The document discusses key concepts in ecology including ecosystems, community ecology, population ecology, and seed dispersal. It defines ecology as the scientific study of interactions between organisms and their environment. An ecosystem is described as a biological community of interacting organisms and their physical environment. The document outlines different types of seed dispersal vectors including gravity, wind, water, animals, humans, and explosion. It provides examples to illustrate concepts like food chains, food webs, predator-prey relationships, and symbiotic relationships between species.
Energy Flow in Environment : Ecological EnergeticsKamlesh Patel
What is Energy:
The ability or capacity to do work,
Radiant, Chemical, thermal, mechanical, nuclear, electrical.
What is Energy Flow:
The existence of flora and fauna in ecosystem depends upon the cycle of minerals and flow of energy. Energy is needed for all the biotic activities. The only source of this energy is the sun. The entrance, transformation and diffusion of energy in ecosystem are governed by laws of thermodynamics.
Ecology is the scientific study of organisms `at home' which is called as the `environment'. The term `environment' refers to those parts of the world or the total set of circumstances which surround an organism or a group of organisms.
Energy Flow in Environment : Ecological EnergeticsKamlesh Patel
What is Energy:
The ability or capacity to do work,
Radiant, Chemical, thermal, mechanical, nuclear, electrical.
What is Energy Flow:
The existence of flora and fauna in ecosystem depends upon the cycle of minerals and flow of energy. Energy is needed for all the biotic activities. The only source of this energy is the sun. The entrance, transformation and diffusion of energy in ecosystem are governed by laws of thermodynamics.
Ecology is the scientific study of organisms `at home' which is called as the `environment'. The term `environment' refers to those parts of the world or the total set of circumstances which surround an organism or a group of organisms.
The presentation is aimed for undergraduate students and covers the details of forest ecosystem, grassland ecosystem, desert ecosystem as well as aquatic ecosystems. It is suitable for compulsory environmental science course at undergraduate level. The content has been simplified for easy understanding of both science as well as humanities students.
All of the presentations that i have uploaded are made by me for school projects from 9-12 grade.For most of them you actually need to have learned something to recite and what you see on the presentations are just hints.
Community ecology, study of the organization and functioning of communities, which are assemblages of interacting populations of the species living within a particular area or habitat.
This powerpoint describes the levels of which ecologists study organisms interacting with their environments. Also includes a review of heterotrophs, autotrophs, and ecological pyramids.
In this episode, we are going to learn the following aspects:
1. Definition of an Ecosystem
2. Biotic Components
3. Abiotic Components
4. Functions of an ecosystem
5. Processes of ecosystems.
The presentation is aimed for undergraduate students and covers the details of forest ecosystem, grassland ecosystem, desert ecosystem as well as aquatic ecosystems. It is suitable for compulsory environmental science course at undergraduate level. The content has been simplified for easy understanding of both science as well as humanities students.
All of the presentations that i have uploaded are made by me for school projects from 9-12 grade.For most of them you actually need to have learned something to recite and what you see on the presentations are just hints.
Community ecology, study of the organization and functioning of communities, which are assemblages of interacting populations of the species living within a particular area or habitat.
This powerpoint describes the levels of which ecologists study organisms interacting with their environments. Also includes a review of heterotrophs, autotrophs, and ecological pyramids.
In this episode, we are going to learn the following aspects:
1. Definition of an Ecosystem
2. Biotic Components
3. Abiotic Components
4. Functions of an ecosystem
5. Processes of ecosystems.
Ecology derived from two Greek word “oikos” means house, habitation or place of living & “logos” means study.
Definition: Ecology is the study of interrelationship between living organism and their physical and biological environment.
This ppt covers sources, natural and anthropogenic processes, and impacts of heavy metals pollution on environment with Mechanisms of Remediating Heavy Metals.
Turkey is a native bird of America. This ppt covers the classification, geographic distribution, habitat, behaviour, reproduction and use of Turkey by humans.
