AMAZING PLANT RACE

By Jacob Thomas

Meet the Contestants

Carla Cornstalk
Hal Hornwort
Marly Moss
Paula Pine-Tree
Garth Gingko
Homer Horsetail
Fern
Lily Pad

Farmers Field in
Saskatchewan
In this round, Lily Pad was eliminated first, as it was the
least adapted to the dry, flat field. The lily pads need to
be in a body of was is what led to its elimination. There
were several environmental factors that prevented the
lily pads survival. One of such factors was the lack of
bodies of water on the flat fields of the Prairies. Another
factor would be the harsh sunlight that could dry out the
plant, as its leaves are very large and would release a lot
of water under intense sunlight. There is also a lack of
water birds to eat the fruit and spread the seeds, which
would make reproduction difficult for the plant.
Unfortunately, it looks like we will be saying good by to
Lily Pad this round.

Peat Bog in Northern

Scotland
In this round, Carla Cornstalk was sent home. Carlas lack of
adaptations to survive in extremely wet environments resulted in her
elimination. The cornstalk is better suited to an environment with
some water and lots of sunlight, not the dark, wet, conditions of the
peat bog. Some environmental factors that led to the cornstalks
elimination were the sunlight and moisture. The distinct lack of
sunlight in the peat bog would not give the cornstalk what it requires
to perform the photosynthesis needed to provide the large plant with
the necessary energy to survive and grow. Another factor would be
the surplus of moisture in the peat bog. The wet landscape would not
give the tall cornstalk the anchorage required to stand and grow.
Also, the pools of water could flood the plant, and eventually kill it.
There would also bee minimal wildlife to eat the corn and spread the
seeds, which would make reproduction very difficult. For these
reasons, Carla Cornstalk will be eliminated this round.

Xinjiang Semi Desert in

China
In this round, Hal Hornwort is the least adapted the harsh climate,
and will therefore be eliminated. The hornwort is a bryophyte,
which means that out of all of the other plant types, poor Hal is of
the type least adapted to life on land. As a result, it would be
impossible for Hal to survive, grow, and reproduce. As a
bryophyte, the hornwort need water for reproduction, as well as
survival. The hornwort has swimming, flagelled sperm, which
means that water is required to bring the sperm from the
antheridium to the arch gonium. Water is also needed, as
bryophytes have no vascular tissue, and therefore need to be in a
very damp environment to receive water throughout the plant.
Unfortunately for Hal, the semi desert does not have very much
water or precipitation. The harsh sunlight and dry heat would
soon cause the plant to dry out, resulting in its death. For these
reasons, Hal Hornwort will be leaving this round.

African Savannah
This round will be a double elimination round, which means that two contestants will
be going home. The two contestants who will not be joining us for the semi-finals are
Homer Horsetail, and Fern. Both of these contestants are pteridophytes who arent
very well adapted to life in a hot, dry climate like the African Savannah. In the
savannah, the land is covered in dry grass, with small trees that sprout intermittently
from the dry ground. These trees gather their water supply from the ground, as there
is little precipitation. This is unfortunate for the fern and horsetail, as they have
hyphae, not true roots, and cannot absorb water from the ground. The two plants
rely on water from the air, and can only survive in very damp, humid environments.
Another factor would be the constant fires that spread around the dry, grassy areas
of the savannah. The native plants, such as grasses, have natural defenses and bury
their roots deep underground, so that they are not entirely destroyed by the flames.
However, the fern and horsetail do not have such defenses, and would therefore die
in such a scenario. Another factor would be the native wildlife, which grazes on any
green plants they can find. A fern or horsetail wouldnt last long, and would make a
tasty snack for some livestock lucky enough to stumble across it. Lastly, the heat
and sunlight would quickly cause the undated pteridophytes to dry out, resulting in
their death. For these reasons, Homer Horsetail, and Fern will both be eliminated this
round.

Amazon Rainforest in
Brazil
In this round, poor Paula Pine-Tree will be eliminated. The
rugged pine tree was unsuited for the tropical weather, and
was unfortunately the least adapted, resulting in its
elimination. The Rainforest experiences extremely high
temperatures and precipitation. The pine tree is best
adapted to cooler, dryer climates, and would go under
shock when introduced to the warm, wet, tropical
landscape. Her needles mean that she wouldnt be able to
expel water quickly enough, and would soon become
flooded and drown in the humidity. There would also be a
threat of not enough sunlight as a sapling, as the rainforest
floor is very dark, and very little light reaches that far. For
these reasons, Paula Pine-Tree will be eliminated.

Honolulu, Hawaii
Here we are at the finals! Today, the winner of the
Amazing Plant Race is Marla Moss! Marla managed to
survive this long despite being a bryophyte, by growing
on the other plants, and using them as a host, and a
source of moisture. In this round, the moss was perfectly
suited to the damp, humid environment, despite the
close competition of Garth Gingko. The moss faced no
environmental threats, and had plenty of water for
growth, survival, and reproduction. The mosss
dependence on water did not hinder it in any way in this
stage. As the winner of the Amazing Plant Race, Marla
Moss will be taking home 5,000 gallons of water, and a
lifetime supply of fertilizer!

Post Race Analysis

Question 1:
If the locations had been reversed, would you
have chosen a different Winner? Why or why not?
Yes, if the positions had been reversed, I would have
chosen a different winner. This is because I chose the
loser for each location based on the least adapted
plant, which means that if other plants were
eliminated first, then the outcome would be different.
For example, I said that the least adapted plant for
the rainforest was the pine tree, but if the locations
were reversed, then the cornstalk would be the least
adapted.

Post Race Analysis

Question 2:
Would you expect each student in the class to
choose the same winner as you did? Why or why
not?
I would not expect each student on the class to
chose the same winner as I did. This is because of
personal bias, as some people value certain traits
and characteristics of the plants over others,
causing them to focus on just a handful of points
and arguments. Each student is different and has
different values, and can argue each of their points
accordingly.

Post Race Analysis

Question 3
Can you think of a plant that was not chosen as a contestant
that would be a better winner than the one you chose? If so,
which plant, and why?
One plant that I believe would be a winner that wasnt listed,
would be the cosmos bipinnatus. This plant is a vibrant
flower that stand over four feet tall, and is grown almost all
over the world. Although it prefers sun, it can survive in
shady, desolate places. This flower is know as a beginners
flower, because it is so difficult to kill, and is almost
considered a weed, based on how quickly it reproduces, and
how rampantly it spreads and dominated regions. For these
reasons, I think that the cosmos bipinnatus would have been
a better winner for this competition.