The Bryophytes: Evidence of Ectohydry is Everywhere
March 17th, 2022
7:00 – 8:00 PM (Via Zoom)
Nijmah Ali
Butte College Biology Department
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“The mutuality of moss and water. Isn’t this the way we love, the way love propels our unfolding? We are shaped by our affinity for love, expanded by its presence and shrunken by its lack” – Robin Wall Kimmerer
Unlike their green algal ancestors, most land plants are not immersed in water. Moving water within plants is a challenge. As an adaptation to living on land, vascular plants have evolved structures that maintain an adequate water supply within their tissues. These include a waxy cuticle on surfaces exposed to air, an endohydric water transport system (xylem), water-absorbing organs (roots), and pores (stomata) that conserve water. Moss, often called the “amphibians” of the plant world, are unique in that most do not possess these elaborate adaptations. Their internal water balance is in equilibrium with the atmosphere. In this talk, we will explore the elegantly simple design of the moss form. You will learn that these tiny plants do not need to be structurally complex to be successful; evidence of ectohydry is everywhere!