Introducing Plants

World Of Plants

Standard Grade Biology

Lesson 1

Introducing plants

Variety of Plants

Learning Outcomes

• To understand the importance of plants

• To be able to describe the variety of

plants in the world.

Variety of plants

Microscopic algae giant redwood

Variety of Plants

• Many different forms: – Moss

– Seaweed

– Cacti

– trees

– Venus fly trap

Variety of plants needed for

Life support

Provide oxygen, regulate water cycles, protect soils.

Food

Provide many different ones for humans and other animals.

Raw materials

To make many industrial materials and chemicals.

Habitat

Living spaces for many species of animals and plants.

And for…

Decorative

Enhance our lives in homes and gardens.

Genetic store

Cultivated varieties can be improved by breeding with wild varieties.

Medicines

Approx 40% in UK derived from plants.

The Importance of Plants

• producing new varieties

• source of food

• habitats

• gas balance

• raw materials, food and medicine

• appearance of surroundings

Lesson 2

Uses of Plants

Learning Outcomes

• Describe 3 specialised uses of plants.

The uses of plants

• Foods

– wheat for bread

– palms for oil

– sugar cane for sugar

– grapes for wine

Uses of Plants

• Raw materials

– jute for string

– flax for linen

– rose petals for perfume

– heather for dyes

Uses of Plants

• Medicines

– foxglove for digitalis (muscle relaxant)

– poppy for morphine

– Cinchona tree for quinine.

Lesson 3+4

Production Processes

Learning Outcomes

• Describe a production or refining

process, e.g.

– timber,

– malting barley,

– rape seed,

– raspberries,

Production Processes

• Commercial production processes using

plants as raw materials include:

– Timber

– Malting barley

– Rape seed

– Raspberries

• We will look at each one in turn in

individual Case Studies…

Timber Production

• Preparation of land – Put in drainage to remove excess water and allow

air into soil

• Seeds in nursery – To produce large numbers of healthy stock

• Young trees planted and protected – Removes competition and grazing

– Increases yield

• Thinning – Remove poorer trees to allow others room to grow

• Harvesting after 50 years – Mature trees reached optimum size for profit

Timber

Video 69- Mahogany connections

Memoirs of a Highland lady-Elizabeth Grant of Rothiemurchus

Logging operations near Lochcarron, and

piled at Kyle railway station March 2007

Timber Production process

Seasonal

timber

Decoration

Plant trees

Grow crop

Cut down

trees

Process Logs / kindling Fuel

Joists / Planks Building

Paper / card Communication

Malting Barley

Whisky-making

Distilleries have 5 main production steps:

Malting, milling, mashing, fermenting, distilling

Farmers- planting seed to sell as barley grain

Malting Barley

Enzymes

convert starch

to sugars

Barley is soaked

in water

Germination of

barley

Malting

stopped by

drying grains Brewing

Rape Seed (canola)

• Rape seeds germinate rapidly to produce a

typical Brassica (cabbage family) plant which,

once established, flowers

Honey production

It is bee-pollinated and

the pollen is heavy and

sticky.

It is responsible for much

of the honey produced

in lowland UK.

Oil production

Seed pods collected after

drying out the plants or by

Combine Harvester.

Seeds dried, cleaned &

shipped to crushing mill for

humans or animal feed.

Oil seed rape field

near Alness, Ross-shire

April 2007

Oilseed rape

Edible oil Used for cooking and food processing (vegetable oil). It is a high quality, odourless oil, low in unsaturated fats (‘healthy’) and ingredient in many food products.

Useful crop as the seed is 42% oil.

After oil removal the remaining meal 42% crude protein, useful for animal feed.

Industrial Uses- biofuel

Biodiesel pump in W. Canada

The oil undergoes a process (esterification) which uses methanol to change it into biofuel.

This biofuel is called Rapeseed methyl ester, RME. Then blended to be used as biodiesel.

Rape Seed Production process

Honey Consumption

Oil Consumption

Biofuel

Animal feed Meal (dry)

Plant rape

seeds

Grow crop

Harvest

seeds

Dry &

crush

seeds

Raspberries

Fresh fruit

Jam

Cereal

Smoothies

Chutney

Jellies

Biscuits

Fruit Drinks

Wine/beer

Oil

Raspberry Production process

Fresh fruit Consumption

Plant

canes

Grow crop

Harvest

berries

Process Variety of

edible

products Consumption

Activities

• Uses of Sugar Beet

• Making Perfume

Lesson 5

Importance of Saving Plants

Learning Outcomes

• Explain possible consequences to man

and other animals of a reduction in the

variety of species

Effects of reducing plant species

• Plants are essential for maintaining life

of this planet.

• Human activities are affecting the

environment. This has led to:-

– The destruction of habitats

– The loss of species

• Examples include

– Selective breeding

– Destruction of rainforest for farming land

Lesson 6

Potential Uses of Plants

Learning Outcomes

• Describe two potential uses of plants or

plant products e.g.

– new medicines,

– new food sources.

Potential uses of plants

• Food

– Examples

• Yeheb nut bush – seeds rich in protein and fat

• Buffalo gourd – seeds rich in oil and protein

• Naranjilla – tomato-like, tastes of pineapple and

strawberry.

Potential uses of plants

• New medicines

– Examples

• Anti-cancer drugs

• New anti-biotics

• As rainforests are being destroyed many

of these plants may be lost.

Amazon rainforest

Deforestation

Quick Test • Why are plants important in a food web?

• How do plants help maintain the balance of gases in the atmosphere?

• Give three examples of foods that we get from plants.

• Give three examples of raw materials that we get from plants.

• Give three examples of medicines that we get from plants.

• Give two effects of reducing plant species.

• Name the food substance that scientists are now extracting from a fungus.

• How might vegetable oil be used in the future.

Write a letter for the Strathy which highlights the importance of ensuring the survival of plants and how serious the problem is becoming.

Activity

Imagine you are thinking up titles for short articles about the importance of saving plant species. Make a list of 10 titles that would catch readers’ attention.

OR

New Uses of Plants

• Extraction of protein (mycoprotein) from

a fungus that can then be used as

food.

• Vegetarian mince / haggis / trade

name Quorn

Video 69

Chemicals in a forest

Production Difficulties

1. Techniques- how to make the product?

2. Cost- how much? Value of product for selling?

3. Lack of supply- sourcing raw materials

4. Public acceptance of product- will they buy it?

5. Techniques- how to make the product?

6. Development technology not yet available

7. Purity and quality assurance- consistent product?

8. Lack of demand- will anyone want to buy it?