Biology research project. General biology project What a biology project looks like
Topics of projects and research papers in biology.
5th grade:
Cedar is a breadwinner and healer.
Leaf fall in plant life
Juniper.
White birch.
Photo identification of trees and shrubs in the school area.
Apple tree and apple
Amber - magical tears of trees
The influence of “living” and “dead” water on the growth and development of plants.
The influence of the Moon on the growth and development of plants
The influence of music on plants.
The influence of music on the growth and development of plants
The influence of illumination on the growth and development of plants.
The influence of nutrients on plant growth processes.
The influence of soil on plant growth and development.
The influence of various biostimulants on the germination of garden plants.
The effect of silver water on plants
Green plant under the snow. Ledum.
The cosmic role of green plants.
Honey plants.
Plants in legends and traditions
Plants in mythology
Plants are symbols of different countries.
Flora of the taiga.
Poisonous plants.
Bacteria.
Yeast mushrooms.
Mold fungi.
Poisonous mushrooms.
Siberian berries.
8th grade
Capabilities and features of the human eye
Age-related changes in the dynamics of vital capacity of the lungs.
Human hair
Hair is an indicator of human health and beauty.
Blue blood: myth or reality?
Hormones of life.
Mysteries of the cerebral hemispheres.
Study and calculation of biological rhythms
Study of the influence of interhemispheric asymmetry of the brain on the abilities and creative potential of students.
Optical systems of the eye and their disorders
Digestive system and modern nutrition of schoolchildren
The perfection of the human hand
Man's dream
Human aging and the possibility of immortality
Cardiovascular diseases
The heart and the effect of chemicals on it.
Mysteries of memory
The influence of memory on the performance of students in our class.
The effect of tobacco smoke on body growth.
The effect of noise on the human body.
Computer and schoolchildren’s health
Therapeutic nutrition for various pathologies
Assessment of the volume of short-term memory and performance of high school students according to their individual daily chronotype.
Assessing the health status of adolescents
9-10 grade
Antibiotics, classification
The AIDS virus and humans - the dynamics of the struggle.
Are microbes “friends” or “enemies”?
Microelements - characteristics and biological role.
The world of nanotechnology - possibilities of application in biology and medicine.
Violation of the physicochemical properties of the cell when the body is infected with the HIV virus.
Prions are new pathogens.
The role of catalysis in living systems.
Creation of an environmental school passport
Harmful and beneficial mutations
Identification of causes that negatively affect a person’s genotype.
Artificial organs - problem and prospects.
Animal cloning. Problems and prospects.
Methods of human genetic research.
Migratory genome - what is it?
Mutagens, carcinogens, allergens, antimutagens.
Proteomics, genomics, metabolomics - new directions in biology.
The car is a source of chemical pollution of the atmosphere.
Analysis of family nutrition.
Household chemicals in our home and alternative cleaning methods.
The influence of ventilation and wet cleaning on the state of indoor air microflora
The influence of cellular communications on the human body
The influence of cell phones on the seeds and germination of the oat plant.
Are all yoghurts healthy?
GMOs: food of the future or health risk?
Additives, colorings and preservatives in food products.
House dust and its effect on the human body.
Studying the influence of school furniture on the health of schoolchildren.
Study of the influence of electric and magnetic fields on the growth and development of flowering plants.
Pesticides - necessity or harm?
Waste disposal is a problem of the 21st century.
What is healthier: fruits or juices?
Environmental monitoring of students' learning conditions.
DESIGN AND RESEARCH ACTIVITIES
STUDENTS IN BIOLOGY OUT OF COURSE TIME
Yaneeva Elena Evgenevna
Municipal educational institution - basic secondary school in the village of Aleksandrovka, Sovetsky district, Saratov region
State educational standards imply the possibility of implementing currently relevant competency-based, student-oriented, activity-based approaches that define a number of tasks in teaching biology. One of these tasks is to master the ability to creatively solve educational and practical problems, independently carry out various research projects, and participate in project activities.
This determines the introduction into practice of educational institutions of methods and technologies based on the project and research activities of students. Graduates must master the components of research and project activities, including the ability to see a problem, pose questions, put forward hypotheses, explain, prove, and defend their ideas.
In my teaching practice I assign an important place to design andresearch activities. This type of activity is associated with solving creative, research problems with a previously unknown result. Educational research aims to acquire students the skills of research activities, mastering the research type of thinking, and forming an active position in the learning process.
