A mature fertilized ovule of angiosperms (flowering plants) or gymnosperms (conifers, cycads, and ginkgos). Seeds enclose an embryo that contains a food reserve for growth after germination.
Seeds contain endosperm, which stores starch and other nutrients that enable the rapid growth of an embryo. They also store oil, which is used to make a plant’s leaves and fruits.
Shipwreck & Iceberg
One hundred years after the RMS Titanic sank, it is still the most famous shipwreck of all time. Built to be a “unsinkable” vessel, the Titanic struck an iceberg on her maiden voyage in April 1912 and sank in the water, killing more than 1,500 people.
In the years after Titanic, icebergs continued to pose an increasing threat. Luckily, modern mariners have the tools to detect icebergs in advance of any chance of collision.
Using fixed-wing aircraft, the International Ice Patrol (IIP) tracks icebergs in the Atlantic Ocean throughout the ice season. The group combines information from flights with current and wind data to predict iceberg movement.
Researchers have discovered the wreck of a merchant steamship that tried to warn the Titanic of an iceberg before it sank. The SS Mesaba sent a radio message to the Titanic on April 15, 1912, while it was crossing the Atlantic. But the warning did not reach the Titanic’s main control center.
Wild Horse Island
Wild Horse Island, located on Flathead Lake about ten miles north of Polson, is a magical place with more history than you can shake a stick at. The name alone suggests a story and even the short boat trip to this island on the west side of Flathead Lake is a delight.
In the past, Wild Horse Island has been home to a dude ranch and girls’ camp. Today, it is a state park.
The island is also home to five wild horses. These animals were transferred to Wild Horse Island from Utah, where they are considered feral.
The island is also home to bighorn sheep, mule deer, waterfowl, songbirds and bald eagles. It is also known for its Palouse Prairie grasslands, one of only three such biomes in Montana.
Frozen Forest
In the Call of Duty: Black Ops III game, Corvus corrupts John Taylor and his team in the Frozen Forest. He explains the environment to them as follows:
The land that is covered by the forest is taiga, or boreal forest. These areas experience extreme conditions that include long winters, limited sunlight and frozen ground.
Despite these challenges, animals thrive in the taiga. Many migrate to places with more favorable conditions, while others hibernate for the winter.
They can survive by storing food and water in their bodies or in burrows. They also use snow for insulation and to protect their homes from the cold.
To conserve wild plants, botanists collect genetically representative samples of endangered species and store them in a seed bank. This collection of seeds can enhance restoration efforts and make the difference between extinction and conservation in the wild.
Farm
In farmer-managed seed systems, farmers and peasants use their local knowledge and experience to manage, select, enhance, store, multiply and plant seeds, in a way that upholds their ecological and social benefits. These include nutritious food, sustainable livelihoods and a diversity of culturally appropriate varieties that adapt to a range of stresses such as climate change and pests and diseases.
Across Africa, millions of small farmers and peasants supply the majority of all seeds planted on biodiverse farms for local consumption, through traditional seed selection and sharing practices. These local seeds are diverse and culturally appropriate, and they are known to be reliable, productive and adaptable to agroecological conditions.
However, industrial seed corporations and their host governments are using well-funded promotion, subsidies, coercion and advertising to displace diverse and customary local seed systems with one based on hybrids designed for monocultures and chemicals. This strategy is reinforced by international trade and intellectual property agreements that require African states to join the Union for the Protection of New Varieties of Plants (UPOV), which protects and restricts farmers’ rights to freely use and share seeds.
