Instruction

Trees and other plant species that are abundant in forests form organic matter through photosynthesis. For this purpose, plants use carbon absorbed from the atmosphere. After processing, carbon dioxide is absorbed by trees, and oxygen is released into the atmosphere. The carbon bound in the process of photosynthesis is used to build plant organisms, and is also returned to the environment along with dying parts - branches, foliage and bark.

Throughout its life, a plant uses a certain amount of carbon, commensurate with the amount of oxygen released into the atmosphere. In other words, how many carbon molecules are assimilated by an adult plant, the planet received the same amount of oxygen. Part of the carbon bound by trees goes to other parts of the forest ecosystem - to the soil, fallen leaves and needles, dried branches and rhizomes.

When a tree dies, the reverse process starts: decomposing wood takes oxygen from the atmosphere, releasing carbon dioxide back. The same phenomena are observed during forest fires or when wood is burned as fuel. It is for this reason that it is so important to protect green spaces from premature death and from the destructive effects of fire.

Role forest ecosystems in the life of the planet is determined by the rate of accumulation. If this process proceeds at a rapid pace, oxygen accumulates in the atmosphere and the amount of carbon dioxide decreases. If the balance shifts to reverse side, the "green lungs of the planet" perform their function of saturating the atmosphere with oxygen worse.

It would be a mistake to assume that only young forests serve as a source of oxygen on the planet, the trees in which grow intensively, absorbing carbon dioxide. Of course, any ecosystem at some point reaches a period of maturity, when it creates a balance between the interrelated processes of absorption of carbon dioxide and release of oxygen. But even a very mature forest, where the percentage of old trees is high, continues its invisible work of providing the atmosphere with oxygen, although not so intensively.

Living trees are the main, but far from the only component of the forest ecosystem where it can accumulate. Soil with its organic matter, as well as the forest floor, which is formed from parts of dying plants. Such a variety of components of the ecological system allows you to maintain a stable balance in the metabolic processes occurring in the "green lungs", which are so necessary to sustain life on the planet.

The world of flora is diverse. We are surrounded by flowers, shrubs, trees, herbs of many shades, but green is predominant in the color scheme. But why are plants green?

Causes of green color

Plants are rightly called lungs of the planet. Processing harmful carbon dioxide, they give humanity and environment oxygen. This process is called photosynthesis, and the pigment responsible for it is chlorophyll.

It is thanks to chlorophyll molecules that inorganic substances turn into organic ones. The most important of them is oxygen, but at the same time, in the process of photosynthesis, plants produce proteins, sugar, carbohydrates, fats, and starch.

So school curriculum it is known that the beginning of a chemical reaction is the exposure of the plant to sunlight or artificial light. Not all are absorbed by chlorophyll light waves, but only a certain length. This happens most quickly from red to blue-violet.

Green is not absorbed by plants, but reflected. This is what is visible to the eyes of a person, therefore, the representatives of the flora around us are green.

Why the green color?

Enough long time scientists struggled with the question: why is the green spectrum reflected? As a result, it turned out that nature simply does not waste energy in vain, because this smallest particle of light - photos of this color do not have any outstanding qualities, while blue photons are sources of useful energy, red contains the largest amount. How can one not remember that nothing in nature is done just like that.

Where do the bright colors come from in plants?

Biologists say with confidence that plants originated from something similar to algae, and chlorophyll appeared under the influence of evolutionary processes.

In nature, other colors change under the influence of light. When it becomes smaller, the leaves and stems begin to die off. Chlorophyll, responsible for the bright green color, breaks down. It is replaced by other pigments responsible for bright colors. Red and yellow leaves indicate that carotene has become predominant. Behind yellow the pigment xanthosine is also responsible. If it is impossible to find a green color in a plant, that is the “fault” of anthocyanins.

Works of scientists about photosynthesis and chlorophyll

How was photosynthesis discovered?

The discovery of the process of converting carbon dioxide into oxygen happened by accident and was made by the English chemist Joseph Priestley. The scientist was looking for a way to clean the "spoiled air" (as carbon dioxide was called at that time). And during the experiments, under a glass cap, instead of a mouse and a candle, a plant was sent, which, contrary to expectations, survived. The next step was to plant a mouse in a flower pot. And a miracle happened - the animal did not die from suffocation. So it was concluded that it is possible to convert carbon dioxide into oxygen.

Much attention and much time was devoted to the role of chlorophyll and the process of photosynthesis by the Russian naturalist Kliment Arkadyevich Timiryazev. His main scientific achievements:

• proof of the extension of the law of conservation of energy to the process of photosynthesis, which was denied by Western researchers;
• establishing the fact that only light rays absorbed by the plant participate in photosynthesis.