What tasks do I set when teaching students project and research activities?
Formation and development of students' creative abilities;
Development of skills in posing problems and finding ways to solve them;
Creating a motivating factor in training and self-education;
Development of individual responsibility for one’s actions, decisions and actions;
Development of the student's communication skills.
Not only a person who is engaged in science professionally, but also someone who is still in school can conduct research competently. Therefore, one of the most important conditions for increasing the effectiveness of the educational process is the organization of educational research activities and the development of its main component - research skills, which not only help schoolchildren better cope with the requirements of the program, but also develop their logical thinking and create an internal motive for educational activities as a whole.
Sukhomlinsky also wrote: “This danger is terrible - idleness at a desk, idleness for months, years. This corrupts morally, cripples a person and ... nothing can compensate for what is lost in the most important area where a person should be a worker - in the sphere of thought.”
The variety of objects and processes studied in biology lessons provides enormous opportunities for research activities, during which students learn to express their thoughts, work individually, in a group and in a team.
Methodological literature offers an algorithm for performing research work in a certain sequence:
1) formulation of the topic
2) formulation of the purpose and objectives of the study
3) conducting theoretical research;
4) experimental verification;
5) analysis and presentation of scientific research results;
6) implementation and effectiveness of scientific research results;
7) public presentation of works at scientific and practical conferences.
Research tasks captivate children. I carry out research activities in three stages: research work for students in grades 5-6; projects for middle school grades 7-8; scientific research work grades 9-11. Having received their own experimental material, students conduct an analysis and draw conclusions about the nature of the material being studied.
Students in grades 5-6 are successfully working on creating project work.To intensify research activities among junior schoolchildren and develop motivation, it is advisable to familiarize them with the research works of senior schoolchildren. This system of gradually introducing students to research activities helps to develop their interest in knowledge in the field of biology, as well as to identify talented and gifted students.
The 5th grade children completed the work “Home Forecasters”. The purpose of this workExplore ways to forecast weather based on observations of pets. The objects of the study were domestic cats.
To achieve the goal, the children set the following tasks: select and study literature on this topic, apply the acquired knowledge in practice (observe and predict), and analyze the data obtained.
Practical significanceThe work lies in the possibility of using it in natural history and ecology lessons, it makes it possible to better study your pets, and allows you to confirm the accuracy of scientific weather forecasts. Students used the following research methods: analysis of scientific and journalistic literature, generalization and classification of the information received, observation of the behavior of cats and natural phenomena.
The 6th grade kids worked on the project “Plastic bottles: a find or a problem for humanity?”The purpose of this work wasstudy of the importance of plastic bottles in the life of modern people and their impact on the environment.
The students set themselves the following tasks:
learn the history of the creation and use of plastic bottles;
study the chemical properties of the material from which plastic bottles are made;
consider environmental problems associated with pollution from plastic bottles;
to educate students to respect natural resources;
develop a sense of responsibility for the ecological state of the planet;
Explore possible ways to use plastic bottles in everyday life.
The students chose a topic that is quite relevant, as millions of plastic bottles are produced and thrown away every year these days.Used bottles are a big environmental problem.One of the most pressing environmental problems in the world is the disposal of plastic containers.
The huge amount of garbage on the streets of the village of Aleksandrovka, most of which consists of plastic bottles, made students think about the question: what does a plastic bottle bring to a person - benefit or harm?
Practical significanceresearch was to teach schoolchildren to take care of the nature around us, and come up with a second life for plastic bottles. The results of the work can be used to solve problems of environmental education not only for children, but also for adults.The following research methods were used: study of literary and Internet sources, experiment, survey, observation.
The guys presented the results of the research to students in grades 5-6, produced environmental leaflets and hung them on the streets of the village of Aleksandrovka. This allowed us to once again draw the attention of residents to the problem of garbage in our village and remind us that we ourselves are responsible for the cleanliness and beauty of our native village.
Students of the 9th grade completed the work “Study of the biorhythms of students in grades 9-11 of the MBOU-Secondary School of the village. Alexandrovka". They identified the influence of biorhythms and chronotype onintellectual activity and physical condition of high school students.Guys panalyzed the scientific literature on the research problem to determine the main theoretical concepts and provisions of the study, conducted a study of biorhythms and chronotypes of students in grades 9-11,developed recommendations to improve the performance and streamline the daily routine of students,optimization of own educational activities;
The conducted research is interesting and relevant today, since the study of human biological rhythms opens up new opportunities for the regulation and control of processes occurring in the human body
The practical significance of the study lies in the fact that students were able to coordinate their own educational activities, their daily routine, general physical condition, managed to interest others, attract them to the research, and, if they had the knowledge, make the educational activities of high school students more effective.
