabulous Plant Kingdom
Post by: AGelbert on December 21, 2015, 08:27:47 pm
https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=uGMV6IJy1Oc
Plant Wisdom   (https://renewablerevolution.createaforum.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fdl5.glitter-graphics.net%2Fpub%2F3328%2F3328805eipbi6o30e.gif&hash=6b47effe687cb862012c19507f1979f43ff67a02)
Title: Re: The Fabulous Plant Kingdom
Post by: AGelbert on January 13, 2016, 10:36:36 pm
When plants explode! Nature at its comic book best (video) (https://renewablerevolution.createaforum.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.freesmileys.org%2Femoticons%2Femoticon-object-034.gif&hash=aaa4624f4728fa49a5a4511b865e35a767958109)  (https://renewablerevolution.createaforum.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.createaforum.com%2Fgallery%2Frenewablerevolution%2F3-200714191258.bmp&hash=e4ed21caaca822f7445ccafd39f49a9f84be90ca)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NsIojj4PzAo&feature=player_embedded

http://www.treehugger.com/natural-sciences/when-plants-explode-nature-its-comic-book-best-video.html
Title: Re: The Fabulous Plant Kingdom
Post by: AGelbert on February 17, 2016, 07:05:44 pm
(https://renewablerevolution.createaforum.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.bativert.ma%2Fimages%2Fimage3.jpg&hash=7c7c27d838504cb1d5c5a4c1efac44e790a39265)
Richard Evans Schultes (1915-2001)
Posted on February 17, 2016 by wordpress   
https://youtu.be/V2mUapYBWy8
]

Richard Evans Schultes (1915-2001) was probably the greatest explorer of the Amazon, and regarded among anthropologists and seekers alike as the “father of ethnobotany.”

Taking what was meant to be a short leave from Harvard in 1941, he surveyed the Amazon basin almost continuously for twelve years, during which time he lived among two dozen different Indian tribes, mapped rivers, secretly sought sources of rubber for the US government during WWII, and collected and classified 30,000 botanical specimens, including 2,000 new medicinal plants.

During this interview conducted on December 15, 1990, he looked back on his expeditions to the Amazon.

https://youtu.be/1lxtn7zbQfw

This entry was posted in Ethnobotany, Interviews, Medicine, Mind, Resources, Videos. Bookmark the permalink.

http://plantwisdom.org/richard-evans-schultes-1915-2001/
Title: Re: The Fabulous Plant Kingdom
Post by: AGelbert on May 10, 2017, 09:15:57 pm
(https://renewablerevolution.createaforum.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.createaforum.com%2Fgallery%2Frenewablerevolution%2F3-210614221509.gif&hash=321fe21df023cf1147bed6c0ce80b0459d513f7a)
What Plants Talk About (Full Documentary)
https://youtu.be/CrrSAc-vjG4

Published on Feb 28, 2014

When we think about plants, we don't often associate a term like "behavior" with them, but experimental plant ecologist JC Cahill wants to change that. The University of Alberta professor maintains that plants do behave and lead anything but solitary and sedentary lives. What Plants Talk About teaches us all that plants are smarter and much more interactive than we thought!  (https://renewablerevolution.createaforum.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.pic4ever.com%2Fimages%2F128fs318181.gif&hash=eff6d5f3831782966c2ff2081f07bf7fc5b22a6b)     (https://renewablerevolution.createaforum.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.pic4ever.com%2Fimages%2Fearthhug.gif&hash=3abcf70466f34337f2d702ebd9e02c650d5c4c20)


Title: Re: The Fabulous Plant Kingdom
Post by: AGelbert on July 16, 2017, 06:12:22 pm
(https://i2.wp.com/www.zmescience.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/300px-Dionaea_muscipula_closing_trap_animation.gif)
This looks like a plant you don’t want to mess with — especially if you’re an insect. Image credits: Monika

Agelbert NOTE: The Venus Flytrap is one of those irreducibly complex life forms that only survives when ALL of its subsystems are working perfectly AND the life forms it eats are available. This is a plant that eats mostly bugs, but isn't particular as to what it attempts to digest inside its exposed stomachs.  ;D

The evolutionist true believers never seem to be concerned with the alleged "fact" that the prey of this plant apparently "evolved" millions, if not billions, of years AFTER the plant did.

If these worshipers of Darwin's atheist fantasies had an ounce of integrity, they would, either question evolution as a viable scientific theory, or question the even more thorny issue for them of the possibility that the "millions and millions of years" thing doesn't fit with the evidence. (https://renewablerevolution.createaforum.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.pic4ever.com%2Fimages%2F290.gif&hash=38949e35cf58eaa4218b5a8176767c806d2f8537)

But, they are not prone to questioning their pet theories. no matter how irrational. (https://renewablerevolution.createaforum.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.pic4ever.com%2Fimages%2F237.gif&hash=13b71d2444f84b15c53fb1c0272c080f48a165f1)  (https://renewablerevolution.createaforum.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.pic4ever.com%2Fimages%2F245.gif&hash=67462ab647fbd65cb336e77c93c2601e477da0a9)


Enjoy he article, but always take the "evolution" word, that seems to be mandatory in most science articles (included to avoid being attacked for "heresy" against Holy Darwin  ;)), with a hefty grain of salt.   (https://renewablerevolution.createaforum.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.pic4ever.com%2Fimages%2F128fs318181.gif&hash=eff6d5f3831782966c2ff2081f07bf7fc5b22a6b)


(https://i1.wp.com/www.zmescience.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/venus-flytrap-1531345_960_720.jpg)

Plant Files: The Venus Flytrap

LAST UPDATED ON JULY 5TH, 2017 AT 8:37 PM BY MIHAI ANDREI

The carnivorous Venus flytrap is one of the most interesting and bizarre plants in the world. It evolved (https://renewablerevolution.createaforum.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2F1.bp.blogspot.com%2F-TzWpwHzCvCI%2FT_sBEnhCCpI%2FAAAAAAAAME8%2FIsLpuU8HYxc%2Fs1600%2Fnooo-way-smiley.gif&hash=b8545bd420b1e2f2c7b9f665d2093523e4ad2251) specifically to trap and digest insects, and we only recently learned just how it does that. Let’s have a look.

Contents

1 What is the Venus flytrap
2 The trap
3 Buy and grow a Venus flytrap
4 Venus flytrap facts


What is the Venus flytrap

The Venus flytrap, or Dionaea muscipula, is a plant native to the subtropical wetlands on the East Coast of the United States. Like other carnivorous plants, it developed this way because it grows in nutrient-poor soil and can’t support itself through photosynthesis alone. It needed to complement its diet, so it turned predatory.   (https://renewablerevolution.createaforum.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.coh2.org%2Fimages%2FSmileys%2Fhuhsign.gif&hash=3732d0427be65896527fc3805c5be54a33cffd3b)

The plant has one leaf which basically turned into a trap, with two jaws that can shut quickly and strongly, rendering any insect unfortunate enough to wander into the trap unable to exit. The insects are then slowly digested and absorbed by the plant, which incredibly(https://renewablerevolution.createaforum.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.desismileys.com%2Fsmileys%2Fdesismileys_2932.gif&hash=0eaec4791a5825821998245e7fcd7744b56557fe) , manages to do all this without a nervous system, muscles, or a stomach! More on that a bit later.

The plant itself is quite small, so there’s no risk of damage to larger creatures, though it looks quite intimidating in its own right. The flytrap can exhibit several variations in shape and size, but all of them look quite similarly relative to each other. If you kneel next to one or have a close look, you’ll see a circular arrangement of four to seven flat green stalks. These stalks do perform photosynthesis, but that’s not enough to get the plant going. Even with the extra digested insects, the plant grows very slowly.

The trap
(https://i1.wp.com/www.zmescience.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/Venus_Flytrap_showing_trigger_hairs.jpg)
The trap! Notice the small, dark hairs on the inside? That’s where all the magic happens. Image credits: Noah Elhardt.

Without a doubt, the most interesting part about the Venus flytrap is the trap itself. The trap is a modified leaf: a hinged midrib, secreting sap to attract insects. Glands on the leaf also secret enzymes which help digest and absorb nutrients from the insects. The rims of each lobe flair out in a curved row of spikes to prevent the prey from escaping. Interestingly, the spikes are designed in such a way that they permit the escape of smaller prey. This is likely because there’s not enough incentive to eat very small insects — there’s just not enough “meat” to them. In fact, it’s been often documented that the plant actually releases smaller insects. Since trapping and digesting are quite taxing processes, it probably doesn’t want to invest all that effort if the reward is not big enough.

When the plant senses an insect, it shuts down in less than 0.1 seconds — but how does it shut down so fast, and how does it sense insects in the first place?

The two questions are actually interconnected. The inside of the trap is lined with a few sensitive hairs, with a bit of distance between them. If you only touch one of them, like a raindrop would do, for instance, nothing happens. Even if you touch several of them but only once (and that’s once every 20 seconds), nothing happens. You need to touch several of them more than once in 20 seconds (as a scurrying insect would) to shut the trap.

Agelbert NOTE: Read the full interesting article at the link below. I apologize for intruding upon your reading at this point, but, as you noticed  ;D, I increased the font size on that "20 second" plant reaction time frame mentioned above so you could ponder, at your leisure, the LACK of discussion in the article as to how such a precise bit of selective GROUP timing (several hairs have to be stimulated simultaneously for the thing to work) could "evolve" in one generation of a previously non-functional predatory mechanism (to avoid the entire species going extinct from natural selection), never mind a few million years.

This plant WILL NOT SURVIVE without PRECISE timing DESIGNED to capture insects BASED on the anatomy, physiology AND BEHAVIOR under stress, of said insects. The evolutionary true believers (https://renewablerevolution.createaforum.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.pic4ever.com%2Fimages%2Fbc3.gif&hash=e80a574cef1f1cd31dc58d76fe36b5ffb7fe7d5b) just never want to GO where the science ACTUALLY leads them.(https://renewablerevolution.createaforum.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.desismileys.com%2Fsmileys%2Fdesismileys_6961.gif&hash=df13f27d25fd180bcc904f19809e2b35dc3309cf)(https://renewablerevolution.createaforum.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.pic4ever.com%2Fimages%2Fnocomment.gif&hash=e2062ee03ac013cc64a2d5285ec05dd9510c141b)

THIS IS WHY, NO MATTER HOW MUCH PROOF YOU PRESENT TO THEM, THEY WILL NOT ACCEPT THAT THEY ARE WRONG:
(https://renewablerevolution.createaforum.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Frenewablerevolution.createaforum.com%2Fgallery%2Frenewablerevolution%2F3-160717180543.png&hash=5d19852f15a06f953ccc0ad84f6dc4caee554089)


But at least they are honest about describing what they actually know about the biochemistry of this plant's predatory behavior. We must be thankful for small favors. 8)

Quote
So, after an insect touches the trap twice in less than 20 seconds, sensitive hairs on the inside send an electric signal changing cellular water pressure in the lobes, shutting down the trap. The plant is then digested, and the trap only opens to reveal a digested exoskeleton.

