Plants, Earth’s Silent Rulers - The Amazing Tricks of how Plants ensure their Survival

me although ants are tiny insects they  can be very harmful to plant life   this enormous jungle tree is  powerless against a colony of ants little light penetrates the thick foliage  during the day an extraordinary site unfolds   in the peruvian jungle floor a long procession of  leafcutter ants transports leaves to their nest   large worker ants use their  powerful razor sharp jaws   to cut a section of a leaf  with unmatched precision   a ravenous colony of ants can consume  more leaves than a group of elephants   this tree will be completely  defoliated in just a few days the worker ants carry leaves that are several  times larger than themselves to their nest   some ant processions can reach several  hundreds of meters but what makes these ants   special is the fact that they are the first  creatures on earth that grew their own food smaller ants in the colony  are tasked with growing fungus   they take the leaves harvested  by the larger worker ants and   break them down into smaller pieces  which are added to the fungus garden the fungus cultivated by the ants is  rich in protein and fed to the larva   this is how leafcutter ant colonies  have lived for over 50 million years every year one-fifth of all newly  grown leaves in the rainforest will   be harvested by leafcutter ants but is  that how the story always ends for trees   plants and trees use intelligent and  sometimes cruel tactics to repel their enemies in a rain forest in borneo there lives  an impressive insect eating plant   it's a pitcher plant called nepenthes most plant species draw nutrients from the soil  and use energy from sunlight for photosynthesis   but when the soil environment lacks  enough minerals to sustain plant life   some plants will devise new ways to collect energy  like this pitcher plant which preys on insects the bud of nepenthes grows  into a tube-shaped pitcher cup as the plant grows it develops stripe  patterns and reveals an opening with a lid   it takes 15 days to a month for  the pitcher cup to fully develop the lid prevents rain from  seeping into the pitcher   insects are lured with sweet nectar  that lies at the ribs of the peristome a lone ant is attracted to the eye-catching colors  and scent given off by the carnivorous plant nectar and nutrients on the  plant's lip entices the ant   it will lead the ant to the death trap below the curved lip is slippery once an insect falls into the pitcher  it is impossible to crawl out of it   because the walls are slippery too in the course of several days the  plant will use digestive agents   to absorb the nutrients from the ant  only the ant exoskeleton will remain carnivorous plants use ingenious  ways to hunt insects for food the bladderwort an aquatic plant has  the quickest reflexes in the world it drifts in the water and  stays staying in one place   since there are fewer nutrients in water than in  soil the bladderwort must forage for nutrients small bladder-shaped traps  on the branches catch insects instead of using roots to absorb nutrients  the bladderwort relies on these traps it mainly catches mosquito larvae and water fleas when a mosquito larva approaches it is sucked into  the bladder everything happens in a split second on closer inspection the trap has trigger hairs when an insect brushes against a  trigger hair the trap sucks it in   and then closes once caught inside  the larva dies from suffocation a high speed camera is used to capture  the plant's astonishing reaction speed the larva approaches the trap  sucks in water along with a larva and the door closes in a split second since when  did plants develop such ingenious strategies 4.5 billion years ago there was no life  on planet earth greenhouse gases filled   the atmosphere and the ocean was  too hot and salty to support life a billion years later something miraculous  happened the first life form emerged in earth sea on the west coast of australia made from  microorganisms these stromatolites were   formed 3.5 billion years ago they produced  oxygen through continuous photosynthesis   tiny microorganisms went on to evolve  into moss which developed into plants during the silurian period of the  paleozoic era 400 million years ago   the first plant that grew  on land was the cooksonia this primitive plant had a split stalk  with a spore structure on each branch it could only survive near water because it needed  constant moisture it also needed water to multiply so how did the early ancestors  of land plants look like on the southern coast of cheju island the skeleton fork fern is likely to have  been the first vascular plant on earth this fern plant lacks roots and  leaves its y-shaped branches   indicate that it's a primitive plant without any leaves it relies on its stock  to collect sunlight for photosynthesis   however this is not efficient the fern  spores are used to seed new plants when the spores inside the sporocyst  mature it will be swept away by the wind   once it lands on moist ground  it will take root and grow the first land plants had inherent  disadvantages which they overcame   through ingenious survival techniques the earliest known tree in the world is  archaeopterus which appeared 370 million years ago it had a stout trunk and long branches  having feather-like shaped fronds   the tree was named archaeopterus archaeopterus grew as tall as eight meters  and