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Nurse Plant Association |
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Nurse plant association is a phenomenon that occurs mostly only in desert
environments. A nurse plant is one that creates an environment that is
less formidable for young seedlings growing underneath it to survive in a harsh
desert environment. A seedling is vulnerable to desiccation when fully exposed
to the heat of the desert sun, but when growing in the shade of a larger plant,
has more of a chance of survival. The larger plant also protects seeds
from predation from birds and rodents, allowing them a chance to
germinate. In other environments, growing under the shade of a larger plant may be detrimental to a seedling's growth, reducing the amount of sunlight available for photosynthesis, but the harsh desert environment makes this protection more beneficial. |
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Bringing the Desert in to the Classroom, Field Trips, Lesson Plans and Projects, Resources for Teachers, Bibliography |