(https://renewablerevolution.createaforum.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.pic4ever.com%2Fimages%2Freading.gif&hash=63e3e644b39258d4c4eedbcdaf322315b1856723)
http://www.zmescience.com/science/venus-flytrap/


Quote
“This plant, commonly called Venus’ fly-trap, is one of the most wonderful in the world.”  Darwin in Insectivorous Plants(1875)
Darwin loved predators and their "freedom" (in his atheistic morality free world view) to DO what they DO, which despite much modern Darwin apologist yammering to the contrary, was what his "survival of the fittest" meme was REALLY all about  (https://renewablerevolution.createaforum.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.createaforum.com%2Fgallery%2Frenewablerevolution%2F3-311013201314.png&hash=0715eb72631014310634eb56176ff860c6d542f6).

Darwin had it backwards. Apex predators have since been recognized to be the LEAST adaptable of species because they depend on prey species populations that need to be several times as numerous (and adaptable) as the predators. The apex predators are the FIRST to die off (as evidenced by the most impacted species in this Sixth Mass Extinction) when resources are lacking, making an appropriate and well deserved mockery of Darwin's theory.  (https://renewablerevolution.createaforum.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.pic4ever.com%2Fimages%2F245.gif&hash=67462ab647fbd65cb336e77c93c2601e477da0a9)

It is ironic that he admired a plant that is a testament to finely tuned, DESIGNED complexity that only works when prey, TOTALLY unrelated to the plant's biology, is available. The amazing BALONEY about  a PLANT, "deciding" to turn bug predator because, uh, the "soil was poor", is an excellent example of fairy tales pushed as "science" by the Darwinian true believers. (https://renewablerevolution.createaforum.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2F2.bp.blogspot.com%2F_9HT4xZyDmh4%2FTOHhxzA0wLI%2FAAAAAAAAEUk%2FoeHDS2cfxWQ%2Fs200%2FSmiley_Angel_Wings_Halo.jpg&hash=13281f1944b60773bf12b29387b70be77cc1fe16)    (https://renewablerevolution.createaforum.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.pic4ever.com%2Fimages%2Fgen152.gif&hash=d5b10968fe56c4cb95fae17cee3cb420a5f4e2da)

Title: Re: The Fabulous Plant Kingdom
Post by: AGelbert on July 17, 2017, 01:32:19 pm
(https://i2.wp.com/www.zmescience.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/300px-Dionaea_muscipula_closing_trap_animation.gif)
This looks like a plant you don’t want to mess with — especially if you’re an insect. Image credits: Monika

Agelbert NOTE: The Venus Flytrap is one of those irreducibly complex life forms that only survives when ALL of its subsystems are working perfectly AND the life forms it eats are available. This is a plant that eats mostly bugs, but isn't particular as to what it attempts to digest inside its exposed stomachs.  ;D

The evolutionist true believers never seem to be concerned with the alleged "fact" that the prey of this plant apparently "evolved" millions, if not billions, of years AFTER the plant did.

If these worshipers of Darwin's atheist fantasies had an ounce of integrity, they would, either question evolution as a viable scientific theory, or question the even more thorny issue for them of the possibility that the "millions and millions of years" thing doesn't fit with the evidence. (https://renewablerevolution.createaforum.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.pic4ever.com%2Fimages%2F290.gif&hash=38949e35cf58eaa4218b5a8176767c806d2f8537)

But, they are not prone to questioning their pet theories. no matter how irrational. (https://renewablerevolution.createaforum.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.pic4ever.com%2Fimages%2F237.gif&hash=13b71d2444f84b15c53fb1c0272c080f48a165f1)  (https://renewablerevolution.createaforum.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.pic4ever.com%2Fimages%2F245.gif&hash=67462ab647fbd65cb336e77c93c2601e477da0a9)


Enjoy he article, but always take the "evolution" word, that seems to be mandatory in most science articles (included to avoid being attacked for "heresy" against Holy Darwin  ;)), with a hefty grain of salt.   (https://renewablerevolution.createaforum.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.pic4ever.com%2Fimages%2F128fs318181.gif&hash=eff6d5f3831782966c2ff2081f07bf7fc5b22a6b)


(https://i1.wp.com/www.zmescience.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/venus-flytrap-1531345_960_720.jpg)

Plant Files: The Venus Flytrap

LAST UPDATED ON JULY 5TH, 2017 AT 8:37 PM BY MIHAI ANDREI

The carnivorous Venus flytrap is one of the most interesting and bizarre plants in the world. It evolved (https://renewablerevolution.createaforum.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2F1.bp.blogspot.com%2F-TzWpwHzCvCI%2FT_sBEnhCCpI%2FAAAAAAAAME8%2FIsLpuU8HYxc%2Fs1600%2Fnooo-way-smiley.gif&hash=b8545bd420b1e2f2c7b9f665d2093523e4ad2251) specifically to trap and digest insects, and we only recently learned just how it does that. Let’s have a look.

Contents

1 What is the Venus flytrap
2 The trap
3 Buy and grow a Venus flytrap
4 Venus flytrap facts


What is the Venus flytrap

The Venus flytrap, or Dionaea muscipula, is a plant native to the subtropical wetlands on the East Coast of the United States. Like other carnivorous plants, it developed this way because it grows in nutrient-poor soil and can’t support itself through photosynthesis alone. It needed to complement its diet, so it turned predatory.   (https://renewablerevolution.createaforum.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.coh2.org%2Fimages%2FSmileys%2Fhuhsign.gif&hash=3732d0427be65896527fc3805c5be54a33cffd3b)

The plant has one leaf which basically turned into a trap, with two jaws that can shut quickly and strongly, rendering any insect unfortunate enough to wander into the trap unable to exit. The insects are then slowly digested and absorbed by the plant, which incredibly(https://renewablerevolution.createaforum.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.desismileys.com%2Fsmileys%2Fdesismileys_2932.gif&hash=0eaec4791a5825821998245e7fcd7744b56557fe) , manages to do all this without a nervous system, muscles, or a stomach! More on that a bit later.

The plant itself is quite small, so there’s no risk of damage to larger creatures, though it looks quite intimidating in its own right. The flytrap can exhibit several variations in shape and size, but all of them look quite similarly relative to each other. If you kneel next to one or have a close look, you’ll see a circular arrangement of four to seven flat green stalks. These stalks do perform photosynthesis, but that’s not enough to get the plant going. Even with the extra digested insects, the plant grows very slowly.

The trap
(https://i1.wp.com/www.zmescience.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/Venus_Flytrap_showing_trigger_hairs.jpg)
The trap! Notice the small, dark hairs on the inside? That’s where all the magic happens. Image credits: Noah Elhardt.

Without a doubt, the most interesting part about the Venus flytrap is the trap itself. The trap is a modified leaf: a hinged midrib, secreting sap to attract insects. Glands on the leaf also secret enzymes which help digest and absorb nutrients from the insects. The rims of each lobe flair out in a curved row of spikes to prevent the prey from escaping. Interestingly, the spikes are designed in such a way that they permit the escape of smaller prey. This is likely because there’s not enough incentive to eat very small insects — there’s just not enough “meat” to them. In fact, it’s been often documented that the plant actually releases smaller insects. Since trapping and digesting are quite taxing processes, it probably doesn’t want to invest all that effort if the reward is not big enough.

When the plant senses an insect, it shuts down in less than 0.1 seconds — but how does it shut down so fast, and how does it sense insects in the first place?

The two questions are actually interconnected. The inside of the trap is lined with a few sensitive hairs, with a bit of distance between them. If you only touch one of them, like a raindrop would do, for instance, nothing happens. Even if you touch several of them but only once (and that’s once every 20 seconds), nothing happens. You need to touch several of them more than once in 20 seconds (as a scurrying insect would) to shut the trap.

Agelbert NOTE: Read the full interesting article at the link below. I apologize for intruding upon your reading at this point, but, as you noticed  ;D, I increased the font size on that "20 second" plant reaction time frame mentioned above so you could ponder, at your leisure, the LACK of discussion in the article as to how such a precise bit of selective GROUP timing (several hairs have to be stimulated simultaneously for the thing to work) could "evolve" in one generation of a previously non-functional predatory mechanism (to avoid the entire species going extinct from natural selection), never mind a few million years.

This plant WILL NOT SURVIVE without PRECISE timing DESIGNED to capture insects BASED on the anatomy, physiology AND BEHAVIOR under stress, of said insects. The evolutionary true believers (https://renewablerevolution.createaforum.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.pic4ever.com%2Fimages%2Fbc3.gif&hash=e80a574cef1f1cd31dc58d76fe36b5ffb7fe7d5b) just never want to GO where the science ACTUALLY leads them.(https://renewablerevolution.createaforum.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.desismileys.com%2Fsmileys%2Fdesismileys_6961.gif&hash=df13f27d25fd180bcc904f19809e2b35dc3309cf)(https://renewablerevolution.createaforum.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.pic4ever.com%2Fimages%2Fnocomment.gif&hash=e2062ee03ac013cc64a2d5285ec05dd9510c141b)

THIS IS WHY, NO MATTER HOW MUCH PROOF YOU PRESENT TO THEM, THEY WILL NOT ACCEPT THAT THEY ARE WRONG:
(https://renewablerevolution.createaforum.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Frenewablerevolution.createaforum.com%2Fgallery%2Frenewablerevolution%2F3-160717180543.png&hash=5d19852f15a06f953ccc0ad84f6dc4caee554089)


But at least they are honest about describing what they actually know about the biochemistry of this plant's predatory behavior. We must be thankful for small favors. 8)

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http://www.zmescience.com/science/venus-flytrap/ (http://www.zmescience.com/science/venus-flytrap/)

Darwin loved predators and their "freedom" (in his atheistic morality free world view) to DO what they DO, which despite much modern Darwin apologist yammering to the contrary, was what his "survival of the fittest" meme was REALLY all about  (https://renewablerevolution.createaforum.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.createaforum.com%2Fgallery%2Frenewablerevolution%2F3-311013201314.png&hash=0715eb72631014310634eb56176ff860c6d542f6).

Darwin had it backwards. Apex predators have since been recognized to be the LEAST adaptable of species because they depend on prey species populations that need to be several times as numerous (and adaptable) as the predators. The apex predators are the FIRST to die off (as evidenced by the most impacted species in this Sixth Mass Extinction) when resources are lacking, making an appropriate and well deserved mockery of Darwin's theory.  (https://renewablerevolution.createaforum.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.pic4ever.com%2Fimages%2F245.gif&hash=67462ab647fbd65cb336e77c93c2601e477da0a9)

It is ironic that he admired a plant that is a testament to finely tuned, DESIGNED complexity that only works when prey, TOTALLY unrelated to the plant's biology, is available. The amazing BALONEY about  a PLANT, "deciding" to turn bug predator because, uh, the "soil was poor", is an excellent example of fairy tales pushed as "science" by the Darwinian true believers. (https://renewablerevolution.createaforum.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2F2.bp.blogspot.com%2F_9HT4xZyDmh4%2FTOHhxzA0wLI%2FAAAAAAAAEUk%2FoeHDS2cfxWQ%2Fs200%2FSmiley_Angel_Wings_Halo.jpg&hash=13281f1944b60773bf12b29387b70be77cc1fe16)    (https://renewablerevolution.createaforum.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.pic4ever.com%2Fimages%2Fgen152.gif&hash=d5b10968fe56c4cb95fae17cee3cb420a5f4e2da)


This is another try by AG to prove God exists, rfering to the Venus flytrap;

Quote
AG: This plant WILL NOT SURVIVE without PRECISE timing DESIGNED to capture insects BASED on the anatomy, physiology AND BEHAVIOR under stress, of said insects.

