Nothing beats the scent of coniferous forest on a fine summer day! Majestic coniferous trees with widely spread branches that create a cozy shadow will not leave indifferent any lover of forest walks.
Coniferous plants are not only satellites of a pleasant forest walk, but also full members of the plant community. Often, when passing by, people don’t even think about how much interesting things you can learn about this class of trees.
It's no secret that a person learns a significant part of the information about the world around him while sitting at a school desk. And how is the educational process being built when children study the class of conifers?
What are conifers? How are they classified by modern science? How does the acquaintance of children mastering the basic general educational program of primary general education with the coniferous class occur? Answers to these questions, many other interesting facts, as well as beautiful photos await the reader in the article.
What plants are called conifers?
Most people of all ages, religions, nationalities and political beliefs know that trees are divided into coniferous and deciduous. With deciduous trees, everything is clear. They have leaves that form foliage. Branches with foliage, in turn, form a crown of trees. Particularly sophisticated people even know that the leaves of trees and plants are involved in the process of photosynthesis, providing planet Earth with oxygen and processing carbon dioxide.
But what about coniferous plants? Why are they called that? Can they, like their hardwood brethren, participate in oxygen production? Let's get it right.
The name of the class "conifers" comes from the word "needles". Needles are called modified leaves of plants that have an elongated narrow shape and a pointed end. If the interaction with the needles of the trees is unsuccessful, you can even pierce your hand or seriously damage your eyes.
Conifers are vascular plants. This means that the transfer of nutrients and moisture inside the tree occurs through a system of vessels.
The next sign is woody. It should be understood as the presence of wood on a tree trunk. All woody plants are perennial.
The hallmark of conifers is that they are evergreens. Yes, some of them dump foliage (for example, larch) once a year. Some plants, at the same time, change their "wardrobe" once every fifty years.
Another unique sign of conifers is the presence of a cone in which the seeds ripen. A bump is a modified shoot that plays a key role in the reproduction of these plants. Scientists have proven that some representatives of the Conifers department can store seeds in their cones for decades.
Most conifers have a straight trunk and branches extending from it in different directions. A characteristic feature of many plants of this class are whorls - a kind of ring formed by branches extending from the main trunk of the tree. Counting the number of whorls on a tree trunk is one way to determine the age of a tree. Each ring of whorls corresponds to one year that passed in the life of the tree. The straight trunk in the vast majority of cases ends with a pronounced crown.
An interesting feature of gymnosperms of the Coniferous class is that many of them begin to dry precisely from the crown. This is explained by a peculiar supply of nutrients along the tree trunk. Such problems with conifers can occur due to poor ecology. Another common cause is damage to the root system of the tree or its bark.
Coniferous roots
The root system of conifers is also peculiar. Most often, most of them retain the main root throughout their lives. Smaller roots extending almost from the surface of the earth depart from it. Such a device of the root system is the advantage and disadvantage of such trees. On the one hand, in this way the plant can collect more nutrients due to the larger area of soil coverage by the root system. On the other hand, this arrangement of roots makes Conifers extremely vulnerable to forest fires. There are frequent cases when whole hectares of forest stand dead due to the fact that the fire that destroyed the shallow undergrowth also destroyed the roots of the trees.
However, a number of developed countries in Europe and North America use the burning method to renew forest stands. It should be noted that this process should be under the strict control of competent specialists and in no case proceed spontaneously. The soil renewed and fertilized during burning contributes to improved tree growth, reduces the number of parasites that feed on their wood.
What happens needles?
The length of the needles may vary depending on the species of a particular tree. Some specimens have giant needles, the length of which can reach up to thirty centimeters (for example, Engelman pine). The smallest needles can reach a length of only three to six millimeters.
The needles of coniferous trees are also distinguished by their hardness. Some species, such as larch, have soft and tender needles, which are simply impossible to damage. Fir trees, on the contrary, have tough needles, capable of even piercing clothes and human skin in case of unsuccessful circumstances.
The needles of individual tree species are abundantly covered with special wax. This is done by prudent nature in order to protect the plant from excessive rays of ultraviolet radiation, harmful to it.
Young and mature needles also differ from each other. Young leaf-like organs of conifers are softer than older ones. Old needles become rough to the touch. This is due to the fact that the special pores of the needles, responsible for the "respiration" of the plant, gradually become larger and begin to be felt by touch.
Beneficial substances contained in needles
The needles of most plants of the class Coniferous sour taste (especially spruce), tart. This is due to the presence of a significant amount of amino acids there. When chewing needles, a gruel is formed that does not break down in the mouth. Constantly using needles for food is not recommended, although it is not poisonous.