bore a resemblance to modern conifers this   primitive tree formed the earliest forest as it  became the dominant species in earth's vegetation diamond-shaped patterns are pronounced  in this petrified lepidodendron   lepidodendron first appeared on earth 300 million  years ago they grew as tall as a 10 story building   their towering height and cluster of  large leaves enabled them to have robust   photosynthesis they proliferated in wetlands   the earth's atmosphere had higher  oxygen concentration levels   during the carboniferous period  when giant insects were abundant   meganura the largest flying insect  ever known had a wingspan that exceeded   70 centimeters as plants became more  numerous earth's ecosystem teamed with life in a rainforest in costa rica daniel  jansen a world-renowned expert in the   rainforest is a biology professor  at the university of pennsylvania   he has dedicated his life to studying  plants and insects in tropical climates   you can see there's one stinging  stinging me there trying to among his research work he studies the symbiotic  relationship between the bullhorn acacia and ants this acacia tree features horn-like  thorns in which ants make their home the ants feet on the nectar  secreted from the acacia branches   no matter how much nectar they  eat the supply seems to be endless   but the tree is not providing this for free  the nectar is exchanged for the ant services brown protein lipid nodules on the leaves  also provide nourishment for the ants with plenty of food to eat the pseudo-mermax  ants do not need to prey on other insects and the ants dwell in the recesses  of the hollowed out thorns   the swollen thorns provide a safe home  for the ants where they can lay eggs in return for all of this the  ants fulfill an important role they aggressively defend the tree  from acacia leaf eating insects this ladybug is under attack from the rushing ants many herbivores and insects like  eating the acacia's tender leaves   and sweet nectar so the ants defend the tree from  harmful insects in exchange for food and shelter   the tree has changed evolved and the ants  have changed evolved they've changed from   being hunters to being policemen and all they do  is protect the tree she lives about 15 to 20 years   and when she dies the colony dies and  when the colony dies the tree dies   without the ants the acacia  tree would be unable to survive   so it has evolved to accommodate  the ants to ensure its survival but a peaceful symbiotic relationship  is not always pursued by plants   some plants survive by relying  on their killer instincts in a thick jungle plants must compete for  sunlight by growing as tall as possible   because little light reaches below the canopy this enormous tropical fig tree  is called the strangler fig   its branches weave around the trunk of a tree a strangler fig latches onto a host tree while most trees scatter their seeds on the ground  the strangler fig grows in a different place a fig seed will grow when it  is dropped on top of a tree   it will envelop the tree and suck its nutrients meanwhile it will grow its roots  downward and strangle the tree to death within five years the strangler fig's roots will  reach the ground and take away water from the host the support tree will eventually die leaving  behind a columnar tree with a hollow core after killing the host the fig will  grow upwards towards the sunlight it will live on for several hundreds  of years claiming its territory many insects and birds eat the fruit and seeds of  trees for food the red cross bill is no exception the bird picks a pine cone to  get to the seeds and eat them this site is fairly common in  nature but it's a scene that   embodies a vital shift in the history  of plant life the appearance of seeds the ginkgo is called a living fossil they  existed during the jurassic period when dinosaurs   flourished a ginkgo is a gymnosperm that relies on  pollination between pollen cones and ovulate cones pollination is the process in which  plants reproduce and bear seeds the modal sperm or pollen has to fertilize  the egg in the ovule of the ginkgo firmly rooted to the ground ginkgo stand immobile   so the ginkgo must rely on the wind to  carry its pollen to another ginkgo tree carried aloft by the wind  ginkgo pollen fertilizes an egg when the pollination is successful  the tree will produce seeds   although they are technically seeds  people commonly call them fruit   using seeds to reproduce its species  ginkgo trees spread far and wide   after eating the fruit dinosaurs and small  mammals spread the seeds in their droppings say for one species all ginkgos were suddenly  wiped out in the cenozoic era 65 million years ago around the time ginkgo trees  vanished a new plant species evolved they were flowering plants magnolias grow flower petals  before they grow leaves   and retain the characteristics  of primitive flowering plants having both the stamen and  genesium in a single flower   allowed the plant to reproduce more efficiently rk fructus is the earliest known flowering plant  this fossil is dated at 125 million years old it looks starkly different from modern plants having no sepals or petals rk has been  revealed as coming from the angiosperm family although it was an aquatic plant  it was able to bloom above water   where insects in the wind would carry its pollen the beautiful colors and  enchanting floral scent of flowers   are tools to