apriavalenza
Touch-sensitive plant in Belize!
This is a video I took when I went to Belize with my Oceanography class (OCN 480) this spring break!! This is a "Shameplant" or Mimosa pudica. It is native to South and Central America, but is now a pantropical weed; it can also be found in many countries in Asia. The plant folds its "leaflets" inward when you touch it!!! The "touch-me-not" naturally does this at night, and re-opens itself in the light of morning - called "nyctinastic" or sleep movement. However, our tour guide told us the plant evolved to be touch sensitive as a defense against predators! So when a predator comes walking by, it will shrink itself, and close up so that it either hides itself or becomes harder to eat!! The Mimosa pudica also has special root mutualists. The shy plant's roots create carbon dioxide to prevent mycorrhizal fungi from growing on the roots. Instead, endosymbiotic diazotrophs (rhizobium are classed under this title) grow in nodules on the roots to fix nitrogen for the plant. Another fun fact that our tour guide told us is that prisons used to plant the sleepy plant on the perimeters of the prison so officials knew when a prisoner escaped!!! The Mimosa pudica would be closed!!! (En.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mimosa_pudica)
Touch-sensitive plant in Belize!
This is a video I took when I went to Belize with my Oceanography class (OCN 480) this spring break!! This is a "Shameplant" or Mimosa pudica. It is native to South and Central America, but is now a pantropical weed; it can also be found in many countries in Asia. The plant folds its "leaflets" inward when you touch it!!! The "touch-me-not" naturally does this at night, and re-opens itself in the light of morning - called "nyctinastic" or sleep movement. However, our tour guide told us the plant evolved to be touch sensitive as a defense against predators! So when a predator comes walking by, it will shrink itself, and close up so that it either hides itself or becomes harder to eat!! The Mimosa pudica also has special root mutualists. The shy plant's roots create carbon dioxide to prevent mycorrhizal fungi from growing on the roots. Instead, endosymbiotic diazotrophs (rhizobium are classed under this title) grow in nodules on the roots to fix nitrogen for the plant. Another fun fact that our tour guide told us is that prisons used to plant the sleepy plant on the perimeters of the prison so officials knew when a prisoner escaped!!! The Mimosa pudica would be closed!!! (En.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mimosa_pudica)