On the contrary, needles are often used for medicinal purposes. This is done because of the rich set of substances contained in it. There are many vitamins in the needles of trees (vitamin C, vitamin P, vitamin K, as well as iron, cobalt and manganese).
Needles are one of the most popular sources of carotene (the substance that is found in large quantities in carrots). Its content reaches from one hundred and fifty to three hundred milligrams per kilogram of needles.
How long have conifers appeared on Earth?
Coniferous plants are very ancient. Perhaps even the oldest of the highest plants on planet Earth.
Exhibits extracted from the earth by archaeologists and paleobotanists, to determine the most accurate age of the fossil, are subjected to research by the method of radiocarbon analysis. As a result of such procedures, it was established that individual representatives of the Coniferous class existed on our planet already three hundred million years ago. Think about these numbers - three hundred million years ago! In this ancient time, not even a hint of man existed in nature, and huge dinosaurs inhabited the planet.
The discovery of scientists is of interest. According to research by the scientific community studying the history of this class of plants, a characteristic feature of ancient conifers was that there were many shrubs and even herbaceous plants among them. Now, unfortunately, most of them have died out, giving way to modern representatives of the Coniferous class.
Today, the vast majority of conifers are trees covered with strong bark and not having grassy fibers.
The place of conifers in the taxonomy of plants
Each class of plants is systematized by scientists into a single system. Plants that have needles instead of foliage were no exception.
The characteristics of the Coniferous class are quite simple and understandable. If we give a simple classification of conifers, it will look like this: eukaryotes, plants, conifers.
The domain of Eukaryotes combines organisms with a cellular structure. In addition to plants, accounting also includes animals, mushrooms, protists and chromists.
The next step in classification is the kingdom. Conifers belong to the kingdom of the plant, as they meet all the inherent signs. This is the presence of a dense cellulose membrane of the cell, and growth throughout life, and the process of photosynthesis, and the maintenance of an attached lifestyle (they do not move independently).
Realms are divided into departments. The department we are interested in - Gymnosperms of the Coniferous class - is included here. He got his name because the plants included in this department do not have a seed coat.
Departments are divided into classes. The gymnosperms department includes the Ginkgoi classes (the only representative is Ginkgo biloba), Sagovniki, Gnetovye and finally Conifers. There were two classes of gymnosperms - Bennettite and seed ferns, but today they are recognized as extinct.
How are conifers classified?
The Coniferous class, in turn, is also subdivided into several smaller classification steps. Consider the main ones.
A class in botany is conventionally divided into subclasses. The class of Coniferous plants is divided into the subclass Kordaitovyh (now extinct) and the subclass Coniferous. Yes, this is not a typo. The names of the class and subclass are the same.
The coniferous subclass includes 6 (according to other classifications 7) plant families. All of them form one order - Conifers (Pine). These include Pine, Araucariaceae, Cypress, Taxodium, Podocarpaceae and Yew plants.
Each family is divided into genera, in which specific species are already distinguished. For example, we classify a plant starting with a class. For example, ordinary pine. Class - Conifers. Subclass - Conifers. Order - Conifers (Pine). Family - Pine. Rod - Pine. Species - Scots pine. A similar classification lends itself to any coniferous plant.
Variety of species
In total, in the classification of plants, there are from six hundred to six hundred and fifty species of the coniferous class. Their characteristics are largely similar, but also have differences. Let's get to know each other conifers that are often found in Russia!
One of the most common plants in Russian latitudes is spruce. For this genus of plants, a high trunk and a lush conical beautiful crown are characteristic. A special property of this tree is the ability to live almost forever - the spruce is capable of taking live roots from a dead tree. On the globe, there are more than thirty species of this gorgeous plant.
Pine is also very common in our country. Researchers have recorded more than a hundred species of pine trees, the vast majority of which grows in the northern hemisphere of the Earth. A characteristic feature of pine is its high resin content. If you approach and hug the tree, then with a high degree of probability the clothes will have to be cleaned.
The next representative of conifers found on the territory of Russia is larch. This tree is more than forty meters tall, and lives up to four hundred years. A feature of larch is the needles dumping for winter time. The needles of the tree are soft, very pleasant to the touch.
Types of conifers depending on size and growth rate
In the scientific community, as one of the systems of classification of conifers, classification is distinguished by the value of the annual growth of the tree. There are five types. The fastest plants add fifteen to twenty centimeters per year. The "slowest" - three to five centimeters.
World record holders
Interesting fact: conifers are "world champions in all categories."
