Astronomers tell us that we are made of stardust because the elements manufactured in the hearts of stars billions of years ago now reside in all life forms. If this is true, then it's also fair to say that we are made of starlight, because all of Earth's great ecosystems and their food webs ultimately rest on the foundation of photosynthesis, the ability of plants to harness the energy of sunlight and convert it into their own living substance. People may call this a blue planet, but it's really a green world. The greening of our planet started billions of years ago when animal-like and photosynthetic bacteria entered into a symbiotic partnership that in turn gave rise to fungi, animals, and plants. This pivotal biological event changed our planet and the course of evolution in many ways, not the least of which was to produce our oxygen-rich atmosphere and the formation of the ozone layer.
Today, plants continue to make the air breathable, but they also serve us in so many other important ways by providing food, fiber, pharmaceuticals, and timber. They also add beauty to our lives. In light of their great importance, it's surprising that so many people know so little about plants.
Indeed, some people don't even think of them as being alive. Most plants move so slowly, we don't even notice their intricate activities with the human eye. That we live in an animal-oriented world is not surprising. We are, after all, animals, and it's fair to say that our household pets give us far more loving attention than our prized roses or orchids.
Plants are rarely cute or cuddly. But it is equally fair to say that without plants, most of the world around us would not exist. So what are plants?
What are these creatures that survive without benefit of blood, brains, or muscles, that summon without self-awareness and feed the world without intention? They are among the oldest organisms that ever existed, some achieving the highest level of health and well-being. over 5,000 years of age.
They comprise some of the smallest cells floating in our oceans and some of the largest organisms that ever lived on land or in the sea. Some swim with the aid of flagella, others fly like helicopters or with the aid of parachutes, but most are sedentary. Some are colorless and parasitic, but most are green and photosynthetic.
Some live in trees. while others live submerged in deep water. Their diversity in form, size, and lifestyle is truly beyond description.
Indeed, they have inspired our art, as well as our science. The study of plant life is as historically ancient as is harvesting and farming. The earliest peoples who incorporated plants as an important component in their diets were botanists in the truest sense of the word. Their survival depended on recognizing and observing which plants could be eaten and which plants were poisonous. The first botanical writings known to us are from Aristotle.
Sadly, his works are lost forever. We only know of their existence because they are mentioned by some of his contemporaries, such as his pupil, Theophrastus. Theophrastus's interest was in the classification of medicinal plants.
In many respects, he was one of the world's first great homeopathic physicians. This focus dominated much of botany for many centuries. But it was not until the time of the Swedish professor and physician, Carl Linnaeus, that a formal classification system was invented.
It is still used today for naming species of every form of life, including bacteria, fungi, plants, and animals. The discovery and cataloging of plants might appear to be a dry subject, but the history of plant exploration is rather romantic, and in some cases full of tales of danger and daring. Many early explorers, like Alexander von Humboldt and J.D. Hooker, traveled the globe collecting plants and secretively making maps for military or commercial purposes. Indeed, the exploits of the great plant collector Ernest Henry Wilson, traveling in China and Tibet, earned him the nickname China Wilson, which sounds like a good name for a plant collector.
some claim was one of the role models for Indiana Jones. Today, many botanists continue in the tradition of these early explorers, collecting plants at their own peril. Others study plants in the peaceful setting of the laboratory or test garden, using chemistry, physics, math, or computers.
Indeed, the ways in which plants are studied are almost as diverse as plants are themselves. Why study plants? Who should care?
For botanists, this is an important question. Well over 90% of the living visible world is made up of plant life. We eat them, we use them to build homes, we wear them as textiles, we extract life-saving medicinals, and communicate with the written page. What often goes unnoticed is that industry is fueled by plants in the form of their fossil remains, coal, the organic remains of ancient life and animals. In today's hectic and complicated world, plants remain as important as ever.
in the making of biofuels, the mitigation of global warming by binding carbon in their cell walls, and the production of genetically modified plants to feed the world more efficiently and economically. For those of us who are professional botanists, it's difficult to answer the question, why study plants? Not because we don't know the answer, but because we cannot imagine why anyone would not want to. The study of plant life is a global enterprise involving scientists from every nation.
This endeavor occurs in universities, botanical gardens, industrial laboratories, and in natural preserves everywhere. The role of botanical societies around the world is to allow scientists to share their discoveries with colleagues, students, and the general public in the form of conferences, symposia, and publications. These societies represent communities of botanists, academics of every age and ethnicity. that share a passion for the study of plant life.
The mission of these societies has a common theme articulated in many languages. It is to promote the study and inquiry into the form, function, development, diversity, reproduction, evolution, and uses of plants and their interactions within the biospheres and preserve plant life for future generations to enjoy and use wisely. Regardless of where you live, Joining a botanical society and becoming part of the worldwide community of plant biologists requires little effort. Information about most botanical societies is generally available on the internet.
It is also provided in many libraries that subscribe to botanical journals. Many societies have membership dues at reduced rates for students or non-professional botanists. You do not need to be a botanist to join a botanical society. You just need to love plants and have a desire to learn more about them. Members of these societies include elementary and high school students and teachers, gardeners and farmers.
The field of botany has a rich history, a dynamic present and a fascinating future. So come join us in this great enterprise and learn more about our planet and green world. Photosynthesis is my favorite chemical reaction When the plants are growing it gives me so much satisfaction Chlorophyll's the green stuff, I just can't get enough Building up your cell walls so you grow up Big and tall, big and tall Big and tall, big and tall Photosynthesis Follow, follow, follow sentences Follow, follow, follow sentences