Plants of the Red Book. The problem of disappearance of rare plants
In most cases, people are to blame for the fact that representatives of the plant world are becoming smaller every day, namely the consequences of their negative activities: the construction of plants and factories, the release of waste, which leads to environmental deterioration, and massive deforestation. All this is dying at the hands of humanity. Man is killing nature, but few people know that the atmospheric state primarily depends on plants and it is representatives of the fauna that supply us with oxygen. Half of the planet’s territory consists of taiga, but there is no need to think, we will only live with coniferous forests, for which we don’t have to worry, on the contrary - today the ecology is already dying from insufficient quantity vegetation, every year the surrounding background worsens, which has a detrimental effect primarily on people.
This article presents 10 of the rarest plants that may disappear forever in just a few years. Unfortunately, this list is not exhausted, the Red Book is replenished every year, and even plants familiar to us may be in danger.
The population of this plant was studied back in 1864, when only one hundred specimens remained. No one believed that Agave could survive, since attention was paid too late. But contrary to predictions, the plant was able to cope with the population decline. Today, only two species remain and are protected by the Tonto National Forest in Arizona. This representative of the fauna is native to the New River and Sierra Ancas mountains. At one time, the leaves of most agave species were used to make ropes, household utensils, and coarse fabrics; the waste was used for wrapping paper. Agave was mainly bred in tropical climates, largely for its fiber. Species such as Agave sisal, which produced sisal, Agave furcreiformes - henequin, from which Yucatan sisal was made, Agave cantala and others, have disappeared forever. Agave fibers were compressed and used to make dart targets.
9. Enrubio
If you believe the data from 1995, then there are only 150 representatives in the world. Enrubio is a shrub that is native to areas of Puerto Rico. The plant is accustomed to a mild climate. The bush has sharp thorns that can protect you in case of a fall. The reason for the disappearance of Enrubio was that the plant was eaten by cattle, which grazed where the plant sprouts.
Mountain Goldenrod Ouachita, unfortunately, shared the fate of the above-mentioned representatives of the plant world. Scientists say this this type grew more than 25 thousand years ago throughout the entire planet. Today it is found only on the Arkansas-Oklahoma border because the local climate is able to support Goldenrod's life support. This is where the bush gets its name and is the location of the Ouachita Mountain Range. The foothills of the Ouachita Mountains have a suitable, humid, cool climate. There are now about 130 representatives.
Most botanists believed that this shrub from the mint family became extinct at the beginning of the 21st century. But not so long ago, a sample was identified that could prove that Stenogin Kanehoana did not completely disappear. The shrub is suited to a hot climate, the reason for its extinction was useful property root of the plant, it was actively used in medicine. Externally, the plant has dense leaves, on which fluff appears over time (in an adult plant). Stenogin is protected in the national park of the island of Oahu, on the Hawaiian Islands in the Uoina mountain ranges. This species has every chance of survival, since scientists managed to grow the plant in captivity.
6. Thelypodium howellii
They are trying to preserve this representative of the fauna, which was given a very strange name, in the state of Oregon, in the northeast. There are only 5 specimens on Earth, which are protected by a local reserve.
According to data, at the end of the 20th century the population of Zelaypodium reached 30 thousand populations, but 10 years later the rare bush began to rapidly disappear, the reason for this was mowing the grass. The corresponding measures were taken very late, and the bush is left with no chance of survival. In the next 7 years, the plant may disappear forever.
Wild Texas rice has been given a second name - Zizania texana, a flower that has no positive prospects for the future. If you believe the data of numerous examinations carried out at the Center for the Conservation of Flora, Zizania is on the verge of extinction, the reason for which is the reduced water level. This is due to disruptions in the functioning of the Spring Lake Dam, located in Texas near the San Marcos River. There are most favorable conditions for this shrub.
Fully - Akalifa Viginsi, he can be called an “aboriginal” of a small island in the Galapagossa. The main factors that influenced the process of extinction of the population of this species are a change in the habitat of the flower and large-scale construction work.
British charitable foundation argues that Akalifa needs immediate rescue, as it is on the critical edge of extinction.
Another representative of the fauna that is becoming extinct. Georgia asters are primarily found in the southeastern United States. The environmental organization Nature Serve claims that this plant used to grow very lushly in the form of small bunches, unfortunately, today there are only about 57 representatives. To preserve the endangered plant, an institution was created that specializes in the preservation and continuation of the species - the Georgia Aster Protection Association.
The endangered plant of the love family is found exclusively in the American states, but can sometimes be found in the Midwest. The plant was recognized as the rarest. The Endangered Species Coalition has determined that there are currently only 172 species of this flower in the world, and several of them are limited to only a hundred copies. This type of orchid is a wetland plant, it grows in prairie potholes and ancient glacial retreats that left their traces about 30 thousand years ago. Global warming can be called the main reason for the disappearance of this flower; fires caused no less harm to the population, as well as being eaten by cattle, which were grazed near the orchid’s habitat.
Corpse Flower
Rafflesia or Corpse Flower got its name “thanks to” the unbearably vile smell of corpse decomposition that it emits. With the help of smell, the flower attracts carrion insects, which pollinate it.
Also, this plant received the laurels of the largest flower in the world! The record holder among corpse flowers reached a height of 2 m 74 cm and weighed more than 100 kg.
Lady's slipper (yellow and purple)
More recently, this type of orchid was widespread throughout Europe. Unfortunately, they are now classified as rare species. To everyone's surprise, in 1917 several shoes were found on an ordinary golf course. Like everything rare in our world, this flower is very expensive. For one shoot you will have to pay $5,000.
