Assist park with the evaluation of long-term trends

Several parks have both federally- and state-listed species and are required to report on status and trends of these populations. For general project management, compliance requires documentation of expected impacts to resources. Through monitoring, parks will be able to evaluate the status of species-of-concern and document results of management actions that are intended to protect populations. A few known examples where monitoring data would be useful, include:

Assist park with the evaluation of long-term trends in plant distribution, numbers, and health of Krals Water Plantain, Green Pitcher Plant, and Harperella found at LIRI.

Assist park with the evaluation of long-term trends in plant distribution, numbers, and health of Mountain Skullcap found at CHCH. Assist park with the evaluation of long-term trends in plant distribution, numbers, and health of Tennessee Coneflower found at STRI. Assist park with the evaluation of long-term trends in plant distribution, numbers, and health of Dwarf-flowered Heartleaf found at COWP. Assist park with the evaluation of long-term trends in plant distribution, numbers, and health of Price’s Potato Bean found at FODO.

Assist park with the evaluation of long-term trends in plant distribution, numbers, and health of Ogelthorpe Oak found at NISI. Assist park with the evaluation of long-term trends in plant distribution, numbers, and health of Piedmont Ragwort and Carolina Hemlock found at CARL.

Assist park with the evaluation of long-term trends in plant distribution, numbers, and health of Eastern Turkeybeard and Georgia Aster found at KIMO. Determine parks/species that are experiencing declines in populations due to poaching (Ginseng, Goldenseal, Galax, Flame Azalea).

Rare Plants in Hawaii

On the island of Hawaii, protection and stabilization of the rare plant species used a broad range of management actions. Fencing, invasive species control, and enhancement of rare species populations by out-planting individuals raised in nurseries are methods used in the projects. Also promotion, enhancement and restoration of the natural communities, ecosystems, and endangered elements of Puuwaawaa through regular maintenance of animal proof fences, invasive plant control, collection of seeds and cuttings from depleted rare plant species for propagation at the Volcano Rare Plant Facility was done as well. Out-planting of plants from the Volcano Rare Plant Facility was accomplished and fencing was built in around these sites to exclude feral animals.

On Oahu, work was accomplished to stabilize and increase the numbers of threatened and endangered plants in coastal and in forested areas by propagation and out-planting of these rare species. Plant propagation was done at Mokuleia and Pahole Rare Plant Facilities plus micropropagation facilities at Lyon Arboretum before out-planted into protected areas. Also surveys were done to establish new sites for future out-planting. Fencing was built in Kapuna Gulch to exclude ungulates. Invasive plant species were excluded from these areas by a variety of methods.

On Kauai, maintenance of fence lines was done to ensure that feral animals are kept out of native areas. In addition, invasive plant control was done by establishing fire breaks. The Kokee rare plant facility propagates rare native plants using a variety on methods and are eventually out-planted into protected areas. On Maui, construction of a deer-proof perimeter fence around a 1,500+ acre portion of the Kanaio Natural Area Reserve and adjacent lands was completed. This fence was built to keep invasive animals out of areas of rare native plant species. Also, construction of the Olinda Rare Plant Facility is projected to be completed in 2008. The Olinda Rare Plant Facility plays an important role in plant restoration on Maui, Molokai, and Lanai. A propagation house was built, irrigation installed and, after seeds or cuttings were received, propagation of rare plants.

Statewide, the Plant Extinction Prevention program works to prevent the extinction of rare native plants with less than 50 plants remaining in the wild. This is done by using numberous restoration methods including monitoring, surveying, and propagation of rare plants; out-planting; removal of invasive species manually or by pesticide application; and fencing of protecting areas.