Evidence ?

The whole point is Darwinian Evolution proceeds thru a series of small variations (https://renewablerevolution.createaforum.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.pic4ever.com%2Fimages%2Fugly004.gif&hash=c56db4280057389afd154a1cb4057410151579c8) , each one being selected by the survival filter in a war of competition with the insects. So Botanists know how the trigering mechanism works - by hydraulic pressure.  Look it up.  The digestive juices part is very simple - any strong enough acid will digest an insect.  Eating of insects by plants has evolved many times in different lineages. (https://renewablerevolution.createaforum.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.pic4ever.com%2Fimages%2Fugly004.gif&hash=c56db4280057389afd154a1cb4057410151579c8)

This is a photo of Drosera spathulata, growing on the edge of my driveway:


(https://doomsteaddiner.net/palloy/images/drosera.spathulata.2.jpg)
It doesn't cage the insect at all but merely catches it in a sticky secretion. The leaves then very slowly fold over it, again by hydraulic pressure. The plants don't have to "think' about evolving, they just do what their DNA says to do, and then allow selection to decide.

As for the insects not having evolved yet for millions of years, what is your evidence for that? It is just an unsubstantiated (and wrong) statement.

Quote
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Division_(biology) (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Division_(biology))
The main Divisions of land plants, in the order in which they probably evolved, are the Marchantiophyta (liverworts), Anthocerotophyta (hornworts), Bryophyta (mosses), Filicophyta (ferns), Sphenophyta (horsetails), Cycadophyta (cycads), Ginkgophyta (ginkgo)s, Pinophyta (conifers), Gnetophyta (gnetophytes), and the Magnoliophyta (Angiosperms, flowering plants). The flowering plants now dominate terrestrial ecosystems, comprising 80% of vascular plant species.

The Ginko is the only living species in the division Ginkgophyta, all others being extinct.

How interesting that you mention the Ginko. I'll get to that in a minute.  (https://renewablerevolution.createaforum.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.createaforum.com%2Fgallery%2Frenewablerevolution%2F3-280515145049.png&hash=84e87515e750391c1f1bca6d6ae06485972bfa81) (https://renewablerevolution.createaforum.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.createaforum.com%2Fgallery%2Frenewablerevolution%2F3-051113192052.png&hash=93c42ef9f18fc5d9da50fd91fc19f70009f95f85)

Evidence of extinct life forms is not now, or ever was, proof of anything except that said life forms are extinct, period.  The ones that survived are still here. End of story.

Here's one, that you just happened to mention in passing  ;), that the plant eating dinosaurs, while they were being bitten by mosquitoes (identical to the ones that sting us today) and buzzed by over sized dragonflies (but otherwise IDENTICAL to modern dragonflies) must have enjoyed. They are using the fossils to determine Carbon Dioxide content in ancient atmospheres when the earth had no ice caps.  ;D

How did they do it? ??? They found "200 million year old" fossils of a plant called a Ginko, that did NOT "evolve" AT ALL  ;D, all the way to the present (leaf structure is identical to modern Ginko leaves).

(https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c5/Ginkgo_biloba_MacAbee_BC.jpg)(https://thumbs.dreamstime.com/x/ginkgo-leaf-5470640.jpg)
Permian Ginko leaf fossil on left  - Modern Ginko Leaf on right Scientists are counting pores to determine atmospheric CO2 content

I took Botany and Zoology in college, so please skip the lectures. Angiosperms are supposed to have "evolved" after gymnosperms (translated as naked seeds).8) There is now abundant evidence this is NOT so. Your use of the word "probably" is appropriately placed because you are dealing with speculation, not empirical evidence. So, until you provide me evidence that the Venus Flytrap did NOT exist at the same time the gymnosperms did, your argument cannot go beyond the "probably" stage.

But that is just part of the problem you have. Your main difficulty is that, according to your "no creator" Procrustean Bed ideology, EVERYTHING that lives must have reached whatever position it happens to have in the biosphere by mere chance. THAT is why you require millions and millions of years to lift a predatory finger to eat an ant. (https://renewablerevolution.createaforum.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.createaforum.com%2Fgallery%2Frenewablerevolution%2F3-200714191258.bmp&hash=e4ed21caaca822f7445ccafd39f49a9f84be90ca)

The idea of design in nature gives you hives.  ;D I understand, gaspadine. You don't DO God so you need a plausible replacement. Your hero Darwin would be embarrassed to see how his loyal ideologues in modern times turn verbal pretzel cartwheels to avoid admitting irreducible complexity exists AND/OR that irreducible complexity equals design.

There is ZERO evidence that insects "evolved" (the yaba-daba-do about "primitive wasps, mosquitoes, ants and so on is ENTIRELY speculative because the "transition" fossils for insects ARE NOT THERE, though a straw grasping example of fossils they CLAIM are "transition" bugs, though few and far between, are trotted out as "proof" (https://renewablerevolution.createaforum.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.pic4ever.com%2Fimages%2Fugly004.gif&hash=c56db4280057389afd154a1cb4057410151579c8)), but ample evidence that plants were here long before they were. Look it up. Even the evolutionist true believers agree on that basic bit of scientific knowledge of paleo flora and fauna, which you apparently lack.

As for your assertion about plants not needing to think, that's irrelevant. Of course they DO what their DNA tells them to. BUT your "they got there gradually" (over millions and millions of year, according to you)
 assertion, which interestingly avoids discussion of the 20 second group effect to trigger a less than one second rapid closure, it is mere speculation without a shred of evidence. Spare the "convergent evolution" hypothesis. There is ZERO evidence for that too. It's just a verbal fig leaf to explain too nonrandom unrelated species cooperation.

But if you want to tack about "evolutionary advantages", which require you to believe the fantasy that they come about randomly and, of course  :evil4:, gradually (see: millions of years needed to statistically fit the "random success" meme  ;)) through "successful" mutations, then you really aught to study the woodpecker.  Yes, I'm sure the woodpecker cranium and bone tissue will bore you to tears, but it, like the Venus Flytrap system, requires everything to work, or nothing does.

You see, gaspadine, the woodpecker COULD NOT SURVIVE a single generation if it could not sense the location of a particular insect under the bark of a certain type of tree. That ability is, also, totally unrelated to it's beak and head anatomy and physiology, yet functions, in conjunction with the woodpecker neck muscles, eye design (UNIQUELY formed so they don't pop out from the G forces, as they would in any other animal but a woodpecker), and cranial bone strength as an irreducibly complex system for the purpose of successful predation. The bug that the woodpecker craves just happens to live under some rather hard bark. To hole that bark in search of that bug requires a a beak attached to a head that can impact said bark at several g-forces (that no other living creature but the woodpecker can survive  ;D).

But I understand your reluctance to take absolutely anything I say seriously (see below). No matter the mount of reasonable and logical arguments I make and no matter how much empirical evidence I present to you that makes a mockery of the theory of evolution, you will claim my argument is flawed. And that's when you are in a good mood. Normally you just go out of your way to deride, ridicule, disdain and generally ad hominem the messenger instead of admitting you are the one that is NOT providing a shred of evidence for your Darwinian atheist IDEOLOGY. 

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Title: Re: The Fabulous Plant Kingdom
Post by: AGelbert on July 17, 2017, 05:24:38 pm
(https://i.ytimg.com/vi/z5fOsgrAJiU/hqdefault.jpg)
The Venus Flytrap: A Major Enigma for Evolution  ;D

December 2, 2014

Quote
Among the wonders of the natural world are plants that eat animals, and the best known example is the Venus flytrap Dionaea muscipula. In Charles Darwin’s book on insectivorous plants, he described the plant and its ingenious design in great detail, but did not offer even a clue about its possible evolution (Darwin, 1896, pp. 286-320). He even called the plant “one of the most wonderful plants in the world” (p. 286).

This carnivorous plant is found growing in peaty sandy soil mainly in one small place, the extreme far east coast of North Carolina (Schnell, 2003, p. 85). It catches its prey, mostly ants, beetles, spiders and other crawling arachnids, with a complex, well designed, mitt-shaped trapping mechanism located at the terminal portion of the plant’s leaf (Ellison, 2006; Ellison and Gotelli, 2009).

The trap is triggered by tiny hairs on the mitt’s surface. When an insect or spider brushes against one of its six hairs, the trap closes, but normally only if a different hair is contacted within twenty to forty seconds of the first one (Schnell, 2003, p. 90). The redundant triggering requirement serves as a safeguard against wasting energy due to closing from stimuli such as rain, dust or wind. Truly, this is a finely tuned system.

The Trapping Mechanism

The Venus flytrap is one of a small group of plants capable of rapid response to stimuli, including the legume Mimosa (sensitive plant) which folds its compound leaves inward in response to touch ,  the legume Desmodium motorium (telegraph plant) which moves small lateral leaflets in order to sample the sun’s intensity so that an associated large leaf can orient itself in the best light, Drosera (sundews) which catch insects with sticky fluid and then bends projecting tentacles around the prey to hold it fast and digest it, and Utricularia (bladderworts) which develop tiny bladders under water. When attached trigger hairs are brushed by a tiny aquatic animal, a trap door swings up and the victim is sucked in by the vacuum in the interior cavity. The trap door snaps shut and the victim is digested.

The trap closing mechanism in Venus flytrap involves a complex interaction between elasticity, turgor, and growth. To help attract prey, the plant’s flytrap secretes sugars and other attractants. In the open, un-tripped state, the trap lobes are convex (bent outwards) but concave (bent inwards) in the closed state, forming a small cavity (Williams, 2002). The complex mechanism and biochemistry used to trigger the rapid closing—about a tenth of a second—is still poorly understood (Sarfati, 2007).

It is known that when the trigger hairs are stimulated, an action potential, mostly involving calcium ions, is generated.  A threshold of ion buildup is required for the Venus flytrap to react (Ueda, 2010). To cause rapid closure of their trap walls hydrogen ions are moved into the individual cells, lowering the pH. This causes them to swell rapidly by allowing water to flow into the cells, which changes the trap lobe’s shape, resulting in the trap’s closure.

One extensive Harvard University study of the trapping mechanism concluded the question that motivated Darwin’s life work, namely how did the mechanism evolve, is still unresolved. The study documented that these plants are nature’s ultimate hydraulic engineers (Forterre, et. al, 2005, p. 421).

Proposed Evolutionary History

The carnivorous diet, a very specialized form of feeding, is used by only a very few plant kinds living in soil poor in nutrients. Evolutionists theorize that their carnivorous traps evolved to allow these organisms to survive in harsh environments. The “snap trap” mechanism characteristic of Venus flytrap is shared with only one other carnivorous plant genus, the aquatic and unusual Aldrovanda, a relationship thought by evolutionists to be due to convergent evolution. Another proposal is that both Venus flytrap and Aldrovanda snap traps evolved from a flypaper trap similar to the living  Drosera regia.

The model proposes that plant snap-traps evolved from the flypaper traps driven by natural selection for larger prey size, thereby providing the plant with more nutrients. The problem is that large insects can more easily escape the sticky mucilage of flypaper traps. Evolution of the snap-trap mechanism would prevent both escape and kleptoparasitism, theft of captured prey from the plant before it can derive benefits from it. It would also permit a more complete digestion (Gibson and Waller, 2009).