ensure the survival of its species an amazing flower grows deep  in the borneo rainforest   it is the reflecia the  world's largest single flower it is unmistakably a flowering  plant with its oversized petals the flower has a one meter  diameter and weighs as much as 10   kilograms it takes a week for  it to fully extend its petals   reflecia does not have any stems or leaves it is a  parasitic plant that absorbs nutrients from vines   when the flower blooms for three to seven days it  must be pollinated during the short window of time giving off a smell like rotten flesh  reflecia is called the corpse flower it attracts flies with this scent   the flies will pollinate the flower as  it moves from one reflection to another without the help of flies the world's  largest flower could not exist plants cannot move once they take root in  the soil however they are able to spread   their seeds for a considerable distance this  is made possible by their blooming flowers flowering plants attract insects  with their bright colors and honey this honeybee will fly away with more than honey  it will also transport pollen to other flowers flowers have developed nectar guides  to help insects find the honey insects can detect ultraviolet rays  that are invisible to the human eye   after using a filter that only passes ultraviolet  rays hidden patterns appear on the flower the petals reflect ultraviolet  rays making them brighter whereas   the center of the flower absorbs  the rays giving them a dark color let's take a look at this lily a pattern of long lines lead to the flower center similar patterns are revealed  in this flower as well   the lines show the insects  where the honey is located   40 of a sample of 200 flowers shot  under a filter revealed these patterns and experts have found that honeybees  will stay within the black area   the flower strategy is  tailored to pollinating insects flowers also use camouflage to attract  insects like this mountain hydrangea the larger florets are sterile  but have a showy appearance   they trick insects and  butterflies into approaching in the center of the cluster  lie the smaller fertile florets   without this camouflage tactic the mountain  hydrangea would not be able to reproduce the harsh winter cold has arrived   though there are no signs of any flowers the  plants are not dead they are in hibernation in early spring the chinese twin leaf  blooms after its stem grows upwards   it grows flower petals before its leaves this type of chinese twin leaf  blooms once it matures in three years   it does not reproduce in large numbers it possesses an outsized flower  in relation to its small stem   this is necessary to attract bees and butterflies as a monocarpic flower the chinese twin leaf  will die after its pollinated and produces seeds the flower bud is teeming with seeds in june  or july the seeds will be ready to scatter the chinese twin leaf relies  on ants to spread its seeds   the white substance on the surface of the  chinese twin leaf seed is called a layasome   giving off a sweet scent to attract  ants it is rich in lipids and proteins when an ant is carrying a chinese twin leaf  seed it clamors around in a zigzag pattern since the white substance cannot  be separated from the seed   the ants carry the whole seed to their nest after the they will discard the seed and  the seed will grow in its new surroundings in tropical regions you can find the world's only  tree species that is viviparous it is a mangrove mangrove seeds hang from the tree branches living in coastal habitats which are harsh  on plant life due to the high salinity levels   mangroves have evolved to ensure  that their offspring survive when the tree produces a  seed it doesn't scatter it a mangrove seed will germinate while  attached to the parent tree for a long period they will hang from the branch until  they form a propagule or seedling when the seedlings fall to the  ground they will stick out upright   and they will take root instead  of being carried off by the river living in coastal regions where  fresh water and salt water meet   mangrove trees have developed  ways to increase their survival in tropical forests some flowers  depend more on birds rather than   insects to be pollinated  birds are also pollinators the hummingbird is very industrious they only  inhabit america and have co-evolved with flowering plants about the size of an adult's thumb   the hummingbird can flap its wings  as many as 80 times per second   it hovers in midair to drink nectar it must hover  because there is no place for it to perch on due to their high metabolism hummingbirds  must constantly drink nectar to survive heliconia flowers feature bright colors  and over 200 types exist in nature   they are mainly pollinated by hummingbirds  but specific heliconia species   have specific hummingbirds to pollinate them this long curved bill is well suited for  reaching the nectar inside the flower   the hummingbird's bill is a  perfect fit with a heliconia flower without hummingbirds some heliconia  species cannot produce seeds when a hummingbird drinks the nectar pollen will  attach to its beak to be spread to other flowers heliconia and hummingbirds have evolved  together to be perfectly compatible plants are intelligent in how  they adapt to their environment like a living creature this ivy climbs a tree its aerial roots look like human hands but as the iv climbs it searches  for sunlight