PBS Forum

Giant redwoods: World's largest trees 'thriving in UK'

Giant redwoods - the world's largest trees - are flourishing in the UK and now even outnumber those found in their native range in California.
The giants were first brought to the UK about 160 years ago, and a new study suggests they are growing at a similar rate to their US counterparts.
An estimated 500,000 trees are in the UK compared to 80,000 in California.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-68518623

Trimezia

"
In tropical forests, some plants known as ant-plants, or myrmecophytes, are engaged with ants in tight, often obligatory relationships. These plants have specialised hollow structures, called domatia, to host ant colonies.
"

Climate change is turning the trees into gluttons
Sep27,2022

The study, recently published in the Journal Nature Communications, finds that elevated carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere have increased wood volume – or the biomass – of forests in the United States.

This phenomenon is called carbon fertilization: An influx of carbon dioxide increases a plant's rate of photosynthesis, which combines energy from the sun, water, and nutrients from the ground and air to produce fuel for life and spurs plant growth.


https://news.osu.edu/climate-change-is-turning-the-trees-into-gluttons/#:~:text=Although%20other%20factors%20like%20climate,forest%20groups%20across%20the%20country.

Interesting that the article lists a few companies that have gone bust in that line of business.

I don't believe the claims - I have a dehumidifier running 24/7, every day I pour away 3 litres of water. Can a plant derive its water from the air and store it in its tissue - yes. Can it store 3 litres a day, no chance.

As a child adults would say that plants had to be removed from the room at night for safety - due to the CO₂ emitted. I one set up a CO₂ monitor, it is interesting how high CO₂ will get without ventilation (and that was a room without plants).

I bought a £10 moisture sucking plant from B&M and it's worked wonders for damp and mould in my home

In fact there are quite a few clever houseplants that can suck moisture from the air and help prevent the build up of mould.

Eager to give one a try, I managed to find a snake plant - also known as a Sansevieria - at B&M, costing £10.

Other common house plants that can help banish mould include spider plants, orchids, Boston fern, English ivy, peace lily and palm plants.

https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/whats-on/shopping/bought-10-moisture-sucking-plant-28630964

Plants can talk to each other and scientists say it should make us rethink how we treat them


Scientists in Japan observed plants sending tiny, mist-like messages to each other through the air.
This is the first time we've seen visual evidence of plants talking to each other.
The researchers think the plants are warning each other of dangerous threats.


https://www.businessinsider.com/plants-talk-to-each-other-scientists-record-for-first-time-2024-1?r=US&IR=T#:~:text=And%20for%20the%20first%20time,detects%20certain%20chemicals%20as%20light.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RN7ONxZZlJc

... on Android, I don't have access to an Apple product, double tap gets you a marked word with 'ears' which can be used to expand the selected area.

But a suggestion, start playing on message #1 of a month and drag downwards, no infinite scroll is then possible - this may at least show if what you want is possible.

Quote from: kisaac on February 13, 2024, 05:16:06 PMHow do we 'proceed with caution?'

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Genetically_modified_food_in_the_European_Union#:~:text=EU%20regulations%20require%20measures%20to,require%20labeling%20of%20GM%20food.)

Covers the history, which I did not know about, as CG100 pointed out some GM crops have been grown for a long time in the EU - although none are currently being grown commercially in the UK.

Ron - thanks for the comments. Gives me something to think about, I had not considered the issue.

If you can drag without moving the screen into the over-scroll zone then there should be no problem. But I can see it is difficult to distinguish all the different touch and drag actions.

I found this:

"How do you drag and select text on iPad?
Select a word: Double-tap with one finger. Select a paragraph: Triple-tap with one finger. Select a block of text: Double-tap and hold the first word in the block, then drag to the last word"

which may offer another way to select text.

One anti-GMO argument is that novel genes will escape into the wider world via bees and the like.

Almonds - bitter ones banned, sweet ones obvs. not, plant an almond and you don't know what you'll get.

A couple of interesting items are tonka beans and monk fruit - have their fans, also have been banned.

Only part of the general food fad-ism, where what you can eat and how much of it is constantly being changed. What's good for you today, is bad tomorrow according to the news.

Food also changes, today's fruit is a lot sweeter.

Resorting to cute cat photos...

The first daffodils opened here in the North of England on Monday (6th Feb), quite early, in the teeth of yet another storm. There is also a good crop of crocus by now. The daffodils are "Rijnvelds Eary Sensation"

There is private messaging on this forum... right at the top, towards the left.