Works by K.A. Timiryazev laid a solid foundation for the study of the transformation of water and carbon dioxide into organic useful substances under the influence of light. Now science has stepped far forward, some studies have undergone changes (for example, the fact that a light beam decomposes not carbon dioxide, but water), but it is safe to say that it was he who studied the basics. The book “Plant Life” will allow you to get acquainted with the work of a scientist - these are fascinating and informative facts about the nutrition, growth, development and reproduction of green plants.

Photosynthesis and chlorophyll are closely related when it comes to why plants are green. A light beam has several spectra, some of which are absorbed and participate in the chemical process of converting carbon dioxide into oxygen. Green is reflected and gives its color to the leaves and stems - and this is visible to the human eye.

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Probably everyone has heard the expression “Forest is the lungs of our planet”. Forests occupy about 1/3 of the land area, the forest area on Earth is 38 million km². By the beginning of the 21st century, man had destroyed about 50% of the forest area that previously existed on the planet.

We will walk through the forests and look at different trees around the world, from Madagascar to Poland, from Scotland to Hong Kong.

1. The very first land plants were discovered in Australia. Their age is approximately 395 million years. About 370 million years ago (the beginning of the Devonian period), vegetation from low shrub forms spread widely on land. And the very first forests were undersized forests of giant horsetails and club mosses, which had a height of more than 7.5 m.

South Sumatra, Indonesia. (Photo by Beawiharta | Reuters):

2. About 345 million years ago, the Carboniferous period began, during which dense, extensive forests of giant horsetails and tree-like ferns, which had a height of about 30 m, spread on land.

Pitlochry, Scotland. (Photo by Jeff J Mitchell):

3. This rare tree with the fabulous name "Dragon's Blood" (Dracaena Cinnabari) is very interesting. It got its name from the red resinous juice it exudes. Cinnabar-red dracaena is endemic to the island of Socotra.

An old Indian legend tells that a long time ago, in the Arabian Sea on the island of Socotra, there lived a bloodthirsty dragon who attacked elephants and drank their blood. But one day, one old and strong elephant fell on the dragon and crushed it. Their blood mixed and wetted the ground around. In this place grew trees called dracaena. (Photo by Khaled Abdullah Ali Al Mahdi | Reuters):

4. About 225 million years ago, the era of dinosaurs began - the Mesozoic era. In the Triassic and Jurassic periods, the main forest stand was formed by cycads and conifers (many sequoias); a large number of ginkgo.

North Carolina, USA. (Photo by Jonathan Drake | Reuters):

5. At the beginning of the Paleogene period, during the Paleocene epoch, the climate continued to be warm and humid, which contributed to the diversity of flora and the abundance of vegetation, including angiosperms of woody plants. The forests of the Northern Hemisphere were similar to modern tropical and temperate forests.

An interesting composition: the stone crosses marking the graves of German soldiers in the German military cemetery in Hogled, Belgium, are absorbed by nature over time. Crosses for the development of a powerful tree are not a hindrance. (Photo by Christopher Furlong):

6. And this bush is not a hindrance to several thousand tons of used tires in a landfill in France. (Photo by Eric Cabanis):

7. In general, as soon as a person finishes his activity, nature immediately takes its toll, growing through anything. (Photo by David Goldman):

8. By the way, half of the forest zone of the Earth. belongs to tropical forests. (Photo):

9. At the end of the Cenozoic period, which began 66 million years ago and was characterized by a wide variety of land, sea and flying animals, conifers began to dominate. Quaternary period, which ended the Cenozoic era, began about 1.8 million years ago and continues now. The alternation of epochs of extensive continental glaciations and warm interglacial epochs led to the extinction of many species of trees and other plants.

By the way, this is the tunnel of love - a natural monument of local importance. It is located near the village of Klevan, in the Rivne region of the Rivne region of Ukraine.

10 Hong Kong Bricks are not a hindrance to this tree and its roots. (Photo by Clément Bucco-Lechat):

11. The site near Marlborough in southern England is one of the most spectacular places in Britain to see bluebells in the spring. (Photo by Toby Melville | Reuters):

12. Over the past 8000 years, about 50% of the forest area that existed on the planet has been completely reduced by man, these territories are occupied by crops, pastures, settlements, wastelands and other anthropogenic landscapes, of the remaining forests, only 22% consist of natural ecosystems. Moreover, more than 75% of forest destruction occurs in the 20th century.