The propagation of a flower goes through several stages, in one of which the plant requires the presence of a special type of mushroom, which feeds the sprout. Obviously, this does not help restore the population.
Ghost Orchid
The ghost orchid got its name because of its gloomy appearance and, as an option, due to the fact of one’s own resurrection from the dead. For 20 years this plant was considered to have sunk into oblivion, however, living specimens have recently been discovered.
The complex process of reproduction and the absence of leaves (as a result of photosynthesis) sealed the death sentence for this unusual plant— there is practically no chance of a natural revival of the species.
Kadupul
A flower from distant Sri Lanka. Since it blooms only at midnight and extremely rarely, moreover, the kadupul dies immediately after flowering.
Kokyo tree
Kokio - the fate of this plant is tragic. The tree was discovered in Hawaii in 1860, but at the time of discovery there were only three left. People tried to maintain the life of the species artificially, which turned out to be a difficult task - the tree was extremely fastidious in reproduction and demanding of conditions. In 1950, not a single tree of all the Kokyo seedlings survived, after which the species was declared extinct.
20 years later, fate gave the species a second chance - in 1970 the last specimen of the plant was discovered, which 8 years later would die in a fire.
Space
Cosmos atrosanguineus is a flower from Mexico with an appetizing name and an equally appetizing vanilla-chocolate aroma of flowering. The plant has been considered extinct for more than a century, but in 1902 a sterile variant of chocolate cosmos was developed, whose scent we can still inhale to this day.
Parrot beak
Try to guess what this flower looks like?
Parrot's beak is a plant that has disappeared from the face of the Earth and grows in the Canary Islands. The flower became extinct along with the only insects that pollinated it—sunbirds.
jade vine
A very beautiful plant with clusters of jade flowers. The vine is pollinated bats, who liked her nectar.
Recently, the jade vine has fallen into the category of endangered species - and again the person who is deforesting the habitats of this wonderful plant is to blame.
Gibraltar gum (Silene tomentosa)
This bright mountain flower grew in the mountains of Gibraltar and was already classified by scientists as extinct. A lucky chance allowed one of the climbers to encounter one of these flowers while climbing.
Now Smolevka is grown in botanical garden Gibraltar and the Royal Botanic Gardens in the UK.
The seeds of the plant are placed in the millennium seed fund.
Plants that eat rats, mushrooms that look like aliens from outer space, leaves that dance and flowers that smell like corpses: all these wonders of nature are among the rarest and most exotic plants, found in wildlife.
Some are stunningly beautiful, despite the terrible smell, while others look like they came straight out of the sick mind of a horror movie screenwriter. But they are all excellent examples of the diversity of the earth's flora.
Even the most harmless of the Nepenthes plants are amazing in themselves. But the species that was discovered in August 2009 shocked the imagination of even experienced scientists. This species is considered the largest carnivorous plant on Earth and is able to feed even on rats.
It was discovered on Mount Victoria in the Philippines and named after the famous nature explorer David Attenborough.
Flower parachute
This flower looks like the creation of an artist painting fantastic flora. The petals joined together and something like a lollipop covered with hair together form a hollow tube, covered from the inside with hairs directed inward. The smell of the plant attracts insects that fall into the trap. The plant does not feed on insects and when the hairs dry out, the insect flies out, carrying pollen.
Mutinus caninus
Is it really hard to imagine an uglier mushroom than this one? These mushrooms are very unpleasant smell spread their spores through mucus that forms at the end and is carried by flies. It got its name, as it’s easy to assume, due to the similarity of its structure with a certain part of the dog’s body (sorry :))
Dancing plant (Desmodium Gyrans)
Have you ever observed a plant that moves on its own?
The dancing plant, also known as the telegraph plant, moves its leaves when exposed to direct sunlight, heat or vibration. which explains his reaction to music.
The shaft at the base of its leaves allows them to move around their axis. This plant was described in detail by Darwin in his book “The Power of Plant Motion”.
Pelican plant (Aristolochia grandiflora)
This plant is almost beautiful in its strange splendor. With large chambers instead of petals and veins similar to the circulatory system. But don’t get too close, otherwise the smell of dead mice won’t dissipate for a very long time. However, this plant is not carnivorous like Nepenthes attenboroughii, so it attracts insects to pollinate it.
Sensitive plant (Mimosa pudica)
You could say that this is small plant, with its leaves like those of a fern and pink flowers shy. It is enough to touch or simply blow on its leaves. so that they curl up into a tube, as if protecting themselves. When a plant is disturbed, it releases chemicals that cause the cells to release water, causing the leaves to curl.
It is still not clear what caused the plant to evolve in this way. Scientists suggest that in this way it scares away predators.
Hydnora africana
Wood's encephalartos woodii
This is one of the rarest plants on Earth. A tall palm with dark, glossy leaves was discovered in a single location on the southern slope of a mountain in the Ngoe Forest, South Africa. This is an endangered plant; all specimens found were male and did not produce seeds. Recently, people began crossing it with the closest species of the Encephalartos family, and after three generations they have made significant progress in preserving the species.
Lily of the genus Arum (Helicodiceros muscivorus)
This lily is called the dead horse lily. The name speaks for itself. This is a huge flower with the smell of rotting meat. It attracts insects, which are trapped for a while and then fly away, spraying pollen around.
Butterwort (Pinguicula gigantea)
This plant works very similar to anti-fly tape. Any insect that was careless enough to sit on it sticks to it. Immediately after this, Zhiryanka begins to immediately digest insects. The surface of the plant is covered with special enzymes, allowing it to easily cope with heavy food.
