Biological Collection

Climax Succession! Succession is a series of progressive changes in species that make up a community over time. Primary succession is when newly exposed or newly formed rock is colonized by living things for the first time. Secondary succession is when an area previously occupied by living things is disrupted, then recolonized. An example of secondary succession is a volcanic explosion destroying an ecosystem, it then takes decades to regrow. Primary succession takes longer to complete because it comes from nothing. A climax community is the final stage of succession as seen in these fully grown trees and bushes.

(Mature Fern Plant) A sporophyte is a generation of a plant that has two sets of chromosomes. A haploid gametophyte alternates with a diploid sporophyte. A spore producing organism that goes through the life cycle of a plant with alterations of generations. In other words a sporophyte is a mature phase in the life cycle of plants and some algae that produces spores. An example is a mature fern plant.

R-Strategist are species whose population is governed by their biotic potential, they live in unstable environments and produce many offspring at once to increase chances of survival for the species. A spider is an example of an r-strategist species because they produce many offspring at one time but few make it to adulthood. Mice, rabbits, weeds, and bacteria are all examples of r-strategist because of their short life expectancy and high offspring count. 

I couldn't find a bee to photograph, fun fact, humans are also pollinators! A pollinator is an organism that moves pollen from the male anther of a flower to the stigma of a flower or plant. Without pollinators many plants wouldn’t reproduce seeds which is necessary for them to spread and reproduce. Examples of pollinators include birds, rodents, monkeys, bees, wasps, and even humans! In china in the 90's humans were hired to pollinate apple blossoms using chopsticks, brushes, and other soft materials to transfer pollen to the blossoms of each tree.

A modified root of a plant is a special adaptation of a plants roots to aid or protect. Tap Roots adapt for storage. Aerial roots extend into the air. Haustorial roots are often seen in parasitic plants allowing the plant to absorb water and nutrients from other plants. Examples include carrots, potatoes, and beets, they have storage roots which are modified to store water and starch. 

The modified leaf of a plant is a n adaptation on a plant meant for its own survival due to environmental stress. A leaf performing functions other than transpiration and photosynthesis is an example. Other things include structure changes like color and spikes. An onion is special in the case that its center contains a modified root but most of what we eat on the outside are modified underground leaves that store energy for the plant to survive during the winter.