Plants that grow in harsh and harsh environments
In extremely harsh natural environments, there are always some plants to write life legends with amazing survival wisdom. They either take root in mountains covered with snow all year round, or stand upright in hot and arid deserts, breaking through growth limitations through unique evolutionary strategies. These plants are not only the guardians of the ecosystem, but also contain important inspiration for humans to explore the secrets of life. Snow lotus, a survival expert in alpine areas: The Snow Queen at an altitude of 4000 meters is a national third-level endangered species. Snow lotus resists the severe cold of minus 30℃ through waxy skin and dense fluff. Its root system can secrete special enzymatic substances to decompose rocks to obtain nutrients. This growth model makes it an important link in the ecological chain of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. Edelweiss: The white elves in the Alps are at high altitudes above 1700 meters. Edelweiss reduces heat loss by shortening the height of the stems. The star-shaped fluff structure can effectively reflect strong ultraviolet rays. Its flowering period is accurately controlled during the short warm period after melting snow. Reproduction. Cactus, a miracle of life in the desert: An evolutionary model of the water storage system, its cylindrical body shape and waxy skin reduce water evaporation by 90%. The CAM photosynthetic system open at night allows it to survive in high temperatures of 50 ° C. The developed shallow root system can instantly absorb Occasional rainfall. Short-lived Chrysanthemum: A life cycle completed in 20 days. This plant extends the seed dormancy period to several years. When it encounters precipitation of more than 3 mm, it immediately starts the growth process, and completes the entire process of germination, flowering, and seed setting within 15-28 days. It can be called the "master of time management" in the plant world. The special ecological strategy represents that the chemical defense system of Stellera chamaeformis flowers suppresses the growth of surrounding plants by secreting toxins from the roots. The bright colors of the flowers are actually warning signals. Its developed lignified roots can go deep into the ground 5 meters to obtain water, forming a unique competitive advantage on the Loess Plateau. The stress resistance of plum blossoms and daisies reveals that plum blossoms improve cell freezing resistance by accumulating proline, while daisies have evolved a double-layered petal structure to protect reproductive organs. Both prove that plants can break through environmental constraints through dual morphological and physiological adaptations.
These extreme environmental plants are not only masters of survival in nature, but also provide humans with important reference for drought-resistant technologies, drug research and development and ecological restoration. Their survival wisdom reminds us that the resilience of life is far beyond imagination, and protecting these precious gene treasure trove is protecting the possibility of the future of the earth.