Aldrovanda Vesiculosa
This free-floating sea plant has a shape similar to the wheel of a water mill. At the end of each branch there is a trap with hairs pointing inward, which closes when the victim falls into the trap.
Wollemia nobilis
This plant has been around for 200 million years, but it was unknown to science until 2004, when an Australian military officer discovered what he thought was a plant in Wollemia National Park. unusual look tree. There are no more than 100 such trees in the wild.
Snowdonia Hawkweed
This plant does not have an unpleasant odor, size and looks quite common, but it is perhaps the rarest plant on Earth. Botanists around the world considered it long extinct, but in 2002 it was discovered on one of the slopes of a mountain in Wales. The scientists' surprise knew no bounds.
Lithops.
Lithops are succulents native to the dry, hot climate of South Africa.
IN Ancient Greece“litos” meant “stone”, and “ops” meant similar. Hence the name “stone-like.” They are also called “living stones”.
A distinctive feature of lithops is the color of their leaves. They are never green. they are brown, gray, cream with dark spots and red streaks.
This coloring serves as a camouflage for the plant. Lithops bloom well and can be grown at home. All you need for this is: “enough light, good ventilation and enough persistence to keep yourself from watering them.”
Edelweiss
Definitely one of the most romantic plants! Grows in Central Asia, Europe and Asia Minor.
In fact, we are not talking about one flower, but a group of several tiny flowers gathered together. Edelweiss is very well protected from the cold and can grow not only on rocks, but also in valleys.
New Zealand nettle tree
The most dangerous stinging plant is the New Zealand nettle tree. It can kill dogs and even horses by injecting a mixture of strong poisons under their skin. The fine, stinging hairs on the leaves contain histamine and formic acid.
Nepenthes
The largest carnivorous plant, capable of digesting the largest prey, belongs to the Nepentaceae family. Frogs, birds and even rats are caught in its traps and digested with the help of enzymes. Grows in tropical forests of Asia, on. Borneo and Indonesia.
Saguaro
Most big cactus in the world, saguaro grows in Mexico and Arizona. It easily reaches a height of 15 meters and weighs from 6 to 10 tons. The saguaro flower has 3,500 stamens, which are so large that small bird Sometimes they build nests there.
It takes a long time for a cactus to grow this huge: saguaros grow extremely slowly. In the first 30 years they grow no more than a meter. This is followed by a period of relatively rapid growth, when the cactus gains about a millimeter every day. Only at the age of 75 does the cactus acquire its exotic appearance of a huge trunk with garlands of lateral shoots. Cacti live up to 150 years, which, of course, is a lot for succulents.
Agave
I couldn’t resist posting this plant; anyone who likes tequila will agree with me.
The wild variety of agave grows in western Mexico in a dry tropical climate at an altitude of more than 1,500 meters above sea level, preferring red soils with a high sand content.
Jalisco, one of Mexico's northwestern states, continues to celebrate UNESCO's recent decision to designate blue agave plantations concentrated in the central regions of the state as a Heritage of Humanity.
Of particular delight is new status blue agave in the city of Tequila, which gave its name to the famous alcoholic drink obtained from this plant. Here, in the vicinity of the city, are located most of the plantations founded by the Indians in pre-Columbian times.
Clitoria
Indeed, the flower of the clitoris is very similar to the female genital organs, but despite this, the battle for the name “clitoris” continued throughout the first half of the 19th century. The famous English botanist James Edward Smith was the first to cry out in 1807, but supporters of the name clitoris did not give up.
The last attempt to rename the clitoria took place in 1840 and it also failed. So the clitoria remained a clitoris...
By the way, this plant is very useful. Not only do Thais dye their rice a cheerful blue color with clitoris extract, it has a variety of medicinal uses.
Breadfruit
Breadfruit, common in Oceania, accumulates starch in its pulp as it ripens, and if such a fruit is baked, it will taste like bread. The weight of such a loaf can reach 12 kilograms and, by the way, these fruits have been replacing bread for local residents for centuries.
Birch Schmidt
When they talk about the strength of wood, many people immediately remember " iron wood", yew, or boxwood.
But the most durable wood grows in the Primorsky Territory, the largest population is in the Kedrovaya Pad nature reserve. The species is rare, protected, listed in the Red Book. It also grows in China (Jilin, Liaoning), Japan (Honshu) and the north of the Korean Peninsula.
The Schmidt birch grows slowly in the first years of its life. Lives up to 300-350 years.
This is wood with unique properties - if you make a ship’s hull from iron birch, you don’t have to paint it: it is not in danger of corrosion. Wood is not destroyed even by acids. The bending properties are not inferior to wrought iron and are 3.5 times stronger than cast iron. A bullet can't penetrate it. You can't cut down a tree with an ax; it simply doesn't leave a mark on the trunk.
Frost-resistant Norwegian spruces
Spruce trees were discovered high in the mountains of western Sweden.
Thanks to radiocarbon dating carried out in a laboratory in Florida (USA), the stele is known to be 8 thousand years old. Two more huge spruce trees grow near the tree. Scientists believe that they are between 4.8 thousand and 5.5 thousand years old.
But there, in Sweden, an even more amazing discovery was discovered.
Don’t be fooled by the slenderness and short height of the tree; it was born immediately after the end of the Pleistocene Ice Age (photo by Leif Kullman). He is... 9550 years old!!!
The previous oldest trees are pine trees in North America- dated back 4-5 thousand years.
Tallest trees
All of them are redwoods, and their exact location is a secret, so photographs of these trees are quite difficult to find. Don’t think about it, they are not guarded 24 hours a day, but only classified information so that the flow of tourists does not destroy the fragile infrastructure and prevent the trees from growing further.
