Why Study Plants?
Some History and Biochemistry

Mineral Earth
Atmosphere = H2O + N2 +NH3 + CO2 + CO + CH4 + H2 + H2S
(anaerobic, poisonous!)
Ocean
Weather
No Life!

Cyanobacteria = Blue-green algae
Photosynthesis = CO2 + H2O + light (chlorophyll) ------> CH2O (carbohydrate) + O2

THANKS for Oxygen we breathe (now 21% of air)

THANKS for Ozone UV screen (O2--->O3)

1.5 BY BP...First eukaryotic (true nucleus cells) 1.5 B Y bacteria!!
0.5 BY BP...Invertebrates ... Algae
0.25 BY BP...Fish Amphibians Insects...Ferns
0.12 BY BP...Fish Dinosaurs Insects...Ferns, Conifers, 1st flowers
0.05 BY BP...Fish Birds Mammals Insects...Conifers, Flowering Plants
0.003 BY BP...First "human"=Australopithecus afarensis
250,000 Y BP Homo sapiens (archaic)
28,000 Y BP Homo sapiens (modern)

3 BY of photosynthesis before us
90 MY of flowering plants before us

4,000 Y BP first historical fragments of culture!!

What we are so proud of is a "flash in the pan?"
"You insignificant little nothing!"

THANKS for Food

Grains: Pasta, Bread = STARCH = Carbohydrate!
Wheat, Barley, Corn, Rice
Tubers and Roots: Potatoes, Poi, Yams
Fruits: Grapes, Figs, Olives, Dates, Pomegranates, Mulberries, Bananas, Oranges, Mangoes, Guava
Oils: Soybean, Corn, Peanut, Palm, Coconut, Sunflower, Olive, Safflower
Sugar: Cane, Beets
"Vegetables": tomato, lettuce celery, carrot, melon, asparagus, broccoli, etc.
Meat????: 10 kilo grain = 1 kilo beef
1 bu corn = energy + protein for 23 people!

Plants give us a DIVERSE DIET
They are the producers, supporting a food web of consumers!

Decaying vegetation buried by sediments
Rotting to form natural gas (CH4) swamp gas
Rotting to form crude oil
Compressed to form coal

THANKS for Fossil Fuels

Energy, Electricity, Gasoline, Plastics, Chemicals, Drugs, Lubricants,Alcohol, quinine, morphine, codeine, cocaine, digitoxin, nicotine, delta-9-THC, caffeine....MORE IN TROPICS (If any is left) !!

THANKS for WOOD

(Recently dead tissue)
Fuel, Building Construction, Paper

THANKS for FIBER

Linen, Cotton, Rayon, Nylon--The story of Willimantic, CT.

THANKS for LATEX

Tires, Gloves, Condoms

THANKS for PITCH, Turpentine, Resin

Water-proofing for wood ships, paint, varnish

THANKS for OILS, PERFUMES, SPICES

Incense, Citronella, Rose, Jasmine, Gardenia, Lily, Pepper, Cinnamon, Nutmeg, Vanilla, Cloves, Mint

THANKS for DECORATION

Landscaping, House Plants, Flower Arrangements, Baptismal Rose, Prom Corsage, Bridal Bouquet, Coffin Blanket

From Birth to Marriage to Death, Plants are critical in our lives!

They provide air to breathe, UV protection, all food, clothing, shelter, heat and power, paper, medicines, flavors and fragrances, decorations.

These are only 10 reasons why we need to study PLANTS !!

Here is one more...

THANKS for JOBS!

If you think of all the businesses and industries that rely upon plants in one way or another as a raw material or finished product to provide for the needs of customers, you realize that these plants and plant products provide livelihood. Think of the food industry alone...farmers deal with plants most directly, but then there are truckers, processing plants, packaging plants, distribution networks, wholesale and retail groceries, restaurants and fast-food joints. That is but one industry.

If you know something about botany, your prospects are greater as a potential employee of unique value in knowledge of raw material or finished product!

Note: We think we are so important and powerful.
I hope you see how dependent we are upon plants.
It is a humbling thought. One that makes us consider how much we take for granted.

Stop Anthropocentrism !!

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Why Study Plants?Some History and Biochemistry