Though deserts present a hazardous environment for plants, some species can successfully survive under these conditions. Some plants achieve that by conserving water.
For instance, other plants, for instance, microscopic algae found in US Southwest deserts, are highly resistant to drying out or desiccation. These algae species can fully restore their cells after completely drying out due to extreme heat.
This is particularly interesting because these algae are genetically similar to certain algae species in the sea. On the other hand, the sea species are vulnerable to drying out.
A team at the Marine Biological Laboratory, Woods Hole, MA, has decided to investigate how these two related species react to extreme heat and the threat of desiccation:
Most algae and mosses share several genes that help protect them against drying, called LEA genes. There are other genes activated in response to stress. Usually, in reaction to high temperatures, the whole complex of genes, including LEA genes, becomes active algae. Analysis of the sea and desert algae has shown that this complex of genes gets activated similarly in both species. The desert species had one significant difference – besides activating the anti-stress genes, the algal cells also decreased the activity of other genes responsible for maintaining day-to-day activity. Due to such a strategy, the desert algae can dry out and then become active after the condition becomes favorable. This discovery shows that protective genes alone are insufficient for surviving a drought. Instead, a complex mechanism that makes specific genes active while keeping other genes in check is necessary for survival in extreme environments.
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A desert is a barren landscape area with little to no water (no precipitation) found which makes the living condition extremely hostile for plants and animals. Explore 15 different types of desert birds and their adaptations on this page.
Reference :
“Shared up-regulation and contrasting down-regulation of gene expression distinguish desiccation-tolerant from intolerant green algae | PNAS” . Accessed April 09, 2021.
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Living alongside humans can cause significant changes in various species. When comparing a dog to a wolf
As people domesticated plants, they made their fruit and seeds bigger. People also protected the plants from insects and other pests to some degree.
Still, they have lost more in the process than we imagine:
A two people team from UC Riverside and the University of Washington SA were interested in how domesticated plants form symbiotic relationships with soil bacteria To answer this question, they have analyzed 120 studies on symbiotic relationships in plants. The analysis has revealed that most species of domesticated plants have limited ability to form connections with microorganisms This could have happened for three reasons:The selection of traits beneficial to humans can directly or indirectly lead to the loss of genes that can help with symbiosis. In the course of the selection process, domesticated plants gather multiple mutations The genes responsible for symbiosis do not carry advantages for the plants as they are provided with necessary nutrients due to human care. Therefore, they can be lost with subsequent generations. Taken together, these findings show that there could be a need to introduce specific genes from the wild plants that could help the domesticated plant variants with symbiosis. This way, the crops could be better protected from illnesses and need less artificial nutrients.
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Thigmotropism refers to the movement of a plant in response to the stimulus of touch or contact. It is also called Haptotropism. Explore the world of Thigmotropism in this page, why and how it occurs in plants, types of thigmotropism and good examples.
Reference :
“Agriculture and the Disruption of Plant-Microbial Symbiosis: Trends in Ecology & Evolution” . Accessed April 09, 2021.
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7. How carbon dating has helped with understanding orchid nutrition [Japan, 27 January 2020] Not all orchids are capable of photosynthesis. Some have developed close relationships with fungi. Some orchids settle on living plants, mainly trees, and use so-called ectomycorrhizal fungito to take up nutrients from the hosting plants.
Some orchids do not live on trees and must use other carbon sources. These orchids were proposed to use another type of fungi called saprotrophic fungi that feed on dead matter. Until now, this theory had no direct evidence to confirm it.
A team of three scientists led by a professor at Kobe University, Kobe, Japan, have proposed a novel method of tracking the source of carbon orchids get:
The researchers knew that the dead plants in the area they intended to research were affected by bomb tests in the 1950-1960s. This meant that the dead wood from those times may contain radioactive carbon, 14 C. The orchids that feed on living plants through ectomycorrhizal fungi get “new ” carbon-containing molecules produced by photosynthesis. The orchids that use saprotrophic fungi feed on dead wood and previously absorbed radioactive carbon from the wood. When the botanists tested their hypothesis, they discovered that orchids feeding on living plants contain no radioactive carbon. The orchids growing on old logs and similar places had high levels of 14 C, up to 300%. This study proves that orchids rely on saprotrophic fungi to obtain necessary compounds from the decaying debris in the forest. It also shows that carbon dating could be a valuable method of tracking how orchids feed.
Reference :
“Some mycoheterotrophic orchids depend on carbon from dead wood: novel evidence from a radiocarbon approach – Suetsugu – 2020 – New Phytologist – Wiley Online Library” . Accessed April 09, 2021.
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8. Pretending to be a flower: a new way to parasitize on plants [USA, November 2020] We know that fungi can have various survival strategies, from cooperating with plants to functioning as parasites on multiple living species, including humans. One of the most astounding fungi skills is their ability to mimic the structures of plants, namely flowers.