and moisture   it does not blindly climb  up a tree in a straight line an ivy has a unique structure that  makes it well adapted for tree climbing   the secret lies in its aerial roots the aerial roots are about three  millimeters in length and each one   has several suction cups it uses  these to affix itself to the tree bark   it also secretes a substance that has  the adhesive power of solid concrete thus   the stem of an iv can support two million  times its weight while attached to a wall   using this intelligent strategy an iv  can move where it wants and grow its   stems according to the height of a tree or wall a plant's rapid movement is as complex as the  reaction of living creatures nervous systems shaped like a clam shell the leaves of a  fly trap have an array of sensitive hairs once an insect touches a hair the  leaves will close in less than a second resistance is futile once it catches a prey the  fly trap will never let go   no matter how hard the insect tries to free itself the trap will seal itself and form a stomach  where enzymes are secreted by the plant   the insect will be digested within two weeks there is a way to override the fly  traps mechanism the leaves will close   only when a second hair is contacted within 30  seconds from which the first contact was made   when no prey is caught in its trap it  will open its leaves a few hours later a trap that has been used three to four times  to catch and digest an insect will wither even small frogs can be digested by the fly trap it is a cruel way to kill prey  but it's vital for their survival these crafty and intelligent survival tactics  have allowed plants to spread throughout nature   and nature reaps benefits from plant diversity at the smithsonian tropical  research institute in panama   dr edward alan hurry conducts research on figs fig trees are called the  tree of life in these parts   they bear fruit all year round providing  nourishment to all kinds of animals figs have entered a mutual relationship with wasps   but only a specific species of  wasp can fertilize a specific fig i'll show you right here just a millimeter  in length the fig wasp will lay eggs inside   the fig fruit the wasp would crawl inside one of  these things that the scientific name is cyconium enclosed in the structure the fig fruit  provides adequate protection to the wasp eggs   the eggs hatch inside the fruit and  usually the male wasps will hatch first   the wingless male has a sperm  pouch at the end of its body as soon as the male hatches it will search  for the eggs of a female in order to mate the male can fertilize the  female before it even hatches after finding an egg containing a female  the male will penetrate it and mate with it once the female wasp hatches it has a dual  mission first it must repay the fig tree for   providing it with food and shelter by pollinating  it and at the same time lay eggs to reproduce the winged female will scrape pollen  together and attach it to its body   now it is ready to leave the fig   like its ancestors the wasp will carry out  its duty as it has done for millions of years   the female will pollinate another fig tree  this is the co-evolutional relationship   between the fig wasp and figs it depends on  the female to follow through with pollination   after the female lays its eggs it will  die and the fig will consume its corpse these two species have evolved beautifully  together for a long period of time   this is co-evolution in the sense that for over  90 million years 80 million years at least figs   have used wasps to pollinate them and wasp have  used figs to reproduce and the characteristics   of each one have become very finely tuned to  allow the other one to uh to exploit the system the fig fruit was made possible  through cooperation between the   fig and wasp through sacrifices and dedication   trees have provided food to creatures  supporting forests throughout the ages   many animals on earth depend on plant life to live evolving and overcoming challenges posed by harsh  habitats plants have supported most life on earth   but if plants had not moved out of water onto the  land we wouldn't have any terrestrial ecosystems   today plants are absolutely fundamental they  are the energetic foundation on which all of our   terrestrial ecosystems are built without plants  there would have been no insects without plants   there would have been no land vertebrates without  land vertebrates there would have been no us   do you still believe that smart humans  are using plants maybe it is the other   way around where plants are using humans to  propagate their species through human farming life on earth flourishes through such mutual  relationships this is the eternal cycle of life thus animals and humans might be the supporting  cast on a platform supported by plants   hidden in plain sight plants are  the true rulers of the planet foreign

Channel: Free High-Quality Documentaries

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Keywords: Free High-Quality Documentaries, HD, Full HD, Quality, leafcutter, ants, insects, plants, Borneo, Kinabalu Park, Nepenthes, Bladderwort, High speed camera, earth, history, Cooksonia, Whisk Fern, pseudomyrmex, strangler fig, corean crossbil, magnolia, Rafflesia, mountain, Hydrangea, Twinleaf, Elaiosome, Mangrove, Hummingbird, Heliconia, Ivy, Flytrap, fig wasp

Id: jsF4UXSVIns

Length: 45min 18sec (2718 seconds)

Published: Fri Mar 25 2022