10th place is occupied by a giant called the Mendocino Tree. Between December 1996 and August 2000 it was the tallest tree in the world. It grows in the city of Montgomery Woods, USA and reaches a height of 112.20 meters, the diameter is also impressive - 4.19 meters. The Mendocino tree is one of dozens of similar giants in the grove, and was never specifically declared the largest for protection purposes.
In 9th place is the Paradox tree from California. Its height is 112.56 meters and its diameter is 3.90 meters, thanks to which it took away the title of the tallest tree in the world from Mendocino.
The eighth largest tree in the world, called Rockefeller, is located in Humboldt, California. Its exact diameter is not known, but its height is as much as 112.60 meters.
7th place is occupied by the Lauralin tree, which is also located in California. It was not for nothing that they called him that, because his name means honor and victory. Lauralin is indeed revered, as it reaches a height of 112.62 meters and 4.54 meters in diameter.
Orion is in 6th place. Nowadays, Orion is one of the most famous and recognizable constellations in the earth's sky. And this giant tree is also a celebrity in the Redwoods of California, where it grew. The height of Orion is just a little higher than Lauralin, it is 112.63 meters, while its diameter is 4.33 meters.
The fifth largest is the strangely named National Geographic Society tree. It is located in Redwood Creek and reaches 112.71 meters in height and 4.39 in diameter. Since 1994, after it was found, this tree became the tallest in the world, but not for long, but only until 1995.
4th place goes to the Stratosphere Giant. This tree was once the tallest in the world. It was opened in July 2000 in Humboldt National Park. Then the height of the tree was 112.34 meters. However, it continues to grow, and according to reports in 2010, the giant already reached 113.11 meters in height and 5.18 meters in diameter.
The three tallest trees in the world are discovered by Icarus. It is located in Redwoods, California. Icarus was discovered on July 1, 2006 and currently stands at 113.14 meters in height and 3.78 meters in diameter.
In second place is a tree called Helios. It grows in the same place as Icarus in the Redwoods and was the largest tree in the world from June 1, 2006 to August 25, 2006. The giant lost his title after naturalists found Hyperion on the other side of the forest.
And finally, first place goes to Hyperion, who took away the title and today remains the most tall tree in the world. It was discovered on August 25, 2006 by naturalists Chris Atkins and Michael Taylor. The tree was measured and its height was 115.55 meters and its diameter was 4.84 meters.
Hyperion's exact location has not been made public, out of fear that tourists might disturb the tree's ecosystem of life. The area of this giant is estimated at 502 square meters, and its approximate age is 700-800 years.
Sigillaria(lat. Sigillaria, from lat. sigillum“seal”) are tree-like, spore-like, lycopod-like plants common in the Carboniferous and Permian periods. They belong to the class Polushnikovae, order Lepidodendronaceae ( Lepidodendrales). Family Sigillariaceae, type genus Sigillaria. Sigillaria are the leading fossils.
Sigillaria reached 20-25 m in height and up to 1.5 m in thickness. Judging by the structure, sigillaria were characteristic of swampy areas, in which they formed entire forest thickets.
Straight, only sometimes forked or branched at the top, the trunks were densely planted along the entire length with hard, needle-shaped leaves with a triangular cross-section pressed to the trunk, resembling the shape of a giant broom or lamp brush. The wood, consisting of concentric rings of various structures, is very weak and friable, surrounded by a thick and strong bark.
Due to the weakness of the wood, the trunks of sigillaria found in coal deposits are compressed, flattened, and the wood itself is compressed into a thin plate, and the bark is usually turned into a carbonaceous mass.
The bark has a very characteristic external view due to parallel grooves running along it from the root to the top, between which there are scars in vertical rows, marking the places of attachment of the leaves. The scars of two adjacent rows alternate with each other, stand out sharply on the bark and have various outlines characteristic of individual species, reminiscent of a seal impression, which is where the name of these plants comes from ( sigillum- seal). The shape of the scars changes with the age of the tree and also depends on the nature of its preservation.
Charred bark usually easily separates into layers; on the surface of each layer the shape of the scars is different, and special decorations are also observed on the inner part of the bark adjacent to the wood; These features for a long time brought significant confusion into the taxonomy of Sigillaria, based mainly on the shape of the scars. The peculiar rhizomes of Sigillaria and some other related genera differ so sharply in external decoration and in internal structure from the trunks of the sigillaria, which for a long time were considered completely independent plant form and were described under the name stigmarius.
Strebloriza(lat. Streblorrhiza) - a monotypic genus of plants of the legume family ( Fabaceae). The only kind is Strebloriza is beautiful(Streblorrhiza speciosa); the plant was found only on Phillip Island (South Pacific Ocean, 6 km from Norfolk Island) and disappeared in mid-19th century.
GONE FOREVER. "BLACK LIST" OF PLANTS.
According to the World Conservation Union, 844 species of animals and plants have become extinct over the past 500 years. But this “black list” is far from complete. The recently released Global Biodiversity Outlook 2 report states that the current extinction event is the largest since the extinction of the dinosaurs.
The Black List is a list of species that have become extinct since 1600. The existence of these species was recorded in cultural monuments. There is information about observations of these animals by naturalists or travelers. That is, these species are clearly recorded in a living state. But today we can say that they no longer exist. These species are included in the “black list”.
Extinct plants can be divided into two groups. The first is plants that disappeared during evolution. And the second is plants, the disappearance of which is caused by humans and their economic activities.
The first group deals with the science of paleobotany. This direction arose in the thirties of the 19th century and developed in parallel with botany and geology.
