The cold wind is howling. Each plant has its own unique way to save its life!

In order to compete for limited sunlight and water, plants had to embark on a journey to the extreme cold zones hundreds of millions of years ago. In the battles with the cold, plants have mastered a series of interesting and practical "cold-resistant tricks" in order to "save their lives".

1. All-rounder: Snow Lotus

Image source: Baidu Encyclopedia

Cold-resistance trick: The curled leaf edges act as "cold-proof clothing", the translucent bracts both keep warm and increase temperature, and also contain antifreeze gene proteins.

The alpine polar environment has a large temperature difference between morning and evening, the soil is very scarce and infertile, the winter is long and cold, and is accompanied by extreme weather such as hail, frost, blizzards, and strong winds at any time. However, from July to September every year, in this "forbidden zone of life", the cold-resistant all-rounder snow lotus (Saussurea involucrata) will still bloom beautiful flowers.

The first thing to do with snow lotus is to wear "cold-proof clothing". Its leaf edges often curl inward and are densely covered with hairs, which can not only prevent wind and keep warm, but also reduce the burns of ultraviolet rays in high altitude areas, which is very beneficial for young plants and flowers to accumulate energy and grow rapidly.

The second trick is to build a "glass greenhouse". The leaves at the bottom of the snow lotus are used for photosynthesis, while the spectacular "flowers" at the top are formed by the transformation of part of its leaves into bracts, which are light yellow and translucent, similar to the light-transmitting roof of a greenhouse, which can both keep warm and increase temperature. According to records, this small "greenhouse" has a significant warming effect, and the average temperature difference between the inside and outside of the bracts during the day can reach 4.6℃.

The third trick is to improve one's "internal strength". Scientists have isolated the unique "magic weapon" that allows snow lotus to survive in low-temperature environments - the antifreeze gene protein.

2. Self-produced "antifreeze": Birch

Image source: pexels

The secret to cold resistance: The large amount of sugary sap in the bark can prevent damage from low temperatures. The bark is highly airtight, like wearing a pair of "long johns".

White birch (Betula platyphylla), which is widely distributed in eastern Asia, is one of the trees closest to the North Pole. According to research, white birch can withstand temperatures as low as -40°C during its winter dormancy.

The first thing that birch relies on is the natural "antifreeze" - sap. From winter to early spring of the following year, the bark of birch will be filled with a large amount of sugary sap, which can effectively protect cells from low temperature and freezing damage. The second is the bark known as "birch pitch". Although the bark of birch is not very thick, it contains a paste-like substance distilled from rich phenolic components, which makes the bark highly sealed, waterproof and heat-insulating, just like wearing a pair of "long johns". In addition, the thicker phloem of birch adds a layer of warmth to it, allowing it to spend winter after winter in the cold wind.

3. Grow close to the ground and keep warm together: Pad comfrey

Pad comfrey丨Source: CCTV Video

Tips for cold resistance: Growing close to the ground can avoid the impact of strong winds, and huddling together for warmth can increase the rate of heat acquisition.

On the top of mountains over 5,000 meters above sea level, you can often see relatively short and compact shrubs or herbs, such as Chionocharis hookeri. Its stems have gradually degenerated and become so short that it can only grow close to the ground, and its leaves have also become smaller and often crowded together to form a hemispherical cushion-shaped body. This type of plant is collectively called "cushion plants."

Although they are compressed into piles of cow dung (mat-like), the comfrey mat has the ability to resist lodging and can reduce the impact of strong winds; secondly, it is conducive to "huddling together for warmth", so the cold wind above the head is not easy to blow in, so they can avoid the suffering of freezing, and at the same time it can improve the efficiency of obtaining heat.

In addition, the study found that some plants will take advantage of the environmental conditions in which they are located, such as hiding deep in bushes or between rocks, which can cause local temperature differences to reach nearly 22°C.

4. The light chaser in the extremely cold land: Fairy Tree

Image source: Pixabay

The trick to cold tolerance: "track" the sunlight through the heliocentric movement of the flowers to increase the temperature.

In the Arctic, plants often have higher requirements for temperature when flowering. Some plants require a minimum temperature of 3-8°C to bloom, while most plants need to reach 5-12°C to bloom. Therefore, in order to obtain more heat during the limited flowering period, some plants will "track" the sunlight through the heliotropic movement of the flowers to increase the temperature inside the flowers. For example, the mountain dryas (Dryas integrifolia) growing in the Arctic.

The petals of the fairy tree have a focusing effect similar to that of a convex lens, which causes the flower stalk to bend and twist with the position of the sun in the sky to change the direction of the flower, thereby concentrating solar radiation on the flower to ensure maximum heat. This type of polar plant is also collectively referred to as a "solar cooker" plant. Studies have shown that this method can effectively increase the temperature by about 10°C.

In the battlefield of nature, such extreme stories of life evolution are everywhere. Warm and humid tropical and subtropical regions often become fiercely competitive "battlefields", but changing your mindset and exploring new territories in cold regions also have the opportunity to win a place.

Source: Chongqing Science and Technology Museum

Author: Qiu Xi, founder of the Ribosomal Apartment Natural Science Communication Studio.

Review experts: Huang He, Li Chunli, Xu Xiaoping

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