Faster closing allows less reliance on the flypaper model, thus larger insects, instead of flying to the trap, usually walk over to the traps, and are more likely to break free from sticky glands. Therefore, a plant with wider leaves, like Drosera falconeri, is theorized to have evolved a trap design that maximizes its chance of capturing and retaining such prey. Once adequately “wrapped,” escape is far more difficult.

Ultimately, the plant relied more in closing around the insect rather than using stickiness. Thus something like sundew might eventually lose its original function altogether, and in so doing develop the trap “teeth” and trigger hairs, which evolutionists claim are examples of natural selection hijacking pre-existing structures for new functions. At some point in its evolutionary history, the plant would have to develop the complex digestive gland system inside the trap, rather than using dew on the stalks for this purpose, further differentiating it from the Drosera genus.

The theory that Venus flytrap evolved from an ancestral carnivorous plant that used a sticky trap instead of a snap trap seems logical, but is not based on evidence. The theory is the sticky leaf traps consume many smaller, aerial insects, and the Venus flytrap consumes a few larger terrestrial bugs, which then allow it to extract more nutrients from these larger bugs. The claim is this gives Dionaea an advantage over their ancestral sticky trap form (Gibson and Waller, 2009). The problem with this theory is that both plants survive quite well, and both obtain close to the same total amount of needed nutrients. Another problem is the plant would have to, not only evolve the trapping mechanism, but also would have to completely redesign the flypaper system, including loss of the complex adhesive used to trap the insects.

Some molecular evidence indicates a close relationship between snap traps and fly-paper traps (Cameron, et al., 2002, p. 1503). However, evaluation of a few genes, as used in this study, tells us very little about evolutionary relationships. Scores of genes are normally regulated as a set to produce a trait, requiring both comparisons of hundreds of genes as well as comparisons of many plants. This entire account is a just-so story which is not based on fossil or other evidence. The split second nature of the trapping method is too precise to have developed spontaneously.

The major difficulty for evolution is the trap system would not allow for obtaining food until all of the essential parts were functional and in place. It would seem that, given the Venus flytrap’s very short root system, natural selection would select for a much larger and deeper root system rather than evolve an enormously complex trapping system that is still not fully understood today in spite of decades of scientific research.

The total lack of fossil evidence concerning the many steps that would link Venus flytrap and their common ancestor such as Drosera, is explained away by rationalizing that carnivorous plants are generally herbs that do not readily form fossilizable structures, such as thick bark or wood. Therefore, evolutionists must extrapolate an evolutionary history from studies of extant genera (Gibson and Waller, 2009). The problem with this speculation is the soft parts of plants, such as leaves, are very abundant in the fossil record (Zhou, 2003).

A major dilemma for evolution is that the Venus flytrap plant can thrive quite well in its natural habitat of moist peat moss without ever consuming insects. Botanist George Howe regulated their diet by using large glass jars to prevent the plant’s accidental consumption of insects (Howe, 1978, p. 40).  Since the plant is able to obtain all of the nutrients it requires from the soil and atmosphere, Charles Darwin’s idea for the natural selection mechanism essential to his concept of evolution is, in this case, based on a totally erroneous foundation. Obviously the Venus flytrap did not evolve, but was beautifully designed for its role in the ecosystem. (https://renewablerevolution.createaforum.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.desismileys.com%2Fsmileys%2Fdesismileys_0293.gif&hash=b1af4868ed8f18c30e637f8cbcb79002f6f71039)

 
References

Cameron, Kenneth M. et al. 2002. American Journal of Botany, 89(9): 1503–1509.

Darwin, Charles. 1896. Insectivorous Plants. New York: Appleton.

Ellison, Aaron M. 2006. Biology, 8:740–747.

Ellison, Aaron M. and N.J. Gotelli. 2009. Experimental Botany, 60(1):19-42.

Forterre, Yoël et al. 2005. Nature, 433(7024):421-425, January 27.

Gibson, T. C. and D. M. Waller. 2009. New Phytologist, 183(3): 575–587.

Howe, George. 1978. Creation Research Society Quarterly, 15(1):39-40, June.

Sarfati, Jonathan. 2007. Creation, 29(4):36-37, September-November.

Schnell, Donald. 2003. Carnivorous Plants of the United States and Canada. Portland, OR. Timber Press. Second Edition.

Ueda, Minoru. 2010. ChemBioChem. Wiley.

Williams, S. E. 2002. Proceedings of the 4th International Carnivorous Plant Society Conference. Tokyo pp. 77-81.

Zhou, Zhonghe, et al. 2003. Nature. 421: 807-814. February, 20.

 http://www.create.ab.ca/the-venus-flytrap-a-major-enigma-for-evolution/
Title: Re: The Fabulous Plant Kingdom
Post by: AGelbert on July 17, 2017, 06:05:14 pm
(https://renewablerevolution.createaforum.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.flytrapcare.com%2Fstore%2Fmedia%2Fcatalog%2Fproduct%2Fcache%2F1%2Fimage%2F9df78eab33525d08d6e5fb8d27136e95%2Fplaceholder%2Fdefault%2Fdionaea-venus-fly-trap.png&hash=e2571335f2ae84c99aac09ee5a2993a99ecf5c2d)

Quote
3. Paley, Natural Theology, p. 367, published at Darwin-Online.UK.

If you stand for fairness and historical accuracy, snatch that well-designed plant out of Charlie’s gnarly hands and let’s set the record straight.  This plant is more irreducibly complex than Behe’s man-made mousetrap. (The scientific name, by the way, means “Dione’s daughter’s mousetrap” ;D).  It’s even more exquisite than Ellis, Linnaeus or Paley could have imagined.  Darwin would have croaked if he had been told what these scientists found.  Since the Venus flytrap clearly bears the hallmarks of intelligent design, let’s call it “the Paley plant, known since the time of the famous Biblical creationist, Linnaeus.”

September 12, 2011 | David F. Coppedge

Venus Flytrap De-Darwinized  (https://renewablerevolution.createaforum.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.pic4ever.com%2Fimages%2F128fs318181.gif&hash=eff6d5f3831782966c2ff2081f07bf7fc5b22a6b)

(https://renewablerevolution.createaforum.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.pic4ever.com%2Fimages%2Freading.gif&hash=63e3e644b39258d4c4eedbcdaf322315b1856723)

https://crev.info/2011/09/110912-venus_flytrap_de_darwinized/
Title: Re: The Fabulous Plant Kingdom
Post by: AGelbert on July 18, 2017, 01:18:58 pm
Agelbert NOTE: Here is another example of a successful scam by the Big Oil. (https://renewablerevolution.createaforum.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.pic4ever.com%2Fimages%2Facigar.gif&hash=dc9dccf92c6c88c99611b06c86d92629d69f2978)  (https://renewablerevolution.createaforum.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.pic4ever.com%2Fimages%2F2z6in9g.gif&hash=771b084a0f186d9cc14f31defd98a6c90b69b84f) They marketed this polluting and poisonous product as something "useful", but it actually MAKES THINGS WORSE.(https://renewablerevolution.createaforum.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.coh2.org%2Fimages%2FSmileys%2Fhuhsign.gif&hash=3732d0427be65896527fc3805c5be54a33cffd3b)

You probably still think that petroleum based tree wound dressings are a good idea. That is because the propaganda LIES by the fossil fuel industry continue to dominate the media of the petro-state called the USA. (https://renewablerevolution.createaforum.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.createaforum.com%2Fgallery%2Frenewablerevolution%2F3-200714183337.bmp&hash=fd5a6df63c32bd65dda7b6d93e788647ca3829df) They are quite skilled at hiding the truth about the fossil fuel industry biosphere harming 'business model'. (https://renewablerevolution.createaforum.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.createaforum.com%2Fgallery%2Frenewablerevolution%2F3-311013200859.png&hash=a7aaaa9f04c1e3e2c948723b5f8c13fe814dacd4)


(https://maxpull-gdvuch3veo.netdna-ssl.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/tree-wound.jpg)
Tree wound

What Is Tree Wound Dressing?  Is It Ok To Put Wound Dressing On Trees? (https://renewablerevolution.createaforum.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2F1.bp.blogspot.com%2F-TzWpwHzCvCI%2FT_sBEnhCCpI%2FAAAAAAAAME8%2FIsLpuU8HYxc%2Fs1600%2Fnooo-way-smiley.gif&hash=b8545bd420b1e2f2c7b9f665d2093523e4ad2251)


By Jackie Carroll

When trees are wounded, either intentionally through pruning or accidentally, it sets off a natural process of protection within the tree. Externally, the tree grows new wood and bark around the wounded area to form a callus. Internally, the tree initiates processes to prevent decay. Some gardeners try to help along the natural processes by applying a tree wound dressing. But are there any real benefits of wound dressing on trees?

What is Wound Dressing? Wound dressings are petroleum-based products used to cover freshly cut or damaged wood. The intent is to prevent disease and decay organisms and insects from infesting the wound. Studies (as far back as the 1970s) show that the disadvantages far outweigh the benefits of wound dressing. Wound dressings prevent the tree from forming calluses, which are its natural method of dealing with injury.

In addition, moisture often gets beneath the dressing, and sealed in moisture leads to decay.

As a result, using dressing on tree wounds often does more harm than good.

Is it OK to Put Wound Dressing on Trees? In most cases, the answer is no. Wound dressings such as tar, asphalt, paint or any other petroleum solvents should not be used on trees.(https://renewablerevolution.createaforum.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.pic4ever.com%2Fimages%2F301.gif&hash=0291ed4abf2d80e420d1aa00d4eb3c5dd6bbfb53) If you want to apply a wound dressing for aesthetic purposes, spray on a very thin coating of an aerosol wound dressing. Keep in mind that this is only for appearances.

Good pruning practices are a much better plan to help trees heal. Make clean cuts flush with the trunk of the tree when removing large branches. Straight cuts leave smaller wounds than angled cuts, and smaller wounds are more likely to callus over promptly. Cut broken limbs with ragged ends below the point of injury. Tree trunks often sustain damage during lawn maintenance. Direct the discharge from lawn mowers away from tree trunks and keep a little distance between string trimmers and trees.One circumstance where a wound dressing may help is in regions where oak wilt is a serious problem. Avoid pruning during spring and summer. If you must cut during this time, apply a wound dressing that contains fungicide and insecticide.

https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/ornamental/trees/tgen/wound-dressing-on-trees.htm
Title: Re: The Fabulous Plant Kingdom
Post by: AGelbert on January 14, 2018, 04:06:55 pm
In the biosphere that we all depend on, the most useful molecule in the hydrocarbon pantheon is this one:

http://postharvest.tfrec.wsu.edu/pages/PC2000F

Ethylene causes fruit to ripen and plants to die on schedule so they can  be recycled into the biosphere. In short it is key to the life cycle of all earthlings. Now THAT is REALLY useful! So, as you can see, there is ONE hydrocarbon that we really need AS LONG AS WE DON'T BURN IT!(https://renewablerevolution.createaforum.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.createaforum.com%2Fgallery%2Frenewablerevolution%2F3-141113185047.png&hash=384024358ff8d5e7133d19b6e6638da4584a8154)

(https://gcps.desire2learn.com/d2l/lor/viewer/viewFile.d2lfile/15524/8485/642px-Ethylene-2D.png)
C2H4 (Ethylene)

(https://renewablerevolution.createaforum.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fmedia.materialsviews.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2012%2F05%2Fbowl-of-fruit.jpg&hash=9c45b16def3b046e8839017d4e0da35098a86a0e)
Some products produced by ethylene that fossil fuelers and other LIVING BEINGS NEED  (https://renewablerevolution.createaforum.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.createaforum.com%2Fgallery%2Frenewablerevolution%2F3-141113185047.png&hash=384024358ff8d5e7133d19b6e6638da4584a8154)


My favorite HYDROCARBON!  (https://renewablerevolution.createaforum.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.createaforum.com%2Fgallery%2Frenewablerevolution%2F3-141113185701.png&hash=615e3c1aa9c374cb1eab5bfc1e9494f2cb05e9f7)

What!? You mean to tell me Agelbert, the quixotic crusader against fossil fuel folly in all its poisonous and biosphere trashing forms has some hydrocarbon love? (https://renewablerevolution.createaforum.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.coh2.org%2Fimages%2FSmileys%2Fhuhsign.gif&hash=3732d0427be65896527fc3805c5be54a33cffd3b)

YEP! (https://renewablerevolution.createaforum.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.createaforum.com%2Fgallery%2Frenewablerevolution%2F3-141113185047.png&hash=384024358ff8d5e7133d19b6e6638da4584a8154)

Back when I was trying to get through pre-med in the daytime while I worked as a computer analyst in the FAA at night (I was promoted from air traffic control to Automation) I took Botany, one of many biology courses the curriculum required. 