One of the most interesting projects was“Determination of harmonious physical developmentstudents of grades 8-9 of Municipal Educational Institution-Secondary School with. Aleksandrovka according to anthropometric data."Studentsdetermined the level of physical development of high school students.Using the equipment of the school medical office, anthropometric measurements were taken (height, weight, BMI, vital capacity, chest excursion, hand muscle strength), the results were assessed and compared with the average statistical data.
When discussing the results of the study with students in grades 8-9, the children came to the conclusion that they must learn to examine their own body, it is necessary to form a cult of health.You should begin to solve this problem by studying your own health and understanding the patterns of its correction, strengthening and development.
The work was of an experimental nature.Using SMS to remove oil contaminants from the surface of aquatic animals.” This work is of a meta-subject nature. The study is devoted to the problem of removing oil contaminants from the surface of animal bodies and the feathers of birds for which the aquatic environment is their habitat. The goals and objectives of the work were determined: to find the most optimal, cheap and accessible methods for removing oil from the surface of animal bodies and feathers of birds, to consider the effect of oil pollution on aquatic animals; to study methods for cleaning up oil pollution, to determine experimentally the possibility of using synthetic detergents to remove oil contaminants from the surface of poultry feathers and animal fur, to identify the most effective and safe brands of SMS that can be used for these purposes. The possibility of using various brands of SMS to remove oil from the surface of aquatic animals has been experimentally proven.
The practical value of the work is associated with the possibility of using the research results in the practice of removing oil pollution from the surface of animals caught in an environmental disaster zone.
The result of research activities is the participation of my students in project competitions, scientific and practical conferences at school, municipal and regional levels. We cooperate:Together we set goals and objectives, select facts that are significant in this work, formulate a hypothesis, and draw up a plan for conducting observations.
The student, having completed the project and defended it, learns:
plan work;
present the results of your work in writing and orally;
defend and defend your point of view;
be responsible for work results;
formalize work, etc.
Constantly mastering the skills of rational educational work, training oneself on questions and tasks, observations and experiments with natural objectsъ projects, students independently acquire knowledge, complementing and deepening it.
Research experience is a necessary component of preparing schoolchildren to solve various academic and, subsequently, life problems, including the choice of a future profession.Professional success in the modern world is largely determined by a person’s ability to set goals, outline an action plan, find and analyze the necessary information and resources, and correctly evaluate the results achieved. Creativity, independence in decision-making, mobility and initiative are required. It is assumed that it is at school that the foundations for the development of a thinking, independent, creative personality will be laid. Therefore, in education there is extremely high interest in research teaching methods.
Thus, project and research activities of students, like no other educational activity, will help teachers develop in the student the qualities necessary for further study, for professional and social adaptation.
Literature
1. Tyaglova E.V. Educational and research work of students in biology. Methodological manual / E.V. Tyaglova.-M.: Globus, 2008.-255 p.
2. Biology. 5-9 grades: project activities of students. Author - E.A. Yakushkina and others - Volgograd: Teacher, 2009. - 186 p.
3. Artsev M.N. Educational and research work of students: methodological recommendations for teachers and educators // Head teacher. -2005. - No. 6.
4. Biology and ecology. 10-11 grades: project activities of students / author - M.V. Vysotskaya. - Volgograd: Teacher, 2008.-2003 p.
5. Biology. 5-9 grades: project activities of students. Author - E.A. Yakushkina and others - Volgograd: Teacher, 2009.-186. Research activities of students in a specialized school / Author - B.A. Tatyankin. - M.: 5 for knowledge, 2007. - 272 p.
6. Pakhomova N. Yu. Method of educational project in an educational institution: A manual for teachers and students of pedagogical universities. - M.: ARKTI, 2003.-165 p.
7. Tyaglova E.V. Educational and research work of students in biology. Methodological manual / E.V. Tyaglova.-M.: Globus, 2008.-255 p.
Internet resources:
www. researcher.ru. Internet portal for schoolchildren’s research work.
