Naked Science Forum
Life Sciences => Plant Sciences, Zoology & Evolution => Topic started by: Alandriel on 09/12/2007 21:27:41
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I mean..... isn't bamboo just simply FASCINATING?
(https://www.thenakedscientists.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fonthaitime.com%2Fimages%2Fbamboo-forest.jpg&hash=84cb407da8795ae86f27a257409fb8b6)
Bamboo grows faster than any other plant.
It can grow nearly a metre (39.4 in) in one day - about the same as you grew in the ten years after you were born.
HOW IS THIS POSSIBLE ? What advantage does bamboo have that others don't even come close?
Please enlighten me [;D]
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I can't enlighten you but...... wouldn't you be able to see it growing at that speed?
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This from one of our members who works for the forrestry commission.
http://www.thenakedscientists.com/forum/index.php?topic=8406.msg98195#msg98195
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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bamboo
New shoots of some of the larger species can grow over 1 meter per day.
Given bamboos live from 28 to 60 years (depending on species), if one sustained a growth of 1 metre a day for 50 years, you can imagine where that would lead (even though the tallest can reach 100m high).
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I love Bamboo! It is very cool, I like the sound it makes blowing against each other in the wind with the leaves wrestling in the wind and that swishy sound it makes. it is amazing and the stalks are cool to! Bamboo chimes!Yayyyyy!
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Thank you paul! Fab link [;D]
In bamboo (finally!) the growth is like the extending of a telescope: There is a sort of crown which rises with the interior of the stem (culm) where the cell division takes place. The diagram on p3 of thie link below shows it well.
http://www.abssocal.org/pdf/Bamboo%20101%20So%20CA.pdf
The rate of growth is down to the genetic differentiation in cell division between the species.
Thats the how. The why is perhaps a little easier. Species tends to inhabit environments into which they are best suited. Not all bamboos are so fast growing, becsuse they don't need to be due to the availablilty of resources, usually light. In the case where bamboo does grow tall, it is because it competes will in that given environment for light, where the canopy is rather higher. If through evolution, you are a grass that can grow 100ft in a year, replicate through rhizomes, and be successful, then this is what you do!
Fascinating!!!
Interesting math George. [:)]
365x50 plus the odd leap in there makes that approx (365*38)*1 + (366*12)*1= 18262m
Flying, air travel would become interesting. Would probably be a bit like kelp diving ~ only a LOT faster [;D]
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Interesting math George. [:)]
365x50 plus the odd leap in there makes that approx (365*38)*1 + (366*12)*1= 18262m
Flying, air travel would become interesting. Would probably be a bit like kelp diving ~ only a LOT faster [;D]
Look on the positive side - think of all the carbon that would have to be extracted out of the atmosphere to grow that much material - no more problems with greenhouse gases.
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Hey! [:o] [:o]
We've just found *the* solution to alleviate global warming !!!!! [;D] [;D]
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Thank you paul! Fab link [;D]
In bamboo (finally!) the growth is like the extending of a telescope: There is a sort of crown which rises with the interior of the stem (culm) where the cell division takes place. The diagram on p3 of thie link below shows it well.
http://www.abssocal.org/pdf/Bamboo%20101%20So%20CA.pdf
The rate of growth is down to the genetic differentiation in cell division between the species.
Thats the how. The why is perhaps a little easier. Species tends to inhabit environments into which they are best suited. Not all bamboos are so fast growing, becsuse they don't need to be due to the availablilty of resources, usually light. In the case where bamboo does grow tall, it is because it competes will in that given environment for light, where the canopy is rather higher. If through evolution, you are a grass that can grow 100ft in a year, replicate through rhizomes, and be successful, then this is what you do!
Fascinating!!!
Interesting math George. [:)]
365x50 plus the odd leap in there makes that approx (365*38)*1 + (366*12)*1= 18262m
Flying, air travel would become interesting. Would probably be a bit like kelp diving ~ only a LOT faster [;D]
Later, fantasy stories will replace beanstalks with bamboo stalks.
Speaking of which, I still can't believe that bamboos are Grass-type... Errr... I mean, grasses...