Snow in Antrim, Northern Ireland. (Photo by Charles McQuillan):

13. Beautiful leaf fall in Shaanxi Province, China. (Photo by Reuters):

14. Another “capture” of the territory by nature is a magnificent tree in Guadeloupe. (Photo by Nicolas Derne):

15. This is how the road to the house should look like. Louisiana mansion and oak alley. (Photo by Tim Graham):

16. This tree has been recognized as one of the most terrifying trees in Britain. It looks like mucus is dripping from his mouth. The tree is located near the nursing home. One of the workers says that when his children saw this tree, they could not sleep peacefully for a week. (Photo by David Garnham):

17. We are all used to a slightly different kind of Great Chinese wall. But in reality, in many areas it looks like this. Instead of millions of tourists in many places, the Walls are trees. (Photo by Damir Sagolj | Reuters):

18. And in Minnesota again snow. Like in Fargo. (Photo by Scott Olson):

19. It is difficult to convey the impressions of visiting such grandiose places as the Cambodian temple complex. Standing apart here is the temple of Ta Prohm (Ta Prohm), where huge trees, reminiscent of centuries-old sequoias or oaks, merge with walls and towers and embrace stones with giant roots. (Photo by Lucas Schifres):

20. This is how the forest looks after forest fires. Location south of Santiago, Chile. (Photo by Martin Bernetti):

21. A few years ago, a massive invasion of spiders took place in Pakistan, thanks to which one can observe an unprecedented spectacle: they covered roadside trees with their cobwebs so densely that they are barely visible under a cluster of the thinnest threads.

The reason for this was the most catastrophic flood in the last 80 years, which affected the lives of millions of people and caused prolonged flooding of most of the country. (Photo by Russell Watkins):

22. Well, a very unusual tree trunk in Guangxi, China. Like a web.

23. There is a legend about the unusual appearance of this tree in Africa. Once there was a quarrel between God and the baobab. Angry with the tree, God tore it out of the ground and stuck it back up with its roots. Read more "Baobab - a tree growing upside down". (Photo by Anthony Asael):

24. Buddha head intertwined with tree roots in ruins ancient city Ayutthaya, Thailand. (Photo by Jorge Silva | Reuters):

I think each of us has heard the expression: - "Forests are the lungs of our planet." Indeed, this is true, but unfortunately these very "vital organs of the Earth" have been cut down at an unrealistic rate over the past 30 years. The statistics are as follows - every 2 seconds, on planet Earth, a part of a forest the size of a football field is cut down. Due to this, some species of animals and plants are disappearing.
The world-famous organization "Greenpeace" claims that by 2050, the extinction of animals and plants will be 1000 times faster than now.
It would be a pity to part with such beauty ...

I think each of us has heard the expression: - "Forests are the lungs of our planet." Indeed, this is true, but unfortunately these very "vital organs of the Earth" have been cut down at an unrealistic rate over the past 30 years.

The "lungs of our planet" are in the Amazon. It is the Amazon rainforest that is the most powerful producer of oxygen on Earth. The Amazon covers approximately 7,000,000 square kilometers in 9 states - Brazil (60%), Peru, Colombia, Venezuela, Ecuador, Bolivia, Guyana, Suriname and French Guiana.
The Amazon represents more than half of the remaining rainforests in the world, and they grow around major river in the world of the same name, which makes the entire Amazon region a unique center of the planet. Along with all this, the biodiversity of this area is striking, although most of the Amazon has not even been studied yet.

Both flora and fauna surprise with their richness. Imagine that there are more than a MILLION of the most different types plants and animals.

According to scientists, there are 1,500 species of flowers, 750 species of trees, 125 species of mammals, 400 species of birds and countless insects per 10 square meters of rainforest.

On the picture: Red and green macaw

The San Rafael Falls is the largest waterfall in Ecuador. The Salado River falls into the gorge in two steps from a height of 150 meters and 100 meters, creating a stunningly beautiful view.

The water star in the Amazon. Victoria amazonica, named after Queen Victoria of England, is a typical Amazonian plant. They can reach 2 meters in diameter and support the weight of a small child, while the water lily will not sink. The flowers of Victoria amazonica are underwater and appear only once a year during a bloom that lasts only a couple of days. There is a legend that says that once upon a time there lived a girl who loved to look at the night sky. She thought that the moon might come and take her to the sky to look at the stars. One night, she leaned over the river and saw the reflection of the moon in the water. Enchanted by her, she fell into the river and hid under the water, and the image of the moon in the water turned into a flower. Therefore, the Victoria Amazonian flower is called the "Star of Water".

On the Tambolpata River, in the Amazon region of Peru, a group of children were playing football on a tiny island of sand in the middle of the river.

Three-toed sloth. Locals believe that a pregnant woman should not look at him, otherwise her child will look like him.

Yacumana and Chullachaqui are two demons from local legends. Yakumana is a water demon, and Chullachuki can transform any person's facial expressions. Look at his legs, so you can identify him - he always has one big leg.

The Amazon rainforest, also known as the Amazonia, is one of the most valuable natural resources. Because its vegetation continuously converts carbon dioxide into oxygen, it has been called "The Lungs of Our Planet". About 20 percent of the Earth's oxygen is produced tropical forests Amazons.

About 15 million years ago, the Amazon was flowing west and emptying into Pacific Ocean. When the South American tectonic plate crossed another, the slowly rising Andes blocked the flow of the river. As a result, lakes were formed and the Amazon basin changed a lot, then, about 10 million years ago, the river found its way east towards the Atlantic.