Preview:
student research project
Researchthe work must be completed in the following order:
- Title page (first page, no page number)
The name of the educational institution where the work was carried out, the topic of the work (no more than 7 words), the full name of the author(s), class, school, full name of the head of the work (in full), his position and place of work, locality and year of work are indicated.
- annotation (second page, no page number)
It is a brief description of the project (thesis statement), including the main sections of the project, such as the purpose, methods and materials, research (observations), results achieved and conclusions, as well as a brief explanation of how this project improves the quality of life. The volume of work, the number of tables, figures, illustrations, and sources used are indicated.
- Content (third page, the number starts from there)
The main sections of the work are listed, indicating their location on the pages. The serial number is not placed next to the following sections: introduction, conclusions, conclusion, bibliography, appendix.
- Introduction:
Includes the relevance and novelty of the chosen topic, scientific hypothesis, object and subject of research, purpose and objectives of the work.
5. Main part of the work:
- Theoretical materialon research: Briefly outlines the main scientific data on the project topic. The text of the work must contain references to the literary sources used (in the form of square brackets indicating the serial number of the source);
- Research methodology:The research method(s) and their authors, methods of primary and statistical processing of the collected material are indicated. The chosen methods must correspond to the purpose of the study. The progress of the study is described;
- Research results:Numerical and actual research data are processed and analyzed (tables, graphs, diagrams, drawings, etc. are included in the appendix). The text of the work provides links to each application presented.
6. Conclusions
Brief formulations of the results of the work are given, answering the questions of the assigned tasks.
7. Conclusion
Further prospects for work can be given, and practical recommendations arising from this research work can be indicated.
8. Bibliography
Prepared in accordance with the rules for compiling a bibliographic list.
9 . Application
Includes drawings, diagrams, diagrams, maps, photographs, etc. (must have a title). Each application must have a number.
- Research work may include review(s) compiled by the supervisor of the work or a researcher working in this field (reviews are not included in the total scope of the work).
The research manuscript must meet the following requirements:
- The total volume of work cannot exceed 20-25 pages, including title page, abstract, main content, findings, conclusion, bibliography, appendices.
- Must be typed on a computer and located on one side of the sheet, printed acrossone and a half line spacing,regular font (not bold, not italic), Times New Roman, font size 12, page parameters: top, bottom, right margin - 2 cm, left margin - 3 cm;
- The work must be presented on paper (2 copies) and electronic(on disk or floppy disk).
- The work must be submitted in a folder or binder.
Criteria for evaluating research work:
- Relevance and novelty of the work topic;
- Correct definition of the object and subject of research;
- Correspondence of the goal to the topic of work;
- The feasibility and sequence of assigned tasks to achieve the goal;
- Correct and clear formulation of goals and objectives;
- Validity of the choice of research methodology, compliance with the objectives of the work;
- The logic of constructing a scheme of work on the project;
- Sufficiency of the collected material;
- Depth of elaboration and understanding of the collected material;
- Knowledge of modern methods of analyzing the results obtained (methods of mathematical statistics);
- Practical significance and validity of the conclusions;
- Compliance of the conclusions with the objectives of the work and the results of the study;
- Completeness and clarity of presentation of data on the implementation of project recommendations;
- Level of proficiency in special terminology used in working on the project;
- The expediency and effectiveness of using visual material in the message (drawings, photographs, diagrams, diagrams, etc.);
- Correct formatting of the list of references used, the presence of references to literary sources in the text;
- The quality of the overall design of the work.
Municipal budgetary educational institution "Novonikolaevskaya secondary school named after V.S. Ivanchenko"
Gaisky urban district of the Orenburg region
Plastic disease of civilization
Research project
Completed by: Lomakin Vladimir,
6th grade student.