Introduction:
RNA interference (RNAi) or Post-Transcriptional Gene Silencing (PTGS) is an important biological process for modulating eukaryotic gene expression.
It is highly conserved process of posttranscriptional gene silencing by which double stranded RNA (dsRNA) causes sequence-specific degradation of mRNA sequences.
dsRNA-induced gene silencing (RNAi) is reported in a wide range of eukaryotes ranging from worms, insects, mammals and plants.
This process mediates resistance to both endogenous parasitic and exogenous pathogenic nucleic acids, and regulates the expression of protein-coding genes.
What are small ncRNAs?
micro RNA (miRNA)
short interfering RNA (siRNA)
Properties of small non-coding RNA:
Involved in silencing mRNA transcripts.
Called “small” because they are usually only about 21-24 nucleotides long.
Synthesized by first cutting up longer precursor sequences (like the 61nt one that Lee discovered).
Silence an mRNA by base pairing with some sequence on the mRNA.
Discovery of siRNA?
The first small RNA:
In 1993 Rosalind Lee (Victor Ambros lab) was studying a non- coding gene in C. elegans, lin-4, that was involved in silencing of another gene, lin-14, at the appropriate time in the
development of the worm C. elegans.
Two small transcripts of lin-4 (22nt and 61nt) were found to be complementary to a sequence in the 3' UTR of lin-14.
Because lin-4 encoded no protein, she deduced that it must be these transcripts that are causing the silencing by RNA-RNA interactions.
Types of RNAi ( non coding RNA)
MiRNA
Length (23-25 nt)
Trans acting
Binds with target MRNA in mismatch
Translation inhibition
Si RNA
Length 21 nt.
Cis acting
Bind with target Mrna in perfect complementary sequence
Piwi-RNA
Length ; 25 to 36 nt.
Expressed in Germ Cells
Regulates trnasposomes activity
MECHANISM OF RNAI:
First the double-stranded RNA teams up with a protein complex named Dicer, which cuts the long RNA into short pieces.
Then another protein complex called RISC (RNA-induced silencing complex) discards one of the two RNA strands.
The RISC-docked, single-stranded RNA then pairs with the homologous mRNA and destroys it.
THE RISC COMPLEX:
RISC is large(>500kD) RNA multi- protein Binding complex which triggers MRNA degradation in response to MRNA
Unwinding of double stranded Si RNA by ATP independent Helicase
Active component of RISC is Ago proteins( ENDONUCLEASE) which cleave target MRNA.
DICER: endonuclease (RNase Family III)
Argonaute: Central Component of the RNA-Induced Silencing Complex (RISC)
One strand of the dsRNA produced by Dicer is retained in the RISC complex in association with Argonaute
ARGONAUTE PROTEIN :
1.PAZ(PIWI/Argonaute/ Zwille)- Recognition of target MRNA
2.PIWI (p-element induced wimpy Testis)- breaks Phosphodiester bond of mRNA.)RNAse H activity.
MiRNA:
The Double-stranded RNAs are naturally produced in eukaryotic cells during development, and they have a key role in regulating gene expression .
A brief information about the SCOP protein database used in bioinformatics.
The Structural Classification of Proteins (SCOP) database is a comprehensive and authoritative resource for the structural and evolutionary relationships of proteins. It provides a detailed and curated classification of protein structures, grouping them into families, superfamilies, and folds based on their structural and sequence similarities.
THE IMPORTANCE OF MARTIAN ATMOSPHERE SAMPLE RETURN.Sérgio Sacani
The return of a sample of near-surface atmosphere from Mars would facilitate answers to several first-order science questions surrounding the formation and evolution of the planet. One of the important aspects of terrestrial planet formation in general is the role that primary atmospheres played in influencing the chemistry and structure of the planets and their antecedents. Studies of the martian atmosphere can be used to investigate the role of a primary atmosphere in its history. Atmosphere samples would also inform our understanding of the near-surface chemistry of the planet, and ultimately the prospects for life. High-precision isotopic analyses of constituent gases are needed to address these questions, requiring that the analyses are made on returned samples rather than in situ.