In the nomination "The oldest tree" on the first step of the podium is Old Tikko - a pine tree in the mountains of Sweden. According to the most conservative estimates of biologists, the age of the tree is more than nine and a half thousand years. The secret of Tikko's longevity is that he managed to take live roots from a tree burned in a fire. These roots still serve the master. By the way, representatives of the coniferous class also occupy second and third places. The age of these trees exceeds five thousand years, and they grew when there were no presidents, no kings, no Roman and Greek emperors, or most of the Egyptian pharaohs.
The highest tree in the world is considered the sequoia Hyperion. A powerful tree with a straight trunk rises one hundred and fifteen meters above the American forests. The height of the giant is comparable to a house of forty floors.
The most massive tree is also coniferous. General Sherman, a sequoiadendron from California National Park, weighs about two million kilograms in total. According to the calculations of practical Americans, it is possible to build up to forty houses from its wood, five rooms in each of them. The second most massive tree in the world is General Grant. This sequoiadendron is declared the national shrine of the United States and a monument to the fallen soldiers.
Place of conifers in the primary school curriculum
With the entry into force of the federal state educational standard of primary general education, the school curriculum was revised. The subject, in which children get acquainted with wildlife, is called "The World." For its study, the kids are allocated two hours a week.
As part of the study of the subject "The World", the guys get acquainted with conifers. At the end of mastering the program of primary general education, teachers often resort to such a form of knowledge testing as the dictation "Coniferous Forest". In grade 4, children know the tree species and are able to talk about them. An important evaluation criterion is the determination of the type of plant.
How is this topic studied at the beginning of training?
Coniferous trees in grade 1 begin to be studied by first graders with the simplest. The teacher usually asks the guys about their personal experiences. Have children ever been in the forest? What did they see there?
In this case, it is very important to motivate the child to learn, to create an educational situation. In order to achieve their cherished goal, elementary school teachers often go to various tricks: they either put a letter from Starichka-Lesovichka on their desk inviting them to visit the Magic Forest, or they transfer with the class to unknown paths in the stupa of Baba Yaga. The main thing is that the child has interested eyes.
Coniferous second-graders
In the subject "The World", Grade 2 studies conifers in more detail. Children begin to get acquainted with the most common families, learn to distinguish their characteristic features from photographs. As part of the study of coniferous forests in the 2nd grade, the teacher is also given the task of instilling in the children a careful and caring attitude to nature.
To create educational situations, the method of riddles is often used, which is very effective in elementary school. About conifers in the 2nd grade, children can make many different interesting puzzles. For example, "On the New Year, everyone is happy with her, though her clothes are prickly" (the answer is spruce). This method achieves two results at once: the child’s attention is concentrated and an educational situation arises.
Especially popular in elementary school is a system authored by Zankov. Class 2 is studying conifers and flowering plants using interactive techniques. The class teacher often asks children to prepare reports on given topics. After preparing the report, you must speak with him in front of the class to convey information to other children. An important point is to teach children to listen to others, to be able to formulate and ask a good and interesting question, to maintain a discussion. This approach instills in students the ability to speak in front of an audience, communication skills. Children learn to argue and defend their position, it is profitable to present the results of their work.
Coniferous and flowering plants for Grade 2 are an excellent occasion to distribute reports among children on various species of such plants. By this principle, the whole lesson can be built, and it will be highly effective.
Zankov Leonid Vladimirovich is a Russian psychologist who proposed a unique training system in the mid-nineties. The hallmark of the system is its humanitarian character and personal development of children. Work on such a system requires a teacher to be highly skilled and professional.
What new things do children learn about conifers in their third year of study?
In grade 3, conifers also continue to be studied. Children get to know them in more detail, affect the representatives of the conifers of their region, and study the characteristics and features of some species. The teacher begins to build with students the simplest food chains in which conifers are involved.
As a current control of students' knowledge, teachers often conduct simple tests for grade 3 on conifers. This method allows you to quickly assess the mastery of the material covered by the class, identify children who have poorly absorbed information, and give additional attention to working with them.
At the final stage of elementary school
In the 4th grade, which completes the development of the basic educational program of primary general education by children, more complex methods of working with children are used. One of these methods is project activity. The bottom line is to distribute (or choose at will) between students or groups of students topics for project development. This approach allows not only to develop the individual qualities of children, but also to teach them how to work in a team, which is very important. After the preparation of the project, as well as with the reports, they are protected.
Conclusion
Now the reader has discovered new facts about gymnosperms of the Coniferous class, which will help him take a fresh look at conifers when they meet them, and classify them according to the generally accepted system. It is important to carefully treat these plants, since, being evergreen, they produce oxygen all year round and absorb carbon dioxide. Thanks to conifers, the air on our planet becomes cleaner.