Head: Lomova Oksana
Vyacheslavovna,
biology teacher
S.Novonikolaevka 2017
Table of contents
1.Introduction………………………………………………………3
1.1.General information about plastic waste…………………3
1.2. Problem……………………………………………………...3
1.2. Relevance…………………………………………………………….3
1.3. Goal……………………………………………………4
1.4. Tasks……………………………………………………….4
2. Description of the project work and its results………………...5
…………………..5
……………6
2.3. Analysis of the state of the problem in the village of Novonikolaevka………….6
3. Practical part……………………………………………...7
4. ………………………………………9
5. Conclusion……………………………………………………11
6. List of used literature…………………………12
7.Appendix…………………………………………………….13
1. Introduction
1.1.General information about plastic waste
In modern civilization, nature is polluted by industrial emissions, which have a harmful effect on people, animals, plants, and soil. Pollution can be chemical, biological, etc. Human activity has a great impact on nature. Often these changes are expressed in an unfavorable form of pollution. For example, a plastic bottle is an integral attribute of our life. Plastic containers are very convenient to use and cheap to produce. In a short period of time, it has become the most popular capacity. At the same time, the number of landfills to which used plastic bottles are sent daily is also increasing. And its disposal has become a problem all over the world. This accumulation of solid household waste in our time is one of the global problems of humanity, which poses a great threat of environmental disaster to the planet.
1.2. Problem
In our village of Novonikolaevka, the streets and roads are littered with plastic waste. It is very difficult to get rid of it: you cannot bury it, burning it is harmful to humans and nature. This problem concerns every resident of our village. Each resident can make a contribution to its solution. Therefore, I posed a problem for myself in the contradiction between the positive properties of plastic bottles and its negative impact on nature
1.3.Relevance
42 years ago, humanity invented the plastic bottle. The first samples weighed 135 g (96% more than now). Now she weighs 69 grams. These days, millions of bottles are produced and thrown away every year. A small town throws away about 20 tons of plastic bottles every month. And every year, waste from plastic bottles grows by 20%. The huge amount of garbage on the streets of the village made me think about the question: what does a plastic bottle bring to a person - benefit or harm?
1.4. Target
1.Involve people in an original and affordable way to reuse bottles.
2.Improve the environmental condition of our village by reducing the amount of plastic waste, which can only be achieved by involving residents in the problem.
1.5.Tasks
1. Find out the history of the creation and use of plastic bottles.
2. To promote the desire to make various crafts from plastic bottles, developing people’s imagination and creativity.
3. Study the chemical properties of plastic bottles.
4. Develop ways to combat plastic waste.
5. Involve village residents in the problem.
Object of study : unnecessary plastic bottles.
Subject of study : possibility of recycling plastic bottles.
Practical significance : encourage us to take care of the nature around us, come up with a second life for plastic bottles.
Methods:
study of literary and Internet sources;
study;
survey;
experiment.
2. Description of the project work and its results
2.1. The history of the plastic bottle
A bottle is a container for long-term storage of liquids, a tall vessel of predominantly cylindrical shape and with a narrow neck, convenient for sealing with a stopper. It is made primarily of glass, often dark; recently, bottles made of polymer materials (usually polyethylene) have become common. Bottles made of ceramics, metal and other materials are less common.
2.2.Environmental problems of plastic bottles
Used bottles are a big environmental problem, especially considering that a glass bottle takes 1 million years to decompose and a plastic bottle takes 500 to 1,000 years.
Accumulations of plastic bottles on the planet are already forming real floating continents in the oceans. The threat from plastic containers to the Earth’s ecology is not limited to this. The production of plastic bottles in the United States alone requires about 18 million barrels of oil per year.
Decomposition periods of industrial products (for comparison):
paper decomposes in the ground within 1 month, banana peel - 6 months, wool - 1 year, wooden poles - 4 years
paper cups - 5 years, painted wood - 13 years, tin can - 100 years, plastic bottle - from 500 years to 1000 years, the decay time of a glass bottle is 1 million years
People are already tired of the plastic waste that they themselves create. The creation of plastic packaging solved many problems, but also created no less. The garbage that our fathers left in their vacation spots has long turned into dust, and even our great-great-grandchildren will see our plastic bottles, because they are “eternal.”
2.3. Analysis of the state of the problem in the village of Novonikolaevka
Environmental problems have not spared the residents of our village. Plastic bottles on the roadsides, near shops and courtyards, in the vicinity of the village. What can be done to reduce the harmful effects of human use of plastic bottles on the environment?
3. Practical part
Case study
Purpose of observation: identify the approximate volume of goods in plastic containers in retail outlets in the village, the presence of empty plastic bottles on the streets.
CONCLUSION: the shops in our village actually sell a lot of products and goods in plastic containers.
Survey of families of students at our school
I asked students at our school:
Do you buy food in plastic containers?
Answered yes - 93%, no - 7%
What do you do with the bottle after use?