Plant breeding techniques

Keeping, maintaining, and ultimately propagating your aquarium plants is truly a joy, and it starts with a good substrate. The term 'substrate' refers to the planting medium used on the bottom of an aquarium. Similar to soil in a garden, substrates are needed by plants in order for them to root, obtain nutrients, and propagate.In natural environments, the substrate is typically slightly warmer than the water. It is also full of nutrients and dense. These things help the plants to root better, they receive better nutrition, and the warmer root conditions help in the growth of the plants. It is important to determine which soil is best for plant growth in the aquarium, maintaining the substrate once it is set is usually fairly simple. Not much is needed. This is due to the normal activity of the aquarium. The fish and plants produce and release enough organic products, that then collect in the substrate, and in turn help the plants grow.

Colored (aquarium) Gravel: This is much like the common pea gravel and is also not ideal for plants. Again it is fairly loose and allows for easy water flow through it.

It can be mixed with other substrates for a visual variation, and will work well as a top layer over finer substrates. Light gray gravel is not a good choice however, as it causes distress in the fish due to how strongly the light is reflected off of it.

Calcius gravels: Crushed coral and other calcius sands or gravels that are offered for saltwater aquariums are high in calcium. They should be avoided unless you need a high pH and water hardness, few plants want this. These gravels work well in freshwater fish aquariums that are designed for African cichlids that need these high levels.
Sand: Sand is very fine, often even dusty. The 'silver sand' sold in aquarium shops is totally inert. Sand will compact and prevent any water movement resulting in a lack of oxygen.

Though sand can be used in a thin layer as a rooting medium for some plants, you will want to stir it occasionally to keep it from compacting. It is generally used as a base layer over heating cables.

Soil, Potting Soil: This substrate can be tricky to use as it can have too many nutrients and it may encourage algae growth. Also it is difficult to keep it from clouding the water.

Potting Soil is sometimes used as a thin nutrient-rich substrate layer and covered with a heavier top substrate. It has also been effectively used in permanent pots that are covered with a heavier top substrates. The potted method can be used in aquariums with undergravel filters.

Nutrient-rich Substrates: These are a long term source of nutrients that are vital to the plants. They should be used in limited quantities of either very thin layers between other substrate layers or as small pellets placed by the roots of plants. See the Nutrient rich layer described above for some of these products.

Selecting indoor plants

Gardening is supposed to be hobbies but many have converted into a blooming labor oriented business.The largest group of carnivorous plants are the pitcher plants and one of the largest genera of pitcher plants is the genus Sarracenia. Sarracenias are very exotic, almost alien-looking plants that have unusual leaf shapes and incredible colors. They make excellent garden plants in boggy places such as along the edge of a body of water or in a terrarium. If you are a fan of growing colorful, unusual, meat-eating plants, then Sarracenias are for you.

Whether it's their unique foliage, fabulous flowers, or ability to rid the world of unwanted insect pests, Sarracenias are indeed a wonderful group of plants. While selecting indoor plants one very important thing has to be put into consideration is whether the plant will go in sync with the surrounding, or whether plants will survive in full shade or partially shady atmostphere.The plants that needs partial shade is advisable to be kept near window or spaces which get some part of the day, growth of the plant has to be according to its surrounding, proper water drainage systems to flush excess water to prevent the place from getting slippery and dirty.

Certainly in Brisbane indoor plants like creepers which does not require much water has to be drawn along the wall or the jambs of the window sill. Pitcher plants 'eat' insects by luring them into a specialized, cylindrical leaf (the pitcher) using a combination of nectar, sweet scent, and conspicuous coloration. The pitcher is an amazing structure that is able to catch insects with no moving parts. This method of luring insects with nectar is normally restricted to flowers, but pitcher plants use their leaves as lures.
The insects are forced to walk on a slippery vertical surface in order to get to the nectar. Invariably, they slip and fall down to the bottom of the pitcher into a pool of water.

Pitcher traps are quite effective, thus several distantly related plant families have evolved them at separate times. Pitcher traps are physically the largest of all the carnivorous plant trap mechanisms (some can hold over a liter of water and catch small animals such as frogs or rats). Some pitcher plants are not carnivorous, but are instead detritivores.