GONE FOREVER (by region):
Cladonia stellata: Cladonia stellata A ground fruticose lichen up to 30 cm tall, but in Moscow only depressed specimens of 2-3 cm were found.
Goodyera repens (L.) R. Br. 0
Cladonia stellaris (Opiz) Pouzar & Vezda 0 (Moscow region)
Family Asteraceae
Artemisia bargusinensis
Sedge family Cyperaceae
Sword - common grass Cladium mariscus
Legume family Fabaceae
Norwegian astragalus Astragalus norvegicus
Lidvenets viewed Lotus praetermissus
Plantain family Plantaginaceae
Krasheninnikov's plantain Plantago krascheninnikovii
Family Poaceae
Chy brilliant Achnatherum splendens
Family Scrophulariaceae
Speedwell Veronica urticifolia (Bashkortostan)
Blackberry folded, deer's gorychnik, Kaufman's mytnik (Latvia)
Lezel's liparis – Liparis loeselii, Helmeted orchis – Orchis militaris, Cortus primrose – Primula cortusoides (Perm region)
Volga cinquefoil - Potentilla volgarica Juz, family Rosaceae - a plant not found anywhere else on the planet. (Saratov region)
Common heather, bush cherry, beautiful and Zalessky feather grass, trellis onion, black alder. (Omsk region)
The main causes of concern regarding species extinction are:
1 The disappearance of species as biological entities is the most important factor both as a decrease in the richness of nature, and as a moral issue for those who believe that humans have a responsibility to preserve the natural environment;
2 Destabilization of ecosystems - becomes well understood when a link in the food chain disappears from the ecosystem;
3 Threat to other species - when one species disappears, population changes in secondary species very often occur. A situation may arise where the ecosystem changes noticeably and irreversibly;
4 Loss of irreplaceable genetic material - each species carries unique genetic material in its DNA and produces unique chemical compounds according to the genetic instructions embedded in them. For example, Artemisia annua is a plant that is the only source of artemisinin, a drug that is almost 100 percent effective against malaria. If this plant were to disappear, control of malaria (even today a serious disease) in the poorest regions of the planet would decrease.
The “Black Book” or “Black List” is an alarm signal to all humanity from our planet.
PROTECT THE ENVIRONMENT!
The red flower pictured below is the rafflesia, or stinking corpse lily, the most big flower in the world and extremely rare. Grown primarily on the islands of Sumatra and Borneo, it blooms for only about six days, reaching 1m in diameter. In addition to its enormous size, this flower has a completely extraordinary property - the disgusting smell of rotten meat! However, this smell has its purpose: it attracts flies that pollinate the flower.
Recently, a special cultivation technique has been developed, and Rafflesia can be saved.
In the UK, meanwhile, a brilliant program has been developed known as the Millennium Seed Bank. Started in 2000 (hence the name), the program was organized by professional botanists and called "Noah's Ark for Plants." All over the world, due to diverse human activities, many plants are on the verge of extinction. Some types of plants, which arose as a result of evolution that lasted millions of years, have already been irretrievably lost.
But seeds, as far as we know, can be stored for a very long time. There are even cases where seeds that were centuries old have sprouted, even though they were not stored frozen. Therefore, for seeds that scientists plan to store at very low temperatures, the prognosis is promising. In 20 years, it is planned to place approximately 20% of all famous plants. This venture, valued in the millions, was sponsored by industry. Obviously, this is a very valuable investment of capital if in this way we can ensure the rescue and subsequent return to the ecosystem of the planet of a huge number of “lost” plants.
Quick fact:Wild orchids are in a particularly vulnerable position, the cost of which is very high and which, due to thoughtless mass collection, are on the verge of complete extinction.
Other data:many plants are now endangered due to mass collection, as well as ongoing changes in their natural habitat and exposure to chemicals; It is important to try to preserve rare plants in their natural habitats, since many of them die in the artificial environment.
Take care of nature, because without it a person cannot live
Life is a miracle that cannot be repeated (no matter how hard scientists try). All the diversity of forms of flora and fauna is the result of painstaking and slow selection. Thanks to the fact that the first organic molecules appeared in the primordial soup billions of years ago, living organisms are now distributed almost everywhere. They are all in perfect balance between certain types and it may seem that the harmony of the extravaganza of life will never cease. However, the Universe has its own opinion on this matter: meteors, volcanic activity or changes in the composition of the atmosphere led to the fact that harmony came to naught. Moreover, this happened, although not often, but regularly (and by the standards of geological periods - almost every day). It is worth understanding that 98% of all organisms living on the planet have already become extinct and died. And some of them were (by our standards) quite strange. Today we will talk about ten such plants.
Araucaria mirabilis - 160 million years ago (Argentina)
In 1919, a botanist named Anselmo Windhausen discovered that the inhabitants of Argentine Patagonia were collecting some fossils, attributing them miraculous properties. The scientist became interested in fossil remains and in 1923 he discovered the petrified forest of Cerro Cuadrado. The age of this formation was 160,000,000 years. Research has shown that the forest was located in this area from the early to mid-Jurassic period. Then powerful eruption The volcano turned tree trunks to stone. Analysis of the stone gave new information. At that time, the forest consisted of two plant species: Par araucaria patagonica and Araucaria mirabilis. It was Arukaria that Mirabili and left behind mysterious petrified formations. They turned out to be plant cones. They are perfectly preserved, as are the trunks found nearby due to erosion.
These trees reached a height of 100 meters. Their diameter was three meters. The cones were spherical formations, their diameter was 3–4 cm. The closest relative of these giants is Bunia-bunia in southeastern Australia, in the state of Queensland. The name Araucaria mirabilis comes from the toponym "Aroko" and Latin word mirabilis, which means "amazing".