Experiment on the influence of chemical reagents on industrial products
Sulfuric acid solution
Alkali
Plastic
bottle
Paper
It breaks into pieces when stirred
Weakly destroyed
Nylon(tape)
The decomposition process has begun
Small particles left
Changed but not much
Atlas (ribbon)
minor changes
Minor changes
Rubber (ball)
CONCLUSION:The conducted experiment proves that plastic bottles and rubber are not destroyed even under the influence of chemical reagents. Consequently, when they get into the ground, they will not decompose and rot, but will only litter the soil. When plastic bottles are burned, toxic smoke is released, which pollutes the air and has a negative impact on human health.
Second life of a plastic bottle
These facts do not allow many people to sleep peacefully, and they come up with very original ways to use bottles in the household. Birdhouses, mousetraps, funnels and seedling pots are made from bottles. They are hung on the fence as a scarecrow to keep crows away, and are also used as waterproof caps on the tops of posts. In Kazakhstan, washstands are made from plastic bottles, and in Indonesia, stabilizers are used to give stability to fishing boats. In Mongolia they are burned as sacrifices to spirits. In third world countries, where ordinary European dishes and containers are rare, plastic containers are in significant demand. In Ethiopia, used bottles are sold directly in markets. In African countries, sandals are made from flattened one and a half liter bottles.
Bottles with notes inside were used by surviving sailors to send messages about shipwrecks; nowadays, such bottles are used by scientists to study sea currents.
Collecting bottle collections is a type of packaging collecting.
I have discovered many websites where people share their bottle inventions and crafts. For example:
The bottles are an eco-friendly solar water heater.
A Chinese farmer placed 66 bottles on the roof of his house, connecting them with a simple system of tubes. Bottled water heats up almost instantly and enters the house.
There is enough hot water for three members of an enterprising Chinese family to take a hot shower. The neighbors liked the invention so much that they immediately decided to use this idea.
Fantastic plastic boat
A team of French researchers is planning to sail from San Francisco to Australia (18,000 km) on an 18-meter vessel made entirely of plastic bottles (except for sailing masts). The construction of the yacht took 16,000 two-liter plastic bottles, which were filled with dry ice (to give it hardness).
A million bottles for the construction of a temple
That's how many bottles the environmentally conscious Buddhist monks of Thailand used to build their temple. When building the temple, the monks used green Heineken beer bottles and brown Chang beer bottles. In the temple, even the toilets and crematoria are made from empty bottles.
A new, unique and economical way to glaze a greenhouse on his summer cottage was invented by brother Viktor Shvetsov. We use only available tools - scissors, a soldering iron and... an ordinary plastic bottle. Here are more examplesusing unnecessary plastic bottles
Conclusion
The ecological state of our village is in danger, but it can be improved by reducing the amount of plastic waste. To do this, you need to learn how to properly handle unnecessary plastic waste. I would like my project to make our village at least a little cleaner. After all, plastic bottles that were supposed to end up in the trash can be given a second life.I received sufficient information on this topic by studying various information sources and through experience. I studied the possibilities of recycling plastic bottles and carried out the necessary work on environmental education at school.
Municipal educational institution Orekhovskaya secondary school
Biology Project
"10 Most Amazing Plants in the World"
Supervisor:
teacher of geography and biology,
Rasseikina I.G.
Orekhovka village, 2014
| Introduction |
| 1.Ten most amazing plants in the world |
| 1.1.Velvichia amazing - tree or bush? |
| 1.2. Rafflesia or "corpse lily1" |
| 1.3. Amorphophallus - “flower giant” |
| 1.4. Prickly Pear Bigelow |
| 1.5. Carnegia gianta |
| 1.6. Nepenthes |
| 1.7. Venus flytrap |
| 1.8 Ficus bengal |
| 1.9. Sequoia evergreen |
| 1.10. Puya Raymonda |
| Conclusion |
INTRODUCTION
The flora is very beautiful and diverse. Today there are about 360,000 different plant species (trees, herbs, shrubs and others). Among them there are special, amazing species that have surpassed all other plant species in various indicators, firmly securing the title of “the very best”.
On our Earth, 90% of the biological mass is made up of plants, there are almost half a million species. Without plants, life on earth would be impossible, since they are the lungs of the planet. Plants absorb carbon dioxide and other harmful substances and at night release oxygen, which we breathe. I want to tell you about the most amazing plants of our planet.
Goal: get acquainted with the amazing plants of the Earth.
