Station 3: Plants Adapting to Different Environments

Directions: 1. Read the information below2. Observe the example(s) of a rainforest plant3. Answer the questions on your handout (complete sentences)

Environment: Rainforest (Jungle)

Description: The rainforest is a warm and wet environment. The temperature varies from 93° Fahrenheit (34° Celsius) to 68° Fahrenheit (20° Celsius). The air and soil are very damp (wet), and rainfall is high. The soil is rich in nutrients, and competition for resources among plants is very high. While the rainforest is located near the equators and receives the greatest amount of radiant energy, taller plants block most of the sunlight, leaving very little light for the plants on the forest floor.

High/Low

High

Warm

Station 3: Food Bulbs

Directions: 1. Read the information below2. Answer the questions on your handout (complete

sentences)

Description: A bulb is an underground, modified stem that develops in some flowering plants. Its function is to store food and water for the plant through a cold or dry season. The smallest bulbs are the size of peas; the largest (crinum lilies) weigh over 15 pounds (7 kg).

Underground storage bulbs develop during the growing season; the upper part of the plant dies as the weather becomes cold or dry. The bulb remains dormant (inactive) underground until the weather warms and water is available. At the start of the new growing season, roots grow from the bottom of the bulb and a bud grows from the stem. The food and water in the bulb tissues feed the fast-growing bud. The bud develops into a plant that will blossom (producing seeds above ground) and then die back (above the ground) at the end of the growing season; this cycle continues year after year.