Earliest Galaxies in the JADES Origins Field: Luminosity Function and Cosmic ...Sérgio Sacani
We characterize the earliest galaxy population in the JADES Origins Field (JOF), the deepest
imaging field observed with JWST. We make use of the ancillary Hubble optical images (5 filters
spanning 0.4−0.9µm) and novel JWST images with 14 filters spanning 0.8−5µm, including 7 mediumband filters, and reaching total exposure times of up to 46 hours per filter. We combine all our data
at > 2.3µm to construct an ultradeep image, reaching as deep as ≈ 31.4 AB mag in the stack and
30.3-31.0 AB mag (5σ, r = 0.1” circular aperture) in individual filters. We measure photometric
redshifts and use robust selection criteria to identify a sample of eight galaxy candidates at redshifts
z = 11.5 − 15. These objects show compact half-light radii of R1/2 ∼ 50 − 200pc, stellar masses of
M⋆ ∼ 107−108M⊙, and star-formation rates of SFR ∼ 0.1−1 M⊙ yr−1
. Our search finds no candidates
at 15 < z < 20, placing upper limits at these redshifts. We develop a forward modeling approach to
infer the properties of the evolving luminosity function without binning in redshift or luminosity that
marginalizes over the photometric redshift uncertainty of our candidate galaxies and incorporates the
impact of non-detections. We find a z = 12 luminosity function in good agreement with prior results,
and that the luminosity function normalization and UV luminosity density decline by a factor of ∼ 2.5
from z = 12 to z = 14. We discuss the possible implications of our results in the context of theoretical
models for evolution of the dark matter halo mass function.
Cancer cell metabolism: special Reference to Lactate PathwayAADYARAJPANDEY1
Normal Cell Metabolism:
Cellular respiration describes the series of steps that cells use to break down sugar and other chemicals to get the energy we need to function.
Energy is stored in the bonds of glucose and when glucose is broken down, much of that energy is released.
Cell utilize energy in the form of ATP.
The first step of respiration is called glycolysis. In a series of steps, glycolysis breaks glucose into two smaller molecules - a chemical called pyruvate. A small amount of ATP is formed during this process.
Most healthy cells continue the breakdown in a second process, called the Kreb's cycle. The Kreb's cycle allows cells to “burn” the pyruvates made in glycolysis to get more ATP.
The last step in the breakdown of glucose is called oxidative phosphorylation (Ox-Phos).
It takes place in specialized cell structures called mitochondria. This process produces a large amount of ATP. Importantly, cells need oxygen to complete oxidative phosphorylation.
If a cell completes only glycolysis, only 2 molecules of ATP are made per glucose. However, if the cell completes the entire respiration process (glycolysis - Kreb's - oxidative phosphorylation), about 36 molecules of ATP are created, giving it much more energy to use.
IN CANCER CELL:
Unlike healthy cells that "burn" the entire molecule of sugar to capture a large amount of energy as ATP, cancer cells are wasteful.
Cancer cells only partially break down sugar molecules. They overuse the first step of respiration, glycolysis. They frequently do not complete the second step, oxidative phosphorylation.
This results in only 2 molecules of ATP per each glucose molecule instead of the 36 or so ATPs healthy cells gain. As a result, cancer cells need to use a lot more sugar molecules to get enough energy to survive.
Unlike healthy cells that "burn" the entire molecule of sugar to capture a large amount of energy as ATP, cancer cells are wasteful.
Cancer cells only partially break down sugar molecules. They overuse the first step of respiration, glycolysis. They frequently do not complete the second step, oxidative phosphorylation.
This results in only 2 molecules of ATP per each glucose molecule instead of the 36 or so ATPs healthy cells gain. As a result, cancer cells need to use a lot more sugar molecules to get enough energy to survive.
introduction to WARBERG PHENOMENA:
WARBURG EFFECT Usually, cancer cells are highly glycolytic (glucose addiction) and take up more glucose than do normal cells from outside.