Botany was a lot of fun. I learned how they keep grapes from having seeds in them (Gibberrelins) and all sorts of interesting facts about plant biochemistry. But the story of the orange grove fruit warehouses in Florida in the early 20th century was one I liked especially because it is a great example of the scientific method in action. Read on. 8)

The vast orange groves in Florida around 1910 had giant warehouses where picked fruit would be stored while they reached the proper stage of ripeness before shipping them to markets. The oranges are picked nearly full size and still green. They are tough at that stage and not easily bruised by the picking process.

(https://renewablerevolution.createaforum.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2F4.bp.blogspot.com%2F_39Pf4v24ows%2FTIuQCb6hjSI%2FAAAAAAAAB1I%2FEKcSIomKmYk%2Fs640%2FGrapefruits%2Bweb.jpg&hash=3504be5435de6bba5a72154fbe2bc16cbf567c3b)

The crop is stored in heated warehouses to finish the ripening process. The oranges, as they ripen, obtain their pretty orange color. The fruit expands somewhat and becomes more fragile but, since they already have them packed in bags or crates ready for shipping, they get to markets pretty well unscathed.


(https://renewablerevolution.createaforum.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg.ehowcdn.com%2Farticle-new%2Fehow%2Fimages%2Fa04%2Fan%2Fru%2Fway-store-oranges-800x800.jpg&hash=cc3c00e7ffbf9dcc66f208e043bd965348be65dd)

Well, around 1910, the orange growers were sold on electrification of their orange ripening warehouses. They had hitherto used kerosene heaters which sometimes caused a warehouse to burn down and they liked the idea of controlling the temperature within a few degrees to fine tune the ripening process. Boy, were they in for an unpleasant surprise!  :o

They spent small fortunes in electrifying the warehouses with lights and elecric space heaters. The picking season came and they happily picked the crop and stored it in the new and improved hot shot electric heater warehouses. They waited for the oranges to ripen, fill out and turn orange in color. And waited. And waited. Those silly, stubborn oranges refused to ripen! They stayed hard and green. (https://renewablerevolution.createaforum.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.coh2.org%2Fimages%2FSmileys%2Fhuhsign.gif&hash=3732d0427be65896527fc3805c5be54a33cffd3b)  ???

A bright bulb among the growers, all of whom had ALWAYS believed (wrongly) that HEAT is what makes fruit ripen, stated that there must have been something besides heat in those old kerosene heaters that made the fruit ripen.

They got a team of scientists to do some experiments with green oranges with and without kerosene heaters at various temperatures and the oranges exposed to the kerosene heaters DID ripen as they always had before irrespective of temperature. Next they identified all the products of combustion of the long chained hydrocarbon called kerosene.

We all know when you burn (oxidize) a hydrocarbon, you get CO2 + H2O. But that is ONLY if you have COMPLETE combustion. A kerosene heater, as many family tragedies can attest to, puts out lots of INCOMPLETE combustion products like CO (carbon monoxide) that will kill you quickly and quietly.

But there is another product of incomplete combustion that burning kerosene puts out. It's called Ethylene. 

This tiny molecule is a miracle of plant biochemistry. The scientists determined that ethylene was making the oranges ripen! So the growers had to put the kerosene heaters back in.

Well, they got electric lights out of the deal and plant science took a giant step forward so everything worked out for the best.  (https://renewablerevolution.createaforum.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.pic4ever.com%2Fimages%2F128fs318181.gif&hash=eff6d5f3831782966c2ff2081f07bf7fc5b22a6b)


The obvious follow up question is, where does the ethylene, now defined as a plant ripening hormone, come from when the oranges ripen on the tree?  ???  From the orange as long as it is connected to the tree when it turns color. Henceforth, whether on the tree or off it, the orange itself keeps putting out ethylene until it rots in preparation for the orange seeds to grow.  Pretty neat, huh?  ;D

This was a revolutionary development in botany in general and fruit growing in particular. The study of plant hormones grew explosively from that point and many mysteries were (and still are being) solved about how these miraculous photosynthetic life forms function.

What is so amazing to me is that such a simple molecule can do so much. Have you ever put bananas on top of a bowl of fruit containing apples in the bottom? Sure, everyone has. Have you noticed how fast those bananas get overripe when they are on top of apples? YEP, ripe apples are one of the highest ethylene producers out there! :o Those bananas produce much less but when the added apple ethylene whacks them, here come the brown spots!  :P


(https://renewablerevolution.createaforum.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.wpromote.com%2Fblog%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2012%2F06%2Ffruit-bowl.jpg&hash=fcf3dd94811c85f99d1b39edcef7a60e7f92c4e6)

Unless you are going to eat the above bananas TODAY, this is a No No! The bananas will ripen too fast!   ???  Set them a few feet away and they will keep longer.  ;)

So now you know that, if you have a well ventilated area and happen to have brought some green bananas from the store that you are worried about "going bad" before ripening or just refusing to turn yellow as sometimes happens, get a small hurricane kerosene lamp and put it in the vicinity of the bananas and I guarantee you they will ripen. You can impress your spouse with your botany smarts.  ;D

(https://renewablerevolution.createaforum.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.iknowvegetables.com%2Fimages%2Fvegetables%2Foriginal%2Fgreen-bananas.jpg&hash=180df3cb67e317a6512abd8741ccf47b585bcca5)
(https://renewablerevolution.createaforum.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.in.all.biz%2Fimg%2Fin%2Fcatalog%2F122099.jpeg&hash=3c9e60cf02745813216650d0cc0ff10f052c1918)
(https://renewablerevolution.createaforum.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.carlagoldenwellness.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2012%2F08%2Fbananastages.jpg&hash=e7f9790992eb3298da980bdd3f662457bd46d482)


Behold, the humble ethylene molecule, my favorite hydrocaron.
(https://renewablerevolution.createaforum.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fupload.wikimedia.org%2Fwikipedia%2Fcommons%2Fc%2Fc2%2FEthylene-CRC-MW-3D-balls.png&hash=61c7e120219f4fcc9bf7146505518b24203236ed)
(https://renewablerevolution.createaforum.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fplantphys.info%2Fplants_human%2Ffruitripe.gif&hash=87bed79d481ffe930dfd7f15daf429f0338b0b48)
Ethylene (IUPAC name: ethene) is a hydrocarbon with the formula C2H4 or H2C=CH2. It is a colorless flammable gas with a faint "sweet and musky" odor when pure.[3] It is the simplest alkene (a hydrocarbon with carbon-carbon double bonds), and the simplest unsaturated hydrocarbon after acetylene (C2H2).

Ethylene is widely used in chemical industry, and its worldwide production (over 109 million tonnes in 2006) exceeds that of any other organic compound.[4][5] Ethylene is also an important natural plant hormone, used in agriculture to force the ripening of fruits.[6]
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ethylene]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ethylene
Title: Re: The Fabulous Plant Kingdom
Post by: AGelbert on April 30, 2018, 10:52:18 pm
(https://i.pinimg.com/736x/32/ab/10/32ab109a6938818c65ebe59c0a724eef--toledo-a-walk.jpg)

Tiny Edens: What you can find in a medieval monastery’s garden

💐 🌸 💮 🏵 🌹 🥀  🌺 🌻 🌼 🌷 🌱

SNIPPET 1:

1. Fountains 💧

There were lots of places where monks could get water for themselves and their plants, including ponds, lakes, streams, rain barrels, and wells, but fountains were something special. As Sylvia Landsberg notes in The Medieval Garden, fountains meant more than just water: “The three states of water, namely the bubbling, sparkling source or spout, the shallow, moving sheet, and the still, silent pool” represented the Holy Trinity (they were also significant to Persian thought). A fountain would have been a visible and audible symbol of the monks’ and nuns’ purpose as they traveled back and forth to services several times a day. Landsberg mentions that fountains were most often placed next to the church, making them a perfect spot to wash on the way in, or to sit in quiet contemplation of the trinity after services.


(https://i2.wp.com/www.medievalists.net/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/5862913342_e2d7c65971_b.jpg?resize=570%2C380)

SNIPPET 2:

3. Medicinal Herbs

Monastic communities needed to be able to care for themselves medically, especially if the community was large. People in the greater community also relied upon monks for medical advice and treatment – after all, the monks had all the books. If you read (or watch) any of the Brother Cadfael mysteries by Ellis Peters, you get a sense of the many needs and various plants that could be found on monastic grounds, including some all-purpose ones, like sage, and some nefarious ones, like belladonna (deadly nightshade). Excess medicines could be sold outside the monastery for the good of the lay people, and to raise necessary funds for the monastic community, as long as they didn’t charge too much.

Full article with video:

(https://renewablerevolution.createaforum.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.createaforum.com%2Fgallery%2Frenewablerevolution%2F3-060914180936.jpeg&hash=5e39d70fafe4e7190a6eebce34b740c58721de3f)

http://www.medievalists.net/2018/04/tiny-edens-what-can-you-find-in-a-medieval-monasterys-garden/
Title: Re: The Fabulous Plant Kingdom
Post by: AGelbert on May 03, 2018, 02:39:05 pm
(https://renewablerevolution.createaforum.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Frenewablerevolution.createaforum.com%2Fgallery%2Frenewablerevolution%2F3-200317134631.png&hash=3ec83ab2cb9a9acaf485fff7312df6381c25c2fd)

Plants use underground networks to see when their neighbors are stressed

LAST UPDATED ON MAY 2ND, 2018 AT 11:09 PM BY MIHAI ANDREI 

Plants have developed surprisingly complex communication networks which allow them to communicate with each other about what’s happening on the surface.

Despite their immobile lifestyle, plants are actually more active than you’d think. Aside from all the biochemical reactions that enable them to go about their day-to-day lives, plants can also communicate complex messages underground. Essentially, these messages take the form of chemicals secreted by roots into the soil which are then detected through the roots of nearby plants.