A scientist from the Smithsonian Department of Botany has found a new species of fungus that is capable of such flower mimicry:
This new flower-fungus pair was discovered in the savannas of the Parakaima mountains, Guyana. The fungus infects yellow-eyed grasses of the genus Xyris . The fungus can affect the plant’s growth by producing phytohormones. When the plant tries to form flowers, the fungus replaces them with a bright yellow mass around the stem where the plant should grow. The structure formed by the fungus has the same color as the flower and can be seen in ultraviolet light. The fungus also produces substances that attract pollinators. The bees Some plants with pseudo flowers were even included in old national herbariums by mistake. The name of the new fungus is Fusarium xyrophilum . Though the fungus was thoroughly researched, there are still multiple questions to be answered about how this complex system has evolved and how the fungus can spread when it interferes with the plant’s ability to reproduce. It also shows that even basic research on biodiversity
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Reference :
“Pseudoflowers produced by Fusarium xyrophilum on yellow-eyed grass (Xyris spp.) in Guyana: A novel floral mimicry system? – ScienceDirect” . Accessed April 09, 2021.
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9. Quartz provides refuge for mosses in Mojave Desert [USA, July 2020] Mosses are highly resilient plants. They can survive extreme conditions – in the northern regions, deserts, and mountain areas. Mosses often live as a part of biocrusts – miniature ecosystems that contain algae, cyanobacteria
Jenna Ekwealor, a Ph. D.student at the UC Berkeley, CA, USA, was studying mosses in the Mojave Desert and have found an interesting association between moss growth and the presence of translucent quartz rock:
Syntrichia caninervis is a moss species found under milky quartz semi-translucent rocks. Mosses that grow under these rocks grow 60% faster compared to mosses growing in other areas. The quartz rocks both provide enough sunlight and protect the plants from extreme temperatures. The area under the rocks has its own microclimate that helps the soil retain water. The humidity of the soil under these rocks can be as high as 63%. This discovery has shown that such rocks lead to the creation of small micro-communities that probably resemble those in the distant past
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Reference :
“Life under quartz: Hypolithic mosses in the Mojave Desert” . Accessed April 09, 2021.
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10. A dangerous invasive species of red algae discovered in the Hawai’I region [USA, July 2020] During the survey of the atolls in Hawaii, USA, a team of scientists from the University of Hawai’i has made a worrying discovery:
The sea bottom of the Pearl and Hermes atoll region, Papahãnaumokuãkea National Monument, Hawai’i, was covered by a new species of red algae. The seaweed has covered a large part of the atoll in a year with a mat-like growth. The algae can easily detach and spread like tumbleweed. The analysis has shown that this was a novel species of algae and given the name Chondria turmosa. As there was no evidence that this species was introduced to the atoll, it was not deemed invasive. The researchers admit that this seaweed’s rapid growth can be dangerous as it can potentially smother coral reefs. The researchers took multiple precautions so that their ships and gear would not spread the algae to other regions. The new species is the focus of intensive research as it poses a considerable danger to the northern Hawaiian Islands.
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Being the third largest country in the world, the United States of America has emerged as one of the significantly affected regions from the top 15 environmental issues.
Reference :
“Taxonomic determination of the cryptogenic red alga, Chondria tumulosa sp. nov., (Rhodomelaceae, Rhodophyta) from Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument, Hawai‘i, USA: A new species displaying invasive characteristics” . Accessed April 09, 2021.
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Looking back to the year 2020, it is evident that the mechanisms of symbiosis and parasitism were of great interest to plant science specialists worldwide.
It is crucial to understand what helps support our plant life heroes of the research. For example, an accidental spotting of Twitter has revealed a new fungus species affecting millipedes.
Another fungus that attacks beetles were found as well. The regular plants were not forgotten either. It was found that normal plant respiration can prevent ice from melting. Another researcher looked into how young seedlings are affected by desiccation.
The researchers were focused on various aspects of plant science – protection, growth, genetics
Cite This Page Key References “Top 10 Most Beautiful Orchids in the World – The Mysterious World” . Accessed April 09, 2021. Link .“GASTRODIA AGNICELLUS – Hermans – 2020 – Curtis’s Botanical Magazine – Wiley Online Library” . Accessed April 09, 2021. Link .“PEPPHI.org – Home” . Accessed April 09, 2021. Link .“Mechanisms underlying beneficial plant-fungus interactions in mycorrhizal symbiosis | Nature Communications” . Accessed April 09, 2021. Link .“Talking Trees: How do Trees Communicate? | Let’s Talk Science” . Accessed April 09, 2021. Link .“Bizarre new species discovered… on Twitter — ScienceDaily” . Accessed April 09, 2021. Link .“New species of fungus sticking out of beetles — ScienceDaily” . Accessed April 09, 2021. Link .“The revolt of the plants: The Arctic melts when plants stop breathing — ScienceDaily” . Accessed April 09, 2021. Link .“American Journal of Botany” . Accessed April 09, 2021. Link .