Cooksonia - 425 million years ago (found in many coastal regions)
At the moment, this plant is considered the oldest representative of the flora on the planet. Cooksonia grew on Earth more than 400,000,000 years ago. This plant did not exceed a few centimeters in height and was the first living organism with a stem (albeit a very primitive one when compared with modern plants). Cooksonia reproduced by spores that were located in spherical processes at the end of the stems. Ferns now reproduce in a similar way. However, these plants had neither leaves nor roots. Scientists still do not know how they were attached to the ground. Some botanists believe that the roots simply were not preserved. Others are sure: the rootless system means that Cooksonia lived on water or even under water.
Cooksonia lived freely in the late Silurian geological period. The oldest fossils were found in Ireland. Their age is 425 million years. This plant grew on coasts from 45 degrees north latitude to 30 degrees south latitude. Evolution did not stand still, and by the early Devonian period other plant species appeared on the scene. In any case, dominance over millions of years allowed Cooksonia to prepare the way for new species and creatures.
Lepidodendron - 300 million years ago (Northern Hemisphere)
Lepidodendrons were the most common plant species during the Carboniferous era. geological period. At this time, there was a record amount of oxygen in the Earth's atmosphere. Because of this, representatives of the flora grew quickly and died just as quickly. Temperatures at that time were significantly higher, especially in the Northern Hemisphere. Lepidodendrons covered almost all lands, so now most of the coal is their fossilized remains. The Carboniferous period ended 300 million years ago, but lepidodendron fossils have been found in China. Their age is 205 million years. The closest relatives of these plants are modern mosses. The only difference is in size: lepidodendrons reached a height of 40 meters, and the diameter of the trunks exceeded 2 meters. Pulp covered thick layer bark.
These plants grew in small groups and their lifespan was amazingly short: 10–15 years. Diamond-shaped scales remained in place of fallen leaves and from them one could find out the age of the plant. Lepidodendrons had no branches: only a trunk and foliage. Like all primitive trees, lepidodendrons reproduced by spores towards the end life cycle. During the Mesozoic period, this species completely disappeared, giving way to more advanced representatives of the flora.
Silphium - 1st century BC (Libya)
Historian John M. Riddle (University of North Carolina) has spent his entire practice studying ancient civilizations. He theorized that the ancient Greeks, Egyptians and even the Romans controlled population numbers. Many scientists are confident that this is due to high infant mortality and military losses. However, Riddle is confident that it was during quiet periods that the population decline was especially noticeable. Therefore, a powerful and well-known contraceptive existed at that time. The professor considers it silphium, a close relative of common parsley. The healing properties of this plant have been widely known since ancient times. Not much information has been preserved about silphium, but ancient texts also mention that it can be used to avoid unwanted pregnancies.
Silphium grew in the coastal region of modern Libya. Here the ancient Greeks built a colony called Cyrene in 630 BC. The city grew rapidly and became rich, mainly due to the silphium trade throughout the Mediterranean. Even the Cyrene coins depicted this plant. Even the Egyptians and Minoans developed a special hieroglyph for silphium. The consumption of the plant was so intense that by the first century BC the species ceased to exist. This happened because ancient people were unable to tame silphium and it grew only in wild conditions. It was impossible to control the harvest, since regular troops could not cope with the smugglers who landed on the shore at night and collected the crops. Pliny the Elder claimed that the last stalk of silphium was presented to Emperor Nero, who promptly ate the offering. It is possible that the information was inaccurate and this plant still exists, but under a different name.
Araucarioxylon arizonicum - 207 million years ago (USA)
This tree has a lot in common with Araucaria mirabilis, although they are separated by several tens of millions of years. As its name suggests, Araucarioxylon arizonicum abundantly covered what is now Arizona. However, 207 million years ago, this entire lush forest was suddenly covered in a layer of lava and volcanic ash, turning the forest into fossils. Huge trunks can be seen today in the Stone Forest National Park. The trees reached a height of 70 meters. The closest relatives of this giant are Araucaria chilean and Araucaria variegated.
The Navajo Indians believe that the stone trunks are the bones of the Great Giant, killed by their ancestors in time immemorial. The Paiute tribe believes differently: these are the arrows of the thunder god. It was not until 1888 that Smithsonian University curator F.H. Nollton determined the origin of these fossils. As soon as the information became public, people rushed to collect stone wood to make furniture, tiles and jewelry from it. In 1902, the park became a protected area, and in 1922 it was given the status of a nature reserve. This has reduced fossil theft, but approximately 13 tons of Araucarioxylon arizonicum petrified wood is taken by tourists every year.
Glossopteris - 245 million years ago (Southern Hemisphere)
In 1912, German geophysicist, meteorologist and polar explorer Alfred Lothar Wegener argued that continents drift across the surface of our planet. Thanks to modern research and satellite imagery, we know this happens all the time. However, until the mid-twentieth century, this theory was perceived ambiguously. However, it was Wegener who saw the similarity of the outlines of Africa and South America, which look like two puzzles. To prove his theory, the scientist analyzed fossil data on both sides of the Atlantic. A great many matches were found. And the main one was glassopteris.
Thanks to the wide distribution of this plant in the Southern Hemisphere, Wegener was able to prove that Africa, Antarctica, South America and Australia once shared common borders and belonged to the continent known as Gondwanaland. Glassopteris was the dominant plant species during the Permian period 300,000,000 years ago. This extinct plant was a relative of the modern fern and reached 30 meters in height. There were several species in the Glassopteris family, but very little is known about their differences.