Study the literature on this issue.
Write a description of rare and amazing plants
Consider the area of application of plants.
Prepare your work and make a presentation
1) Work with sources of information: additional literature, reference books, atlas-identifier.
2) Comparison, analysis, description.
There are a huge number of all kinds of plants on our planet, and when you see them, you can only wonder how nature could come up with something like that. An incredible number of species and subspecies of plants, many of which are striking in their qualities - from survival and adaptability, to color and size.
Did you know that the tallest trees are over 100 meters tall? Have you heard anything about plants that can “kill” and “eat” animals?
Ten most amazing plants in the world
1.1.Velvichia amazing - tree or bush?
Fig.1 Velvichia amazing
It grows in southern Africa, in the Namibian desert. This desert dwarf tree can be up to 2000 years old. From the short stump-like trunk of the plant, two huge leaves extend in both directions, which, as they grow, tear longitudinally into ribbons, and the tips dry out. These giant leaves are as old as the tree. The leaves continually grow from the base and the tips die back. In some cases, the length of the leaves can reach 8 meters and the width is 1.8 meters.
The genus Velvichia was named by the English botanist Joseph Hooker in honor of the Austrian (Slovenian) botanist and traveler Friedrich Velvich, who discovered this plant in the south of Angola in 1860.
The Bushman tribes call this plant "otji tumbo", which means "big lord".
Velvichia can be cultivated as a greenhouse or indoor plant. They do this not because of its high decorative qualities, but because Velvichia is exceptionally different from any other plant.
Velvichia grows very slowly. Sensitive to frost. Requires well-drained soil, deep enough for its long main root. For normal development, a dry climate and direct sunlight are required; daytime temperature is 21-23 °C, night temperature is 10-12 °C. During the growth period, the plant should be watered regularly, but moderately, without excessively drying out the earthen clod; Between waterings it is necessary to allow the top layer of soil to dry. During the dormant period, the plant is not watered.
1.2.Rafflesia or “corpse lily”
Fig.2 Rafflesia
Rafflesia does not have organs in which the process of photosynthesis takes place; Moreover, representatives of this genus lack both stems and leaves. Rafflesia receives all the substances necessary for its development from the tissues (roots or stems) of the host plant through sucker roots.
Local residents of the island of Sumatra, in whose forests Rafflesia was discovered, have long known this plant and used it for medicinal purposes. In particular, an extract from rafflesia buds was used to restore the figure of women after childbirth.
1.3.Amorphophallus - “flower giant”
Fig.3 Amorphophallus
These plants come in different sizes - from small to giant. They grow from underground tubers the size of grapefruits and weighing about 5 kg, some from rhizomes or stolons. These plants have a dormant period, some of them are evergreens.
The tuber is compressed-spherical, sometimes unevenly cylindrically elongated, turnip-shaped or cone-shaped
Genus Amorphophallus, just like the genus Rafflesia, is famous for its “subtle aroma” of decaying flesh. The smell coming from the flower is terrible. Few people are able to admire the amorphophallus without a gas mask. The flower of most representatives of this genus is huge in size and can reach a height of 2.5 meters with a diameter of 1.5 meters. In many eastern countries, the tubers of this plant are used in the preparation of various culinary dishes and medicines.
Amorphophallus tubers are widely used in traditional Japanese cuisine for making soups or adding to stews. They are also used to make noodle flour and a gelatin-like substance that is then used to make special tofu.
It is believed that eating dishes that include amorphophallus tubers helps cleanse the gastrointestinal tract of toxins and reduce weight. This plant has been grown in China for 1,500 years and amorphophallus tubers are used as a dietary product to lower cholesterol and blood sugar levels.
In medicine, amorphophallus tubers are used as raw materials for the manufacture of diabetic products.
1.4. Opuntia Bigelow
Fig.4 Prickly pear Bigelow
Prickly Pear Bigelow - This is one of the most amazing species of the Opuntia genus of the Cactus family. These are amazing fluffy cacti, up to two meters high.
Prickly pears are distributed over large areas of North and South America, including the West Indies. Almost half of the prickly pear species are concentrated in Mexico, which is the main growing area of the genus. According to Aztec legend, Tenochtitlan (present-day Mexico City) was founded on a site where a prickly pear tree grew, on which an eagle sat eating a snake. This scene from the legend is depicted on the coat of arms of Mexico. As introduced plants, some prickly pear species have spread to tropical and subtropical regions throughout the world.