Otto Heinrich Warburg (; 8 October 1883 – 1 August 1970) In 1931 was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology for his "discovery of the nature and mode of action of the respiratory enzyme.
WARNBURG EFFECT : cancer cells under aerobic (well-oxygenated) conditions to metabolize glucose to lactate (aerobic glycolysis) is known as the Warburg effect. Warburg made the observation that tumor slices consume glucose and secrete lactate at a higher rate than normal tissues.
Richard's entangled aventures in wonderlandRichard Gill
Since the loophole-free Bell experiments of 2020 and the Nobel prizes in physics of 2022, critics of Bell's work have retreated to the fortress of super-determinism. Now, super-determinism is a derogatory word - it just means "determinism". Palmer, Hance and Hossenfelder argue that quantum mechanics and determinism are not incompatible, using a sophisticated mathematical construction based on a subtle thinning of allowed states and measurements in quantum mechanics, such that what is left appears to make Bell's argument fail, without altering the empirical predictions of quantum mechanics. I think however that it is a smoke screen, and the slogan "lost in math" comes to my mind. I will discuss some other recent disproofs of Bell's theorem using the language of causality based on causal graphs. Causal thinking is also central to law and justice. I will mention surprising connections to my work on serial killer nurse cases, in particular the Dutch case of Lucia de Berk and the current UK case of Lucy Letby.
(May 29th, 2024) Advancements in Intravital Microscopy- Insights for Preclini...Scintica Instrumentation
Intravital microscopy (IVM) is a powerful tool utilized to study cellular behavior over time and space in vivo. Much of our understanding of cell biology has been accomplished using various in vitro and ex vivo methods; however, these studies do not necessarily reflect the natural dynamics of biological processes. Unlike traditional cell culture or fixed tissue imaging, IVM allows for the ultra-fast high-resolution imaging of cellular processes over time and space and were studied in its natural environment. Real-time visualization of biological processes in the context of an intact organism helps maintain physiological relevance and provide insights into the progression of disease, response to treatments or developmental processes.
In this webinar we give an overview of advanced applications of the IVM system in preclinical research. IVIM technology is a provider of all-in-one intravital microscopy systems and solutions optimized for in vivo imaging of live animal models at sub-micron resolution. The system’s unique features and user-friendly software enables researchers to probe fast dynamic biological processes such as immune cell tracking, cell-cell interaction as well as vascularization and tumor metastasis with exceptional detail. This webinar will also give an overview of IVM being utilized in drug development, offering a view into the intricate interaction between drugs/nanoparticles and tissues in vivo and allows for the evaluation of therapeutic intervention in a variety of tissues and organs. This interdisciplinary collaboration continues to drive the advancements of novel therapeutic strategies.
3. What is ECOLOGY?
The term ecology
Coined by German zoologist Ernst Haeckel in 1866.
Comes from the Greek words oikos, meaning “house or environment” and
logy, meaning “the study of”.
Ecology is the scientific analysis and study of interactions among organisms
and their environment.
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4. What is ECOSYSTEM?
The term ecosystem
Coined byArthur GeorgeTansley in 1935.
Comes from Greek words oikos meaning, “house or
environment” and systema meaning, “organized body”
or a collection of related parts that function as a unit.
An ecosystem is a community of living organisms (biotic
components like animals, plants, fungi, micro-organisms)
in conjunction with the non-living components (abiotic
components things like air, water and mineral soil) of
their environment, interacting as a system.
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5. ECOSYSTEM ECOLOGY:
Ecosystem Ecology is the integrated study of living
(biotic) and non-living (abiotic) components of
ecosystems and their interactions within an
ecosystem framework.
This science examines how ecosystems work and
relates this to their components such as chemicals,
soil, plants and animals.
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6. Population Ecology (Autecology):
• Studying a single population’s relationship to its environment it will be called
as population ecology or autecology.