These chemical “messages in a bottle” can tell plants whether their neighbors are relatives or strangers and help them direct their growth accordingly.

Touch is one of the most common stimuli in higher plants and is well known to induce strong changes over time. Recent studies have demonstrated that brief touching among neighboring plants can be used to detect potential competitors. As plants grow in close proximity to other plants, they constantly monitor any cues that happen above ground — but they do the same below ground as well.

To better understand how this happens, as well as to learn more about the ways above ground factors influence what happens below the surface, a team of scientists from the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences “stressed” corn seedlings and then looked for growth changes in nearby plants. Essentially, they brushed the corn leaves to simulate the touch of a nearby plant leaf and then monitored what chemicals the plant root secreted. The team then took those chemicals and transferred them to other plants to see how they react. They found that plants exposed to the chemicals responded by directing their resources into growing more leaves and fewer roots than control plants.

Researchers write:

“Our study clearly shows that roots of very young maize seedlings pose an extraordinary capacity to quickly detect changes in cues vectored by growth solution directing roots away from neighbours exposed to brief mechano stimuli. In this way, roots may detect the changed physiological status of neighbours through the perception of cues they release, even if chemical analyzes did not show significant changes in metabolite composition.”

Basically, the team showed that what happens above ground influences what happens beneath the ground surface of a plant — and the way through which they communicate this is more complex than we thought. This makes a lot of sense since the ability of plants to rapidly detect and respond to changes in their surrounding environment is essential for determining their survival.

Lead author Velemir Ninkovic concludes:
Quote
“Our study demonstrated that changes induced by above ground mechanical contact between plants can affect below ground interactions, acting as cues in prediction of the future competitors.”

Journal Reference: Elhakeem A, Markovic D, Broberg A, Anten NPR, Ninkovic V (2018) Aboveground mechanical stimuli affect belowground plant-plant communication. PLoS ONE 13(5): e0195646. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0195646


View graphic of above ground interactions between neighboring plants by light touch and their effect on below-ground communication at article link:

https://www.zmescience.com/science/biology/plants-communication-stress-02052018/
Title: Re: The Fabulous Plant Kingdom
Post by: AGelbert on May 05, 2018, 04:01:00 pm
EcoWatch

(https://i.guim.co.uk/img/media/bac369a417a0fc80cc46e526fef74bec6af71574/0_0_6574_3945/master/6574.jpg?w=620&q=20&auto=format&usm=12&fit=max&dpr=2&s=60a6dc1f0b6227e4d755f848e49fe821)
Kew’s Temperate House reopens. Photograph: Alicia Canter for the Guardian

World's Largest Greenhouse Reopens to Safeguard Earth's Rarest and Most Threatened Plants

By Lorraine Chow

May. 04, 2018 10:54AM EST

SNIPPET:

The world's largest Victorian greenhouse will reopen its doors Saturday after a five-year, £41 million ($55 million) restoration effort.

The Temperate House, first opened to the public in 1863, is located in the Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew, about 30 minutes from central London.

https://youtu.be/q2KjCYjg-kc

The greenhouse is home to 10,000 plants from 1,500 species native to Africa, Australia, New Zealand, the Americas, Asia and the Pacific Islands, including some of the rarest and most threatened.

There you'll find the Yellow fatu, a critically endangered perennial plant native to Pitcairn Island, a remote island in the South Pacific. The delicate flower can no longer be found in the wild after a landslide destroyed the last remaining plant.

You'll also see the loneliest plant in the world—a male Wood's cycad. Lead horticulturalist Scott Taylor, who oversees the Temperate House collection, explained to the BBC that the search is still going for a female cycad so Encephalartos woodii can be bred.

"We have a really important job to keep all of these things going," Taylor said. "For some plants that are down to a few individuals in the wild—a wildfire, an earthquake, and they're gone."

Full article: 🌺

https://www.ecowatch.com/endangered-plants-greenhouse-2565840027.html
Title: Re: The Fabulous Plant Kingdom
Post by: AGelbert on May 13, 2018, 04:39:47 pm
THE ARTIFICIAL PLANT EMOTION EXPRESSOR (A.P.E.X.) 🤖

https://youtu.be/BdaTOp6ieVo

Complete instructions with parts list:  (https://renewablerevolution.createaforum.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Frenewablerevolution.createaforum.com%2Fgallery%2Frenewablerevolution%2F3-130418194321.png&hash=8173da4a30c1a38649fa5c27606f4df81f102148)


http://www.instructables.com/id/The-Artificial-Plant-Emotion-Expressor-APEX/?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email
Title: Re: The Fabulous Plant Kingdom
Post by: AGelbert on May 19, 2018, 01:14:53 pm
Do Leaves Get Hotter in Sunlight?
(https://renewablerevolution.createaforum.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fdl3.glitter-graphics.net%2Fpub%2F465%2F465823jzy0y15obs.gif&hash=797efc3cdc025a8263ef125725aae969446489c3) 🍃
  (https://renewablerevolution.createaforum.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Frenewablerevolution.createaforum.com%2Fgallery%2Frenewablerevolution%2F3-130418200018.png&hash=3956d547ef9dca7c073db857379c97e82faeb139)

Botanists used to assume that the temperature of a photosynthesizing tree leaf would be the same as that of the surrounding air. But a 2008 study published in the journal Nature showed that tree leaves have a built-in climate control system that keeps them at a constant 69.8 degrees Fahrenheit (21.4 degrees Celsius) while they are in the process of converting sunlight, water, and carbon dioxide into food. This temperature stays about the same, whether they are located in frosty Canada or the toasty Caribbean.

A leaf's inner thermostat:

Biologists at the University of Pennsylvania studied 39 tree species that grow within a range of 50 degrees of latitude across North America, between Puerto Rico and Canada.

Quote
“To think that a black spruce in Canada and a Caribbean pine in Puerto Rico have the same average leaf temperature is quite astonishing,  :o” said researcher Brent Helliker.

Plants use several mechanisms to adjust their temperature, from changing the angle of their leaves relative to the sun, clustering leaf growth, or altering evaporation rates.

http://www.wisegeek.com/do-leaves-get-hotter-in-sunlight.htm (http://www.wisegeek.com/do-leaves-get-hotter-in-sunlight.htm)
Title: Re: The Fabulous Plant Kingdom
Post by: AGelbert on June 24, 2018, 04:53:16 pm
Hey Surly, I ran into this news item and wonder if you had seen this bad assed weed near your home. It looks somewhat like Queen Anne's lace but MUCH BIGGER!

(https://www.dec.ny.gov/images/lands_forests_images/ghwholeplant2.jpg)
Giant Hogweed 👹     (https://renewablerevolution.createaforum.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.createaforum.com%2Fgallery%2Frenewablerevolution%2F3-300714025456.bmp&hash=f4e4a260bd60d3f34ca86fed93c47d5fb4117cfd)

EcoWatch

Health  Olivia Rosane

Jun. 19, 2018 06:45AM EST

70023venus2009 / Flickr / CC BY-ND 2.0

Invasive, Blinding Weed Spreads to Virginia

An invasive plant species whose sap can cause burns and blindness has spread to Virginia, CBS News reported Monday.

Giant hogweed looks similar to common, harmless summer wildflowers like cow parsnip and Queen Anne's lace. But it can grow to be 14 feet tall and its sap contains photosensitizing furanocoumarins that make any skin they comes in contact with more sensitive to sunburn, sometimes on a long-term basis. The sap can also cause severe blisters on the skin and blindness if it enters the eye.

The first plants spotted in Virginia were identified by scientists at Virginia Tech's Massey Herbarium in Clarke County last week.

"Today I helped ID VA's first giant hogweed population! Its sap causes severe burns. One plant was found in Clarke County. Report sightings to your extension agent!" a researcher posted on Facebook.

Researchers have identified 30 plants in the area.

Giant hogweed is native to the Caucasus mountains and southwest Asia. It was first brought to the U.S. as an ornamental plant in 1917, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). In addition to harming any human unlucky enough to interact with it, it also crowds out native species and has been categorized as a Noxious Weed under the Plant Protection Act.

In addition to Virginia, it also grows in Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont  :P, New York, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Michigan, Oregon and Washington, according to CBS.

The New York State Department of Health (DOH) advises anyone who comes in contact with the plant to move out of the sun and wash off the impacted area with cold water. If you cannot get indoors, apply sunscreen. The reaction usually begins 15 minutes after contact. A compress soaked in aluminum acetate can also soothe the burns.

If the sap gets in your eyes, you should rinse them with cold water, wear sunglasses and seek medical attention.

Giant hogweed is also very difficult to get rid of, but you have to be careful of how you dispose of it because of the dangers posed by its sap.

"Do not mow, cut or weed whack the plant, as it will just send up new growth and put you at risk for being exposed to sap—the same kind of thing that would happen with poison ivy or sumac," the New York State DOH advises.

To effectively remove it, you have to cut plant roots, remove seed heads, mow the plants when small or use extensive amounts of herbicide, but you must wear protective gear while doing so, according to Science Alert. The New York State DOH recommends getting professional help.

Giant hogweed can be distinguished from similar-looking cow parsnip by its overall size and the size and steep incline of its leaves, which can be five feet across. In addition, its flowers are umbrella-shaped, not flat, and its stems have purple splotches, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation explains.

[ttps://www.ecowatch.com/giant-hogweed-virginia-2579413227.html
Title: Re: The Fabulous Plant Kingdom
Post by: AGelbert on June 24, 2018, 11:40:45 pm
Hey Surly, I ran into this news item and wonder if you had seen this bad assed weed near your home. It looks somewhat like Queen Anne's lace but MUCH BIGGER!

(https://www.dec.ny.gov/images/lands_forests_images/ghwholeplant2.jpg)
Giant Hogweed 👹     (https://renewablerevolution.createaforum.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.createaforum.com%2Fgallery%2Frenewablerevolution%2F3-300714025456.bmp&hash=f4e4a260bd60d3f34ca86fed93c47d5fb4117cfd)

Invasive, Blinding Weed Spreads to Virginia

Not yet, but I've read about it.

Thanks for the heads-up!


You're welcome. I briefed my wife to be on the lookout for those giant plants. She hasn't spotted any here yet either.  8)
Title: Re: The Fabulous Plant Kingdom
Post by: AGelbert on November 30, 2018, 04:54:48 pm
Patagonia

Quietly, patiently, trees endure. They are the oldest living beings we come to know during our time on earth, living bridges into our planet’s expansive past. Treeline is a film celebrating the forests on which our species has always depended—and around which some skiers and snowboarders etch their entire lives. Follow a group of snow-seekers, scientists and healers as they explore the birch forests of Japan, the red cedars of British Columbia and the bristlecones of Nevada, delving deeper into the rich environments they call home. Deb MacKillop is one of those individuals whose life revolves around trees.

