Saturday, August 3, 2013

Activities today

• Morning debriefing• Ecosystem studies • Habitat studies (soil sampling)• Vegetation sampling and rangeland

inventories• Plant identification and School

Herbarium Preparation for the study of plant diversity and evolution• Afternoon: Lab activities

• pH & Ion Testing• Quantification of samples, plant

identification, data analysis and interpretation

• Reflection time• Evening Discussion

NGSS core ideas covered (today and on Wednesday)

LS2.BLS4.ALS4.DESS1.AESS1.BESS1.CESS2.DESS2.EESS3.D

Plant Kingdom

Flowering Plants

Non-flowering Plants

Classification of Plants

. 3 groups

FernsMosses Gymnosperms

Non - flowering Plants

Do NOT produce flowers

A plant can be divided into 3 parts

Examples of Mosses

spores

Spore-producing capsule

.No true roots, No vascular tissues (no transport)

Characteristics of Mosses

.Simple stems & leaves

.Have rhizoids for anchorage

.Spores from capsules (wind-dispersal)

.Damp terrestrial land

.Simplest plants

underground stem

root

A leaf (finely divided into small parts)

.roots, feathery leaves & underground stems

Characteristics of Ferns

.have vascular tissues (transport & support)

.Damp & shady places

.Spore-producing organ on the underside of leaves (reproduction)

needle-shaped leaves

Male cones (in clusters)

Female cones (scattered)

.roots, woody stems

Characteristics of Gymnosperms

.needle-shaped leaves

.tall evergreen trees

.cones with reproductive structures

.dry places

.vascular tissues (transport)

.naked seeds in female cones

. 2 groups

Monocotyledons Dicotyledons

Flowering Plants

. roots, stems, leaves

. vascular tissues (transport)

. flowers, fruits (contain seeds)

Monocotyledons

Parallel veins

. one seed-leaf

Characteristics of Monocotyledons

leaves have parallel veins. herbaceous plants. e.g. grass, maize

DicotyledonsVeins in network

. two seed-leavesCharacteristics of Dicotyledons

. leaves have veins in network

. e.g. trees, sunflower, rose

Plant ClassificationNon-flowering

Plants

Flowering

Spore-bearing

Naked seeds

No roots

with roots

Mosses Ferns

Gymnosperms

1 seed-leaf

2 seed-leaves

Monocots Dicots

Plant Collections and Herbarium Preparation

Plant Collections are samples of plants that can be:

1. Dried one mounted on paper (herbarium specimens)

2. Liquid preserved 3. Kept alive, grown in greenhouse or garden

Why to collect plant? Resource material for plant taxonomic

studies (they catalogue the plants). Reference collection for named taxa ( =

voucher specimen)– Type specimen in formal naming– Reference for the identity of a taxon -in field

studies, e.g., floristic surveys, ecological or any plant related results

Provide information about the plant in a native habitat

Study of global change (floristics/climate)

How does one:

1) Obtain a specific plant(s) for a research study- Use label information from herbarium specimens to find localities- Use maps to find likely habitats

2) Do a complete inventory of plants for a field survey or floristic study?- Collect and identify every plant in a region during different seasons and different years.- Note: Permission / permits needed!

Should you collect? What to collect?Generally DON’T collect “listed” taxa: rare, endangered, or threatenedMust know ahead of time which these are!

When you collect, use “1 to 20” rule:– For every herb you collect, make sure

there are at least 20 in the population.– For every branch of a shrub or tree,

make sure there are at least 20 more.

How to collect? Herbs: Must dig up at least one entire plant

to show root or rootstock (e.g., corm, bulb, rhizome)

Shrubs, trees, vines: One branch sufficient.Collect a representative specimen that shows

vegetative and reproductive parts (in flower, fruit, cone, with sporangia, etc.)

How to collect? Press plants:

Portable field press used in fieldTransfer to standard herbarium press

1) Fold to fit ca. 11.5” x 16.5”; fill up area2) Cut to fit & to prevent too much overlap; slice

rootstocks; slice flowers, fruits to show morph.3) At least one leaf up, one down4) Collect extra material, if possible.5) Divide into 2 or more sheets, if necessary.6) Succulents: cut out tissue, soak in alcohol

Cardboards: ca. 12” x 18” Newspaper, ca. 11.5” x

16.5”

Tighten strapsPlace in plant drier,

2-3 daysRemove and check if dry

(if it feels cool, not dry)

Plant Press

Collection Data

Collection Data

Importance of recording color, even of pollen grains!

Liquid-Preserved Collections

Anatomy, embryology, palynology, etc.:FAA (Formalin - Acetic Acid - Alcohol (ethanol)

Cytology (chromosome numbers):Carnoy’s solution (100% ethanol : glacial acetic acid)

Ultrastructure:Gluteraldehyde, osmium tetroxide, formalin

Living Collections

Grow in greenhouse or botanic gardenValuable for long-term studiesCollections for Molecular Studies DNA: dried in silica gel Allozymes, RNA: fresh material

Research projects Pollinator visitation rates on an invasive plant

and native plant Abundance of a particular medicinal plant

species Abundance of listed taxa in your area Abundance of legume taxa in the natural habitats Monitoring of exotic invasive plants Tracking global change using herbarium

specimens