• For example , you are studying 50 to 100 plants of sunflower in order to know
the effect of water pollution on their growth and yield, you are studying the
single or one population of sunflower plant.
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7. Community Ecology (Synecology):
• The study of the relationship of different
communities (grouping of populations) to their
environment is called community ecology or
synecology.
• Community ecology seeks to understand how
species interact by studying many different kinds
of relationships between organisms.
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9. Biotic and Abiotic Components:
BIOTIC COMPONENTS
• A biotic factor is any living
component that affects the
population of another organism, or
the environment.
• This includes animals that consume
the organism, and the living food
that the organism consumes.
• Biotic factors also include human
influence, pathogens, and disease
outbreaks. Each biotic factor needs
energy to do work and food for
proper growth.
ABIOTIC COMPONENTS
• Abiotic components or Abiotic factors
are non-living chemical and physical
parts of the environment that affect
living organisms and the functioning of
ecosystems.
• Abiotic components include physical
conditions and non-living resources that
affect living organisms in terms of
growth, maintenance, and
reproduction.
• All non-living components of an
ecosystem, such as atmospheric
conditions and water resources, are
called abiotic components.
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10. Biotic and Abiotic Components:
BIOTIC COMPONENTS
• The major Biotic components of
ecosystem are:
1. Producers
2. Consumers
3. Decomposers
ABIOTIC COMPONENTS
• Abiotic components are mainly of
two types:
1. Climatic factors : include rain,
temperature, light, wind etc.
2. Edaphic factors : include soil, pH,
Topography, minerals etc.
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11. 1.PRODUCERS(Autotrophs or
Self-Feeders):
Make their own food from compounds that are obtained
from their environment.
Are the source of all food in an ecosystem.
On land most producers are green plants.
In freshwater and marine ecosystems, algae and plants are
the major producers near shore lines.
In open water, the dominant producers are phytoplankton
(most of them microscopic) that float or drift in the water.
e.g. dinoflagellates and diatoms.
Most producers capture sunlight to make carbohydrate
(such as glucose) by photosynthesis.
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12. 2.CONSUMERS(Heterotrophs):
Get their energy and nutrients by feeding on other organisms or their
remains.
i. Primary consumers: are those that eat producers (plants) as a source
of food.They are also known as herbivores.
ii. Secondary consumers or carnivores: eat other animals.
iii. Tertiary consumers : large carnivores which feed on secondary
consumers.
iv. Quaternary consumers: largest carnivores that feed on tertiary
consumers.They are not eaten by any animals.
v. Omnivores: have mixed diet that include both plants and animals.
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13. 3. DECOMPPOSERS(Saprotrophs):
Are mainly the fungi and
bacteria, which obtain their
energy from the dead and
decaying plants and animals
and recycle organic matter in
ecosystem.
They release chemical
elements as ions.
The main chemical ions are
nitrates, ammonia, phosphates,
potassium and calcium.
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14. FOOD CHAIN:
The transfer of food energy from its basic source in
plants through a series of organisms , each of which
eats the preceding and is eaten by the following is
known as food chain.
Transfer of food through various trophic levels of an
ecosystem.
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15. FOOD WEB:
Interlocking
pattern of different
food chains.
The combination of
many food chains.
The variety of
pathways in a food
web helps to
maintain the
stability of the
ecosystem.
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16. The flow of energy in food chain of an ecosystem
• Main source of energy in an ecosystem is sun.
• Most life on earth depends on photosynthetic
organisms which capture sunlight and convert
it into chemical energy in organic molecules.
• Producers use most of the energy they make
for themselves.
• All other organisms in an ecosystem are
consumers.
• Consumers eat plants or other organisms to
obtain their energy.
• Energy move from one trophic level to the
next, from sunlight to- producer – to primary
consumer and so on, down the food chain.
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19. PREDATION (predator-prey relationship):
• An animal that preys on other animals is a predator.
• A predator is a consumer.
• The animal that is caught and eaten is the prey.
• The over all process is called predation.
