2012 Plant Adaptations to Winter, Cold & Snow

2012 Plant Adaptations to Winter, Cold & Snow

Trees

Common conifer branching patterns:

1. Shed heavy, wet snow off their branches

Douglas-fir: down angle, good for sliding snow off

Sub-alpine fir: short branches, can’t hold a lot of snow

Alpine fir: short branches and narrow crowns don’t hold a lot of snow

W. hemlock: droopy top and down angle branches good for sliding snow off

Activity:

1. Kids stand with hands at 45degree angle, sloped down. Place pillows and stuffed animals on them until they fall off. Can also leave some on, then gently shake as a wind blows through the tree. Douglas-fir

2. Kids stand with elbows in by body, with hands out perpendicular to the ground. Place stuffed toys on hands until they fall off. Repeat wind.Sub-alpine & Alpine

3. Kids hold one arm over head, hand loose and droopy other at 45 degree angle. Put pillows and stuffed animals on until they fall off. Have kid move overhead hand move in the wind. Western Hemlock

2. Holds snow- not a problem if snow is light (not a lot of moisture, usually east side or high mountains)

Ponderosa and lodgepole pines: angle up, holds snow instead of shedding

Activity:

1. Kids stand with both arms curved up, bowl shaped. Place pillows and stuffed animals in crook of arms. Pines in dry snow

2. Kids take same stance, holding a small bucket in each hand, slowly fill with heavy objects. Pines in wet snow

Deciduous trees:

1. Drop leaves in the fall, less surface space for snow to stick too, snow falls through branches to ground.

Activity:

1. Kids hold both arms out, with small piece of cardboard in each hand. Repeat using larger pieces of cardboard. Snow gathering ability of leaves

2. No leaves, little need for water, low sap movement (makes for good maple syrup in the sugar maples Acersaccharum)back east when spring comes and trees become more active moving sugars up to buds for leaf burst).

Freezing rain/ice- breaks tops and branches off of all trees- too heavy to support

Activity:

1. Kids arms stretched out horizontal to ground. Add layers of sweaters, coats, one at a time until they drop arms.Freezing rain

All trees reduce sap movement during winter- photosynthesis needs water, sun and leaves to occur- so conifers can make sugars, but all activities are greatly reduced in cold weather.

Cold * Snow*

Insulating properties of snow:

Protects buds and thinner branches, where most leaves grow out of.

Activity:

1. Kids put on down jacket. Place zip lock bag with ice in it on outstretched arm. Time and record how long it takes to feel the cold. Repeat with a towel. Repeat with a cotton shirt. Repeat with bare arm. Take average of each group and then all 4 groups.