Dormancy in Plants and Plant Cells

Do to the cold climate most plants are tiny ground cover plants, which grow and reproduce with not a lot of haste. They shield themselves from the cold and wind by hugging close to the ground. Some of

The dictionary definition for plant development is “a multiphasic process in which two distinct forms succeed each other in alternating generations” (Harrison ). In other words a process with many stages of growth. A good example of development is when the flowers have bloomed and are opening up. The flowers are already there but they are furthering their growth.

In which mosses, lichens, and other shrubs thrive on hills and valleys in the tundra (National Geographic). Permafrost, which acts a layer of snow on the land, remains frozen year round, with the exception of summer, when the top layers thaw, while the bottom layers remain frozen (National Geographic). These soil conditions greatly hinder soil development. Despite the short growing season, plants in the tundra have learned to adapt through various ways such as, a) grouping together to resist the strong winds of the tundra, b) learning to photosynthesize in low temperatures and light intensities, while using the minimum amounts of energy and c) reproducing by less energy dependent ways (Kids Do Ecology). Like plants, animals who call the tundra home, such as caribou, arctic hares, squirrels, wolves, and polar bears, ravens etc. have also learned to adapt to life in the tundra. They have developed the ability to breed and raise their young during the summer, accumulate fat that serves as insulation, hibernate when food sources are limited, and/or migrate to other areas during the winter months (University of California Museum of Paleontology). In spite of the tundra’s frigid climate, the frozen desert still manages to have a thriving food chain from beginning to end, with producers, herbivores, omnivores and

Plants are found everywhere on earth, up high on the ridge and down low in caves and caverns. The types of plants that live in these places depends on many factors. These factors are separated into two different categories, the biotic factors and the abiotic factors. Some of the biotic factors include, predation, competition, and habitat destruction. Plants with limited competition and large amounts of resources will be in a higher abundance than plants with limited resources and higher competition rates will be confined to areas and either out competed or will be the dominant species. Certain plants adapt to these factors and thrive and others don’t do as well. Some of the abiotic factors include, sunlight, water, temperature, and wind. These

Plants that are adapted to drier climates are called xerophytes (an example if these types of plants are cactus). Some of these plants have adapted small, thick leaves with a reduced surface area. They may also have a thickened cuticle to protect themselves from the environment. The stomata may be sunken into pits. Some xerophytes shed their leaves during the driest seasons and others can store water such as cacti. CAM plants uptake CO2 at night and change it into crassulacean acid that can be broken down during the day for sugars. These plants can close their stomata during the day.

Plant life tends to be of low growth and, during the short summer, the birds arrive in large numbers to feed on the insects that are born in this period. The climate is cold summers and very cold winters characterize the tundra area in the northern most limit plant growth. Areas

might affect the fitness of each variant. In other words which factors might increase plant growth, survival,

"Called Out" by Barbara Kingsolver and "In Defense of Everglade Pythons" by Emma Marris show the challenges that both the Everglades and the desert face. In "Called Out" , one of the conditions that the environment faces is unpredictable rain. " ... We get slow, drizzly rains that can last for days and soak the whole region to its core.... those rowdy thunderstorms that briefly disrupt the hot afternoons, drenching one small plot of ground while the next hill over remains parched".

These areas commonly have higher moisture and nutrient content allowing for higher survival rates. Because western hemlock can thrive on numerous seedbeds and that it is difficult to regenerate in outdoor nurseries (bareroot), natural regeneration tends to be the more favorable of the regeneration methods. Containerized seedlings are another form of regeneration and are the more favorable if advanced regeneration is wanted. This is due to higher survival rates than the bare rooted seedlings because of better quality seedlings and less damage to the roots. The initial growth of western hemlock is slow; growing 8 inches in 2 years. However, once established in a favorable seedbed in full light, the average growth rate can jump up to 24 inches or more annually. Western hemlock is considered to be one of the more shade tolerant species. Only a few other species such as Pacific yew (Taxus brevifolia) and Pacific silver fir (Abies amabilis) can equal or have a greater tolerance of

Temperature influences the distribution of plants and this is another abiotic factor. In the Lions club tower I could feel the difference in temperature. Bottom at being cold and moist whereas the top is warm and dry. This is shown clearly on the average table. Temperatures such as snow or frost determines the distribution of plants as most plants cannot prevent freezing because of their tissues and this abiotic factor affects the plantae group. Other effects that could cause an establishment to particular plants due to temperature is the gemination of biennial plants, and this is during spring or summer known as vernalization. This is the cooling of seed in order to quickly adapt to the environment and the abiotic factors. As of the forest

In the text it clearly states, “ Most organisms are adapted to live within a particular range of temperatures and will not survive at temperatures too far above or below their range.” So it really depends on the climate range in the area a certain plant is living in but most animals survive in most types of weather.

Weather includes short summers and long snowy winters. There are many granitic outcroppings, talus slopes, and boulder fields, and herbaceous plants; they need to flower and produce seeds during the short frost-free summer. (Yosemite, n.d.) This Zone may not seem important because of the fact that no trees and few vegetation grow here, but it is just as important to the animals as the other forest and zones.

1,700 plants exist in the tundra such as reindeer mosses, lingonberries, sedges, and liverworts. Plants have adapted to the raging winds and soil intrusions. In order to survive through the cold temperatures, plants

Plants are frequently subjected to a wide range of environmental temperatures that may affect the duration of mitotic stages. We investigated the influence of temperature on the duration of mitotic stages in the onion root tip squashes, Allium cepa, by counting the number of cells appearing in each stage of mitosis when exposed to conditions in room temperature and cold temperature. We found that the average number of cells in interphase increased with the decrease in temperature, and the rate of mitosis increased with an increase in temperature. Thus, the increased amount of cells in interphase compared to the amount of cells in other stages at the cold temperature could be the result of the higher activation energy required in situations of lower temperatures, decreasing the rate of respiration and slowing the process of mitosis.

Tundra plants over the years adapted to sweeping winds and disturbances of the soil. Another adaptation is that they are short and cluster together to help endure the cold. Also they can carry out photosynthesis at low temperatures and low light intensities. Plants aren’t the only things that have had to adapt to the conditions, animals have had to as well.