(https://blog.patagonia.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/GarrettGrove_RootedRevelstoke_0005_1500TCL-1-1404x936.jpg)
Western red cedar bark. "Thuja plicata" is one of the dominant species in BC's inland temperate rainforest, and can grow to heights of over 200 feet, with trunk diameters in excess of 20 feet at the fluted base, and reach ages of over 1,000 years. Photo: Garrett Grove

Treeline: A Story Written in Rings

Laura Yale   |   Nov 29, 2018

SNIPPET 1:

The area fosters an extremely rare ecosystem called the inland temperate rain forest, which can only be found in British Columbia’s interior and very small pockets of northern Idaho and Montana. Coastal air masses blow hundreds of miles east across the Interior Plateau and slam into the steep, mountainous terrain, creating wet, humid conditions otherwise rare so far from the ocean. This heavy moisture creates a haven where hemlock and Western red cedar survive for thousands of years and grow to more than 30 feet in circumference. As a result, this area contains proportionally more old-growth trees—250 years or older—than most forests elsewhere in the world. 👀

(https://blog.patagonia.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/GarrettGrove_RootedRevelstoke_0605_1600TCL-1600x883-c-default.jpg)

These are MacKillop’s favorites. She prefers to work with trees that are not “huggable,” meaning their circumference is bigger than 50 centimeters—or the minimum size she can wrap her arms around and still touch her fingers together (barely)—and it’s not uncommon to see her actually hugging a tree. “As a forester, it’s handy to know the length of your limbs,” she says. “They make great measuring tools.” She is drawn toward these larger, older trees because she feels most rooted in their presence, knowing they have endured change and flourished for at least three human lifetimes.


SNIPPET 2:

MacKillop has translated this love for her home landscape into 40,000 square miles of technical code, which will help determine where biodiverse forests have declined due to timber harvesting and where disturbances due to the increased fires and windstorms expected with climate change will continue to rise. With MacKillop’s data, natural resource managers can make more informed stewardship decisions about a complicated issue. (https://renewablerevolution.createaforum.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Frenewablerevolution.createaforum.com%2Fgallery%2Frenewablerevolution%2F1%2F3-120818185039-1655102.gif&hash=1a13ffad2c8451cba6f45b04a1249447d50c3e73)

Full article: (https://renewablerevolution.createaforum.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Frenewablerevolution.createaforum.com%2Fgallery%2Frenewablerevolution%2F1%2F3-120818184310-1635923.gif&hash=5e2530db4748ed6c7163e1d478fdfa3cd1108668)

https://www.patagonia.com/blog/2018/11/treeline-a-story-written-in-rings/

Title: Re: The Fabulous Plant Kingdom
Post by: AGelbert on April 10, 2019, 02:20:40 pm
(https://renewablerevolution.createaforum.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fstatic5.gamespot.com%2Fuploads%2Foriginal%2Fmig%2F8%2F1%2F9%2F3%2F2048193-680021_20130726_001.jpg&hash=307fc84dd4406cebdd5e93793d1e1c99551bc26c)
A routine day on the red planet.  ;D  Do Martians Socotrans have a secret? (https://renewablerevolution.createaforum.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Frenewablerevolution.createaforum.com%2Fgallery%2Frenewablerevolution%2F1%2F3-210818163125-16722324.gif&hash=fd301340fefe90d81ed8826dfa0568be12a1c0d8)

The Strange and Unique Plant Life of the Island of Socotra

(https://renewablerevolution.createaforum.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.createaforum.com%2Fgallery%2Frenewablerevolution%2F3-240914015514.png&hash=0758e96c4d3edf78b6bb9e192df719d8aa9967da)

The 'Lost World' of Socotra. Just look at that landscape and tell me you don't think a T-Rex would fit right in! (https://renewablerevolution.createaforum.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.createaforum.com%2Fgallery%2Frenewablerevolution%2F3-310714182509.png&hash=7a8191a3d5ff15c51ad36a342a0cd50a90b956bd) Sorry, no T-Rexes but there are plenty of strange life forms there.

Did they ever have T-Rexes here? That's a known unknown.  ;)  We will never know if they had T-Rexes on Mars because the, uh, Martians Socotrans won't tell.   (https://renewablerevolution.createaforum.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.createaforum.com%2Fgallery%2Frenewablerevolution%2F3-200714191258.bmp&hash=e4ed21caaca822f7445ccafd39f49a9f84be90ca)
 
Socotra - The Island Of Wonder
(https://renewablerevolution.createaforum.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.1000lonelyplaces.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2010%2F09%2FSocotra-Island-is-really-the-Galapagos-of-the-Indian-Ocean.jpg&hash=dbe9076ff9fde70d1d3581c29bb07c64d1da7418)

Socotra island is one of the strangest places in the world. Everything about the island is strange, its landscape, plants and its animals. The flora and fauna on Socotra island is considered the 'jewel' of biodiversity. The plants are all funny looking and have weird structure. Some animals on the island are slightly bigger and scarier, like crabs and other animals. The landscape is weird and you feels like you are on an alien planet.

(https://renewablerevolution.createaforum.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg.timeinc.net%2Ftime%2Fphotoessays%2F2010%2Fsocotra_postcard%2Fsocotra_01.jpg&hash=9c9df943451857a7aaf5a2847c0f4e03741674df)


(https://renewablerevolution.createaforum.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.anotherworldadventures.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2013%2F06%2Feexpedition-socotra-island-262x300.jpg&hash=b79857d59126aa7266b9b9205cf946751cd52962)

(https://renewablerevolution.createaforum.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fapi.ning.com%2Ffiles%2F5Y36hMbSNo%2AYyOb2KZVrUfRZ3hjqM1QRBd80HzgKQPs880rDdBN2zv5fVF9BXY%2Am0XygJ8kiOmE%2AN5oIFcXr21NQ0E5aj9Ai%2Fquora_com_.jpg&hash=98492e95a4e0bc59ea28a424de4ea72027308724)
Eden TWO?

(https://renewablerevolution.createaforum.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.worldfortravel.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2012%2F01%2FSocotra-Island.jpg&hash=053152e246f6ab885ac08aa8aa4822f50944f7d1)
🤔  (https://renewablerevolution.createaforum.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Frenewablerevolution.createaforum.com%2Fgallery%2Frenewablerevolution%2F1%2F3-210818163126-16771578.gif&hash=60d3e7427efc846ae1733eff0803c25b5d5b7862)

(https://renewablerevolution.createaforum.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2F4.bp.blogspot.com%2F-Z0PufvNgF4c%2FUHMJnH-AhiI%2FAAAAAAAAD3s%2FqoiJAPNJBY8%2Fs400%2FSocotra%2BIsland%2BPlants.jpg&hash=79be573a4b1b39071b2d610b2cceded0c79f0751)
Nate's Nonsense


(https://renewablerevolution.createaforum.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2F3.bp.blogspot.com%2F-fhM52Dj7BOE%2FTlSmtwdye7I%2FAAAAAAAAAA0%2FIvyxgZPyKfA%2Fs1600%2Fmonet.jpg&hash=224af134e57a964ec255ec4541ca66128b96e4f5)
Yup, we're from Mars too!  ;D No, we aren't feeling blue!  >:( (Primates of Socotra)

(https://renewablerevolution.createaforum.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fal-hakawati.net%2Fenglish%2FEnvironment%2FImages%2Fenv17c.jpg&hash=c0f320c691fa639bdcb4bf0b2cf2643806446b44)
We managed to save most of our on board Martian plants when we crash landed here about 6,000 years ago...  ;D

(https://renewablerevolution.createaforum.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.yemen.jp%2Fimages%2Fsocotra-02.jpg&hash=95546391ddb5536c7a12c4335da53c6c46e98aad)
Dragon Blood Tree   ???

(https://renewablerevolution.createaforum.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.travad.info%2Fuploads%2Fimages%2F00%2F00%2F03%2F2011%2F04%2F06%2F1457e5.jpg&hash=11da525c75d272c84c04cecf2505a8ca3df61e82)
Martians Socotrans like good views. It ain't Olymbus Mons, but we make do. 8)

(https://renewablerevolution.createaforum.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fmedia-cdn.tripadvisor.com%2Fmedia%2Fphoto-s%2F01%2Fde%2Ff4%2Ff9%2Fospiti-in-spiaggia.jpg&hash=f1d409deedc7747699f4b7a91bce1f07dd7ae8a5)
I may be a big crab but have a nice personality and am never crabby.  ;D


One THIRD of the flora on Socotra Grows NOWHERE ELSE ON EARTH.

The largest collection of rarest plants on earth is found on the island of Socotra, located in the Indian Ocean off the coast of Yemen. Socotra is home to approximately 800 species of plants, and over 33% of them are thought to be unique to the island and not found anywhere else in the world.

The island’s collection of rare plants is generally not seen by many tourists because the island belongs to Yemen, which has very strict regulations regarding tourists. In 2008, Socotra was named as a Natural World Heritage Site by United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), which recognizes natural geographical phenomenon.

More about the plants of Socotra:

(https://renewablerevolution.createaforum.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.popestrees.com%2FUSERIMAGES%2FDorstenia%2520Gigas.jpg&hash=381d8c2b6704fe75c7d3c04994fd36c1a24e9617)
Dorstenia gigas (Life was tough on Mars. Here it's a walk in the park!)

(https://renewablerevolution.createaforum.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fbotany.cz%2Ffoto%2Fdorsteniagigherb1.jpg&hash=ed6727c7a1539d18f1c27abb753b4feca40e7baa)
Dorstenia gigas (Look Ma, no SOIL!)

The Socotra fig tree Dorstenia gigas is thought to not require soil to grow and samples have even been found to grow against limestone rock. :o

(https://renewablerevolution.createaforum.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2F2.bp.blogspot.com%2F_WXKDNdDePGI%2FS6FYN5QXWbI%2FAAAAAAAABCU%2FCT6aeb2XE3E%2Fs400%2FIMG_8075.JPG&hash=d2d42c449e3e0bbd9df3f06d6a1c748dc557bc1f)
Dorstenia gigas 31cm tall x 6cm at soil level. Bud detail.

Some of the plant species native to Socotra are thought to date back over 20 million years. Agelbert Note: ONLY the Martians Socotrans know for sure and they won't tell!

(https://renewablerevolution.createaforum.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.factrange.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2013%2F12%2Fa5emMwE_700b.jpg&hash=543836e4664c4c1d1453b45418844f4feee37a61)
The island’s Dragon Blood Tree was named by traders who thought the plant’s red sap was actually the blood of the dragon. Agelbert NOTE: Hello? Angry Red Planet, anyone?  (https://renewablerevolution.createaforum.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.pic4ever.com%2Fimages%2Fgen152.gif&hash=d5b10968fe56c4cb95fae17cee3cb420a5f4e2da) When ya come from a red planet, ya have color coded SAP!

(https://renewablerevolution.createaforum.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.dailymail.co.uk%2Fi%2Fpix%2F2013%2F09%2F25%2Farticle-2431857-1831974400000578-129_634x421.jpg&hash=48c25f116e5cc0e6a7f1e025bbdd6ef2d009a21a)
Local "Humans" in a Dragon Blood Tree. We Martians Socotrans color code our kids too. After all, offspring should  know where they came from.  (https://renewablerevolution.createaforum.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.createaforum.com%2Fgallery%2Frenewablerevolution%2F3-051113192052.png&hash=93c42ef9f18fc5d9da50fd91fc19f70009f95f85)

http://www.wisegeek.com/where-is-the-largest-collection-of-rarest-plants-found.htm

Final NOTE: Any similarity between the humor above and fossil fueler, GW denier "logic" is deliberate.

