Researching the Biodiversity of plants on Mount Royal

Out of my 10 observations, I decided to research the phylogeny of the broadleaved goldenrod, a North American species of herbaceous perennial plants in the Asteraceae Family (same family as sunflowers). This plant is native to the eastern and central parts of Canada, and a singular plant can bear sometimes as many as 250 small yellow flower heads!

A common characteristic and adaptation seen by all species observed in my group project is the green colour of the plants. All of the observed species in my project are photoautotrophs, meaning they obtain energy from sunlight. Plants use chlorophyll and sunlight to generate energy and to carry out their metabolic processes in order to grow. Without chlorophyll, plants would not be able to undergo photosynthesis efficiently. This is why many plants have adapted to appear green.

One unique adaptation of maples trees is their broad leaves which is used to capture the maximum amount of sunlight. The more sunlight captured, the more energy can be absorbed by the plant, and the better off the plant will be. This adaptation in Maple trees help with their photosynthesis processes.

Posted on September 16, 2021 09:16 PM by vincentbwong