This uncertainty is due to the fact that it remains a mystery whether the fossilized remains are parts of the same species at different stages of development, or belong different types. It is known for certain that Glassopteris were deciduous plants and regularly shed their leaves. They grew almost everywhere, but there is no complete information about what this tree looked like. According to recent data, glassopteris were large shrubs, similar to modern magnolia or ginkgo.
Franklin Tree - 1803 (USA)
As you might expect, this plant is named after Benjamin Franklin. Its other name is Franklinia alatamaha. Franklinia was discovered by two botanists, John Bartram and his son, William, in 1765. Franklinia grew in a narrow strip of forest near the Alatamaha River in McIntosh County, Georgia. Scientists described the plant as a 7-meter tall shrub with large and fragrant flowers. The plant has dark green leaves, which turn red, yellow and even pink by autumn. The bush bloomed until the first frost. When the Bartrams returned to the area in 1770, they found that the Franklinia population had been greatly reduced. Since 1803, there has not been a single recorded case of Franklinia alatamaha being found in the wild.
The cause of the extinction is still unknown, but scientists suggest that the closure of the species and its habitat is to blame. Pesticides from cotton fields upriver may have been the cause. Fortunately, biologists took the seeds of this plant with them and grew them in greenhouses. Nowadays franklinia is popular garden plant. On stamps issued in 1969, the Franklinia symbolizes the southern states. Recently, biologists began conducting experiments to return Franklinia alatamaha to the natural environment of the Alatamaha River, where the plant was discovered several centuries ago.
Strychnos electri - 30 million years ago (Dominican Republic)
In 1986, an entomologist named George Poinar from Oregon state university traveled to the Dominican Republic to bring back more than 500 pieces of amber containing various fossils. All of them were found in local mines. Over the next 30 years, Poinar studied insects encased in fossilized resin. However, among his finds there were also plants. He sent the pictures to his colleague, Lena Struve from Rutgers University. Since the flowers were perfectly preserved, it was discovered that they belong to the well-known Strychnos family of poisonous flowers. They contain strychnine, which is used in pesticides and poisons.
The plant received the name electri (from the Greek electrum - amber). The specimen is believed to be the oldest discovery of flora preserved in amber. It is between 15 and 45 million years old. The find may shed light on the development of the species itself and many other plants. In addition, strychnos electri lay on the shelves for almost 30 years, so it is possible that in the near future new species and other representatives of the world of ancient flora will appear among the amber finds.
Sophora toromiro - 1965 (Easter Island)
Easter Island is one of the most remote places on the planet from civilization. The nearest islands are thousands of kilometers away (South America is almost 4,000 km away). The island's most famous landmark is the 900 stone idols, or "moai". They were built by local residents in the 13th century. Not everyone knows that the island was not so deserted before. Over the centuries, people have cut down the forests that densely cover the island. Because of this, at the turn of the 17th century, civilization on the island fell into decay. The arrival of the Europeans completed the process. Dutch explorer Jacob Roggewijn, who discovered the island at Easter in 1722, noted that the soil here was fertile. However, less than 10% of the island's area is now covered by endemic plant species, and upper layer soils are fertilized using imported chemicals.
The Toromiro tree, which is one of the symbols of the island, no longer grows there. the last specimen was cut down in the crater of the Rano Kao volcano in 1965. This small tree was no more than two meters in height with bright red bark. In the 50s of the twentieth century, the seeds of sophora toromiro were collected and now this species grows in some collections in Chile and in European botanical gardens. Return experiments national symbol Easter Islands into natural habitats has so far been unsuccessful.
Prototaxites - 350 million years ago (whole world)
These mysterious fossilized organisms were discovered in 1859 in Canada. From the very first day they baffled the scientific community. Since then, fossilized Prototaxites have been found all over the world. Their height is about 8 meters. The first members of the species date back 420 million years, and the youngest disappeared from the fossil record about 70 million years later. Most scientists believed that it was some form of lichen or algae, but there was no evidence for this theory. Only in 2001, Professor Francis Huber from National Museum natural history in Washington found a solution: prototaxites were mushrooms. He made this conclusion based on comparing the tissues of modern fungi with fossils.
There was no clear evidence, but everything changed when another paleontologist, Kevin Boyes of the University of Chicago, did not carry out carbon dating. The ratio and structural features of carbon molecules in fossils made it possible to prove that prototaxites were not plants, which means they were giant mushrooms that reigned on planet Earth at that time.
The bowels of the planet store great amount secrets about the past, so we can say with confidence that there are still more discoveries ahead of the fantastic species of flora and fauna that once existed on our blue globe.
Rare view. This concept appeared in the middle of the last century, after the establishment International Union on nature conservation. His documents were signed in 1948 in the French city of Fontainebleau.
The headquarters were opened in Gland, Switzerland. A year later, they created a commission on rare species, starting their identification and systematization from scratch. The list was called red, based on the fact that in nature scarlet is a danger signal.
Many insects, for example, wear fiery outfits to avoid being attacked. Seeing red, predators think that the prey is poisonous. In the case of the book, scarlet signifies the danger of species extinction.
The first volume of the Red Book was published in 1963. There have been several reprints. Some species were restored and excluded from the list, while others, on the contrary, were included in it.
Sometimes it turned out that there was no need to restore the population, it was simply that its completeness was not known. It’s easier to find out the circumstances on the ground. Therefore, countries strive to supplement the international publication with their own, more complete ones.
Thus, the latest version of the Red Book of Russia lists 652 plant species. Information about them follows the list of animals and mushrooms. Whatever kingdom a species belongs to, it falls into one of 6 categories. Let us imagine, in accordance with them, some red book plants.