• Examples : cat/mouse , fox/rabbit , seal/fish , frog/mosquito etc.
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20. SYMBIOSIS:
• It describes a close relationship between two organisms
from different species.
Kinds of Symbiosis :
• Mutualism
• Commensalism
• Parasitism
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21. MUTUALISM:
• It is the relationship between two organisms in which both the
organisms benefit from each other.
• Example
Dogs and humans have enjoyed a mutualistic symbiosis for
centuries:
The dogs supply protection and companionship and the
humans provide food and shelter.
Lichen is a relationship between a fungus and an alga:
Fungus provide shelter and mineral ions to alga and alga supply
nutrients and oxygen.
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22. Commensalism:
• It is the relationship between two organisms where one gets benefit from the
other.The other is not helped but is not harmed or damaged from the
relationship.
• Example
Sharks may have small fish called remoras attached to them:
As the shark feeds, the remoras pick up the scraps.The remoras benefit from
this relationship, shark is not affected at all.
A spider building a web on a tree.
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23. PARASITISM:
• In parasitism, one organism benefits from the
relationship but at the expense of the other.
• This is an association between a host and a parasite,
which involves providing the parasite with food,
protection and conditions for survival.
• Examples
Fleas and mosquitoes feed on blood from other
organisms.
Tapeworms :Tapeworms do more damage to their
hosts because they eat partially digested food and that
deprives the host of some food and nourishment.
Barnacles that attach to the bodies of whales :The
whale is not harmed greatly, but may have some pain or
itching.
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24. BIOGEOCHEMICAL CYCLES:
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• Energy flows through an
ecosystem and is dissipated as
heat, but chemical elements are
recycled.
• The ways in which an element—
or compound such as water—
moves between its various living
and nonliving forms and locations
in the biosphere is called
a biogeochemical cycle.
29. SEED DISPERSAL:
• Seed dispersal is the movement or transport of seeds away from the parent
plant.
• Plants have very limited mobility and consequently rely upon a variety of
dispersal vector to transport their propagules, including both
abiotic and biotic vectors.
• Major vectors for seed dispersal are:
1. By Gravity
2. ByWind
3. ByWater
4. By Animals
5. By Humans
6. By Explosion
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30. Seed Dispersal by Gravity:
• If they have a tough outer shell, they may roll
some distance from the parent plant.The higher
up the tree they are, and the larger they are, the
further they can roll.
• If they have a soft skin, they may break open
when they hit the ground and the individual
seeds may be scattered.
• On lower-growing plants, many fruits and seeds
are also heavy enough to fall to the ground
without any other help.
• When they reach the ground, some seeds are
taken further from the parent plant by animals or
water.
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31. Seed Dispersal byWind:
• Some seeds are carried to a new
place by wind.These seeds are very
light.
• The seeds of orchid are as fine as
dust.
• Many have hairy growths which act
like little parachutes and carry the
seed far away from the parent
plant.
• The seeds of dandelion are carried
by the wind.
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32. Seed Dispersal byWater:
• Plants which grow beside water often rely on water to transport their seeds
for them.
• They may produce light seeds which float, or there may be fluff that helps
buoyancy.
• Water lily and coconut palm are carried by water.
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33. Seed Dispersal by Animals:
• The animals eat the fruit but only the juicy part is digested and seeds are
deposits which are dropped several miles away.
• Blackberry , cherries and apple seeds are dispersed in this way.
• Some fruits like that of burdock plant have seeds with hooks.
• These catch on fur of animals and are carried away.
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34. Seed Dispersal by Humans:
• Humans mostly dispersed the seeds in farms
by hands.
• Various seeds stuck with the socks, shoes
and clothes and carried miles away.
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35. Seed Dispersal by Explosion:
• Some plants have pods that explode when ripe and shoot out the seeds.
• Lupins, gorse and broom scatter their seeds in this way.
• Pea and bean plants also keep their seeds in a pod.When the seeds are ripe
and pod has dried , the pods bursts and open and the peas and beans are
scattered.
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