Download All About Plant Adaptation

2. Place both plants in a spot where they both receive the
same amount of sun, warmth and humidity.
All About
Plant Adaptation
3. Water them with their special water and observe them every
day or two. Write down any changes you see in the data
table.
Investigation Data Sheet
Minerals & Bog Plants
4. Draw a diagram below of the specialized leaf structure of
the Venus flytrap.
The Venus flytrap’s bug-eating jaws are an ingenious
adaptation to poor growing conditions. The soil in a boggy
coastal plain lacks nutrients and the water is strongly acidic,
like vinegar. That makes it hard for the plants to get the
minerals needed to grow healthy and strong. Fortunately, the
necessary minerals can be found nearby, flying just overhead.
Through many generations, the plants have evolved their
fascinating leaf structure to catch flies and other small insects
to digest in order to gain these important nutrients. The
leaves of the Venus flytrap adapted into a two-sided trap with
a hinge between and trigger hairs inside. The hairs sense
when something is between them and close.
Objective
Conclusions
Examine the relationship between the Venus flytrap, soil
and water.
• What do all plants need to grow and reproduce? Where do
most plants get the minerals they need?
Materials
— two Venus flytrap plants
— tap water
— pure, mineral-free water (either distilled or rainwater)
— two containers or watering cans
— labels
— a sunny, humid spot
• Tap water is full of chlorine, fluoride and calcium. Why do you
think tap water is toxic to bog plants and makes them sick?
• Describe these plants and the different adaptations that
allow them to get what they need to survive. What do you
notice about the leaves? Stems? Flowers?
Procedure
1. Label the plants (A) and (B) to remind you that one should
receive only tap water and one should receive only distilled
water. (It is useful to label the watering cans or containers,
too, so they don’t get mixed up.)
Plant A – Pure Water
Plant B – Tap Water
Day 1
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Day 5
Day 7
Day 9
Day 11
Day 13
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