The BIG difference is that I'm trying to be funny, not ridiculous!
(https://renewablerevolution.createaforum.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Frenewablerevolution.createaforum.com%2Fgallery%2Frenewablerevolution%2F3-130418202709.png&hash=7503265ec59e4c28d735afb762bc39f4674bd838)

(https://renewablerevolution.createaforum.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Frenewablerevolution.createaforum.com%2Fgallery%2Frenewablerevolution%2F1%2F3-111018132401-16881856.gif&hash=ef5bd30cec7a50a81f3507f9bd328189dead7aa2) Save our Planet. Demand 100% Renewable Energy NOW!

Quote
Mr. Ron McCullough, TN 

We as a nation have to free ourselves from the tyranny and boundless greed of the fossil fuel oligarchs that keep us in the Dark Ages of renewable energy. How is it good governance to destroy the Earth for short term gains for the 1%? It's not. It's the result of corruption and cowardice of elected officials and it must stop!

Mr. Troy Kilbourne, MN 

A "Manhattan Project" for renewable energy is, I believe, the only thing that can reverse our course towards catastrophic climate change. We did it back then, and we can do it now.

Mr. Stephen Spaulding, NH

The fossil fuel industry knows its stranglehold on us inevitably has to end. It's feverishly trying every way it can to lock us into dependence for another half-century. We cannot allow this to happen.

Ms. Jean Elliott, IL

This is an emergency. Climate and pollution disasters loom unless we get off fossil fuels.

Sandra Doney, LA 

Let's care about quality of life and get our priorities straight!

Ms. Cecily Smith, AB 

The technology for renewable energy has already been developed and just needs investment. Leave fossil fuels down in the ground, No more pipelines!
Title: You can easily grow 🌲 evergreens in your garden 🌞
Post by: AGelbert on July 19, 2019, 04:08:02 pm
(https://cdn.thetreecenter.com/c/uploads/weeping-norway-spruce-1.jpg)

Weeping Norway Spruce Picea abies 'Pendula'

You can easily grow evergreens in your garden (https://renewablerevolution.createaforum.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Frenewablerevolution.createaforum.com%2Fgallery%2Frenewablerevolution%2F1%2F3-120818180835-1624479.gif&hash=92c92575625c10582f9c1c6f9db969ad24bf62a8)

Analysis by Dr. Joseph Mercola Fact Checked

July 19, 2019

STORY AT-A-GLANCE

Evergreens are so named since their leaves keep color through the summer and winter, but not all evergreens are green; some species grow just 1 foot tall and others well over 60 feet, providing you with a variety of options for your garden

(https://www.theplantstore.co.nz/files/17898_20160113165840-1452657520_postcard.jpg)

Hudsonia — This slow-growing balsam fir tops out at 1 foot tall and 2 feet wide and is perfect for small gardens. It is among the most pleasantly aromatic evergreens, thriving in hardiness zones 3 to 7.

Before planting, it’s important to consider the purpose the evergreen will serve in your garden, such as a windbreak for your home, decoration or for privacy; soil is another consideration as some prefer acidic soil and other varieties thrive in slightly alkaline soil

(https://renewablerevolution.createaforum.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.hopewellnursery.com%2F_ccLib%2Fimage%2Fplants%2FDETA-4949.jpg&hash=4aaccf37c309e14c6cbdfba518c274d1818ac329)(https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0062/8532/8445/products/hetz-midget-arborvitae2-400_large.jpg?v=1547675345)(https://cdn.thetreecenter.com/c/uploads/hetz-midget-thuja.jpg)

Hetz Midget — This is one of the smallest evergreens, growing as a tight round ball 1 foot tall and wide. It is a smart choice for a small garden and easily tolerates some shade. It grows in hardiness zones 2 to 8.

Your plants will enjoy a deep soaking once a week to encourage strong root growth and will look best when pruned once or twice a year in the early spring before growth or midsummer during the dormant months

(https://cdn11.bigcommerce.com/s-90ad9/images/stencil/1280x1280/products/1619/2161/TsugacanadensisPendula__20526.1481670139.jpg)
Pendula — This Canadian hemlock tree is hardy, growing 3 feet tall and 8 feet wide. Given the opportunity it may drape over a wall. It grows well in hardiness zones 3 to 7.

Although easy to care for, they are vulnerable to some insect pests; consider using natural strategies to eliminate, including a strong spray from your hose to dislodge aphids, or a soaking with mild dish soap mixture for spider mites and bagworms

(https://cdn.thetreecenter.com/c/uploads/scots-pine-11.jpg)(https://media.istockphoto.com/photos/pine-tree-on-white-background-picture-id180812557?k=6&m=180812557&s=612x612&w=0&h=dPmFA9L-INvYwLxZYr-H7PY3V-e_HvJ3FmOqoq-kH8o=)(https://cdn.thetreecenter.com/c/uploads/pine-rockymountain-bristle-cone-1.jpg)(https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcT0Aa-OvLHvvhRNJSY0Yse2JMndU_jk_GLXn1wigEY60AKMwmPQ)
Pine Trees vary widely in size and shape


Pine — There are approximately 120 species of pine trees distributed throughout the world, but most are native to northern temperate regions. Pine trees are sources of turpentine, rosin, paper products and wood tars. Pine leaf oil has been used medicinally as an antimicrobial, antifungal and antibacterial.


(https://cdn.thetreecenter.com/c/uploads/baby-blue-spruce-1.jpg)
Picea pungens ‘Baby Blue’ is a mid-sized 🎄 spruce that reaches heights of between 15 and 20 feet, and usually spans anywhere from six to ten feet across. If left to grow naturally it takes on the typical pyramid shape seen in many conifers; its branches are horizontal and grow right down to the ground. Thanks to its mountain heritage this is quite a robust tree and it can be successfully grown in USDA plant hardiness zones 4 to 7. If you want some (https://www.thetreecenter.com/baby-blue-spruce/) Baby Blues in your garden start looking for a spot with acidic, moist but well-drained soil; that’s where it will thrive best.

Full article with lots of great 'how to' advice: (https://renewablerevolution.createaforum.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.createaforum.com%2Fgallery%2Frenewablerevolution%2F3-141113185701.png&hash=615e3c1aa9c374cb1eab5bfc1e9494f2cb05e9f7)

https://articles.mercola.com/gardening/how-to-grow-evergreens.aspx
Title: Tons of Acorns? It Must Be a Mast Year
Post by: AGelbert on November 18, 2019, 05:38:06 pm
EcoWatch

The ConversationNov. 15, 2019 01:44PM EST

(https://ci6.googleusercontent.com/proxy/0FNHdeKr_B_4YYUgf4G3kG-3TOUwvP5mcYJ5BkBy68jubdLOz4I8DZw4bP5qJguMTA7lpPsGMbz1i1g86YeBnoy5vsn6iQTDj1w4ZDc7CV_G1fNavc9UTnF8K08-yJN3DsTepYnRVVHdECZdj1UrGbI1Xdp-IV-uCTU=s0-d-e1-ft#https://gallery.mailchimp.com/214ab5fbb3f6015d74ffab4ec/images/0568aacb-a3bc-4379-a8eb-8cf8196f22a7.png)

Tons of Acorns? It Must Be a Mast Year

By Emily Moran

SNIPPET:

If you have oak trees in your neighborhood, perhaps you've noticed that some years the ground is carpeted with their acorns, and some years there are hardly any. Biologists call this pattern, in which all the oak trees for miles around make either lots of acorns or almost none, "masting."

In New England, naturalists have declared this fall a mast year for oaks: All the trees are making tons of acorns all at the same time.

Many other types of trees, from familiar North American species such as pines and hickories to the massive dipterocarps of Southeast Asian rainforests, show similar synchronization in seed production. But why and how do trees do it?

(https://renewablerevolution.createaforum.com/gallery/renewablerevolution/2/3-181119173227.png)
Maple Tree seed

Benefits of Synchronized Seeds

Every seed contains a packet of energy-rich starch to feed the baby tree that lies dormant inside. This makes them a tasty prize for all sorts of animals, from beetles to squirrels to wild boar.

If trees coordinate their seed production, these seed-eating animals are likely to get full long before they eat all the seeds produced in a mast year, leaving the rest to sprout.

For trees like oaks that depend on having their seeds carried away from the parent tree and buried by animals like squirrels, a mast year has an extra benefit. When there are lots of nuts, squirrels bury more of them instead of eating them immediately, spreading oaks across the landscape.

Getting in Sync

It's still something of a mystery how trees synchronize their seed production to get these benefits, but several elements seem to be important.


Full article: (https://www.ecowatch.com/acorns-mast-year-2641355288.html) (https://renewablerevolution.createaforum.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Frenewablerevolution.createaforum.com%2Fgallery%2Frenewablerevolution%2F1%2F3-120818184310-1635923.gif&hash=5e2530db4748ed6c7163e1d478fdfa3cd1108668)

Title: National Audubon Society: Native plants are the 🌺🌻🌼 welcome wagon 🐦 birds need 🌞
Post by: AGelbert on April 14, 2020, 05:22:07 pm
National Audubon Society

April 14, 2020 8:10 AM

(https://ci5.googleusercontent.com/proxy/f8CXKLUZBIl14QDe8dQPB5J3lZzuk89hxJT9zagPrf88y_4_GYQtGzHt0EDRR1pzUKU9LlqcMAAbKYR_QzAAOz3mIFegw3P1dCYqAgUjvwqnC7Pgp5sxj7Qbm9Q8OnDynXcvK9_Sb6aiKo5-eCM=s0-d-e1-ft#https://audubon.stagecoachdigital.com/sites/default/files/2019-10/black-logo-1878299645.png)
Native plants are the welcome wagon birds need


(https://ci4.googleusercontent.com/proxy/6vvYSngipOFoEsrV6zb2u_yVlWNA6UEPcUHatNk7dSZh6-KwSEbaFFBJhLeGEiKGISzmv3EZVbk4xq_-0TMB1X9J6q2vdGBtDN74mLwjTnK6uPx6cVzo0EBjyWCI9VD0WRhd9RZw5v090SK-sAwznHXS963yiQ=s0-d-e1-ft#https://audubon.stagecoachdigital.com/sites/default/files/lead-story/engagement-lead-1032555934.jpg)
A cheerful Anna's Hummingbird on bright yellow flowers. (https://renewablerevolution.createaforum.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.createaforum.com%2Fgallery%2Frenewablerevolution%2F3-260116191529.png&hash=cbc70d3107f019cfbef88dc573223aefa7732476)

During stressful times, it can be therapeutic to get your hands dirty and spend some time appreciating the plants and birds in the green spaces you can safely access right now—a balcony, backyard, or local park.

In spring, migrating birds will see green spaces full of native plants as a welcome respite after their exhausting overnight flights. Tending and appreciating your native plants will not only provide vital food and shelter to birds but also help keep your spirits high—which we could all use right now. (https://renewablerevolution.createaforum.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Frenewablerevolution.createaforum.com%2Fgallery%2Frenewablerevolution%2F3-060518153110.png&hash=39d587c31b7f7e66b30d7e59bb560e2ad0662eee)


Find out which native plants will thrive in your zip code with our native plants database.


FIND MY NATIVE 🌱 PLANTS (https://www.audubon.org/native-plants?ms=digital-eng-email-ea-x-engagement_20200414_eng-email_&utm_source=ea&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=engagement_20200414_eng-email&utm_content=&emci=7bad9ed3-ba7d-ea11-a94c-00155d03b1e8&emdi=c82630f2-477e-ea11-a94c-00155d03b1e8&ceid=3513600)