Prickly pear is cultivated for its fruit, as well as for livestock feed and hedgerows.
On the island of Malta, liqueur (Ambrosia Bajtra 21% vol.), which is the national alcoholic drink, is produced from prickly pear fruits.
1.5.Carnegia gianta
Fig.5 Carnegia gianta
Carnegia gigantea (Saguaro) another amazing plant of the Cactus family. The most amazing feature of this cactus is its large size. The height of individual plants is about 14 meters, and the diameter is more than 3 meters! Moreover, the age of individual cacti reaches 150 years.
The genus is named after Andrew Carnegie (1835-1919), an American entrepreneur, steel industrialist and multimillionaire.
Grows in Mexico, California and Arizona.
1.6.Nepenthes
Fig.6 Nepenthes
Nepenthes. Most plants from this genus can be called, without exaggeration, “predators”, which obtain the necessary missing nutrients by “digesting” captured insects. The plant has modified leaves that resemble pitchers in shape. The inner surface of the jug is lined with cells that secrete nectar, which serves to attract insects, as well as “hair cells” that make the release of an insect caught in the net impossible. The surface of the “neck” of the jug is very slippery, so there is practically no chance for an insect walking along the neck not to slip down. The insect falls into the water (in some species the jug can contain up to 2 liters of water) and drowns. Next, enzymes are produced that completely “digest” the insect. Sometimes not only insects, but even mice, rats, and birds are trapped.
Species of the genus are mostly shrub or semi-shrub vines growing in wet habitats. Their long thin herbaceous or slightly woody stems climb the trunks and large branches of neighboring trees tens of meters in height, bringing their narrow terminal racemes or paniculate inflorescences to the sunlight.
1.7.Venus flytrap
Fig.7 Venus flytrap
Venus flytrap is an even more amazing “killer plant” that takes more active measures to kill its prey. The modified leaves-"jaws" of this plant encroach on the life of not only insects, but also the life of snails and even frogs.
Scientific species name ( muscipula) is translated from Latin as “mousetrap”, probably due to a botanist’s mistake, at least that’s what is commonly believed.
The species received its Russian name in honor of Venus, the Roman goddess of love and plants.
1.8.Ficus Bengal
Fig.8 Ficus Bengal
Ficus bengal- a tree of the Mulberry family, native to Bangladesh, India and Sri Lanka. As it grows, it can turn into a large tree, occupying several hectares, with a crown circumference of 610 meters in length.
It forms powerful branches to support which shoots grow, which, when released down to the ground, take root, forming powerful column-trunks.
The fruits of the plant are eaten by birds and mammals.
1.9.Sequoia evergreen
Rice. 9 Sequoia evergreen
This is the tallest tree on our planet. Our temperate forests are mere grass compared to the forest of these mighty giants. The height of many trees exceeds 110 meters, and their age is more than 3500 years! Previously, houses were hollowed out in sequoia trunks and even tunnels were cut through which roads passed. In windy weather, many visitors to the forest of giants feel uneasy from the noisy “grinding” and swaying of the mighty sequoia trunks. It grows in California. The name of the genus was given in honor of Sequoyah (George Hess) (Sequoyah, ca. 1770 - ca. 1843) - an Indian leader of the Cherokee tribe, inventor of the Cherokee syllabary (1826), founder of a newspaper in the Cherokee language.
1.10.Puya Raymonda
Fig. 10 Puya Raymonda
Puya Raymonda.
Belonging to the Bromeliad family, native to the Bolivian and Peruvian Andes, it has the largest inflorescence with a diameter of 2.5 meters and a height of about 12 meters, consisting of approximately 10,000 simple flowers. It is a pity that this amazing plant blooms only when it reaches 150 years of age, and then dies.
Puya Raymonda is also the rarest plant on our planet. Once upon a time, puya grew almost everywhere in mountainous areas, but now it can only be found in the Peruvian and Bolivian Andes at an altitude of 4000 meters above sea level. But even in these places you can see only one puyu per square kilometer.
Conclusion
N Our planet is rich in flora, which never ceases to amaze us with its unique plants. They can differ from the usual herbs and take your breath away with their exoticism.
Human life has always been closely connected with the plant world. Since ancient times, people have eaten plants, made clothes, tools, weapons from them, used them to build homes, and obtained paints, medicines, and poisons from them.