Rare plants of Russia
This plants listed in the Red Book due to small populations. They are not necessarily associated with sharp declines in species. Often, grasses, trees and shrubs are picky about their habitat conditions and do not settle everywhere.
Some plants, for example, are pollinated by a narrow range of insects and bloom where there are pollen carriers. However, the option of reducing the population due to humans is also possible. Thus, many herbs are used in medicine. While treating others, the plants themselves die. Let’s start with one of these natural “first aid kits”.
yellow water lily
She enters plants of the Red Book of Russia. The flower lives in shallow waters, placing heart-shaped leaves both above and below the water. The yellow flowers are compact, round, and extend into a seed capsule. Therefore, the plant is popularly called the egg-little.
The roots of the yellow water lily are used for medicinal purposes. Before being included in the Red Book, the pharmaceutical drug “Lutenurin” was even made on their basis. It has anti-trichomoniacal activity. The medicine was also prescribed for a number of diseases of the skin and mucous membranes.
The photo shows a yellow water lily.
Spotted palmate root
This orchid grows in western Russia. In demand because of its roots. Infusions of plant tubers and ointments made from them fight inflammation, have an enveloping effect, and also strengthen the immune system. Unfamiliar with medicinal properties palm root, they pick it because of the beauty of the flowers. They are purple, framed by spotted leaves.
In the photo, spotted palmate root
Bell dolomite
He got into description of Red Book plants due to the limited habitat and its active reduction. The flower is endemic to Russia, found only in North Ossetia.
There, the plant can be seen in the Nalchik Botanical Garden. The bell is herbaceous, about 40 centimeters tall, perennial. It has a thin rhizome.
The bell-shaped flowers are white. That is why the plant is called dolomite. Dolomite– sedimentary rock based on calcium carbonate. This component makes the stone light.
Bell dolomite
Nut lotus
It is considered the rarest not only in Russia, but also abroad. The plant is a relict, originally from the Tertiary period. It started 65,000,000 years ago. The nut-bearing lotus is named because of its seeds.
They are based in fruits similar to the bell of a watering can. The seeds resemble nuts. The flower itself is pink. The core is yellow. The species is listed in aquatic plants Red Book, because it blooms in swamps.
The most common nut lotus is in India and China, if you can call it common. The plant is symbolic from a religious point of view, useful from a medicinal point of view, used in cooking, beautiful and environmentally friendly. In general, the relict has reasons to die out.
In the photo there is a nut-bearing lotus
Endangered plants of Russia
If rare flowers simply have limited populations and growing areas, then endangered plants are on the verge of extinction, even if they once populated the entire earth. Due to their former prevalence, some of the Red Books are well known. Let's start with them.
Wormwood Barguzin
IN list of Red Book plants wormwood was introduced due to human activity. In part, these are herbal collections for medicinal purposes. The juices of the plant heal wounds. The characteristic aroma of wormwood is associated with the presence of coumarins in it.
This is a type of cyclic ether. Just a couple of decades ago, everyone knew the smell of the plant. Young people find it difficult to remember him. herbaceous plant from the aster family, about 50 centimeters high, on the verge of extinction.
Wormwood Barguzin
Plantain Krashennikova
This variety of plantain has linear, elongated leaves. They are usually collected in a rosette extending from the rhizome. The grass does not exceed 15 centimeters. The spikelets of inflorescences reach the same height.
The stamens are longer than the petals. Therefore, the inflorescences look fluffy. Like wormwood, plantain has hemostatic properties and disinfects.
Krashennikov's species was discovered in the Orenburg region. Afterwards, the plant was discovered in a number of regions of Russia. Now, they are trying to discover it again, in the hope that there are unaccounted populations.
Plantain Krashennikova
Common heather
evergreen shrub included in Red Book plants. Photo show specimens with reddish bark. In reality, heather is almost impossible to find. If possible, enjoy the beauty of the bush.
Its branches are strewn small sheets and lilac-pink inflorescences-tassels. If the tops are cut off, someone was harvesting the heather for medicinal purposes. Its young shoots are added to diaphoretic and diuretic preparations.
The photo shows common heather
Shrinking plants of Russia
The category includes water, steppe, mountain, forest plants of the Red Book with sharply declining numbers. They cannot yet be called rare, much less endangered. However, the downward trend in the population obliges us to take measures to preserve it.
Otherwise, in a couple of decades, plants in this category will be remembered as wormwood or heather. By the way, back in the 20th century, the most massive extinction of species in the last 70,000,000 years began. Statistics also apply to flora and fauna.
Rhododendron Schlippenbach
In Russia, the shrub grows in the south and Primorye, originally from the Mediterranean. However, in its homeland the flower also blooms buds less and less. The trend also applies to eastern China and Japan, where in the old days the bush grew everywhere.
The Schlippenbach rhododendron reaches 1.6 meters in height and is named after the Russian naval officer. Anton Volmar was born in Sweden, but in 1712 he entered the Russian military service. The flower, named after Schlippenbach, is pale pink with large buds. Each reaches a diameter of 10 centimeters.
Rhododendron Schlippenbach
orchis
The plant with a scary name is an orchid. It has a height of approximately 40 centimeters and thick stems. Up to the middle they are covered with elongated leaves, above - scaly.
Orchis inflorescences are spike-shaped, with many purple buds. The problem is the smell. Flowers smell like bugs. Few people other than botanists are sad about the decline in the orchis population. It is associated with the development and drainage of its “houses”. The plant loves moist soils.
orchis
Daphne
The decline in the number of this shrub also worries only scientists and Nepalese. We'll tell you why the latter later. For now, let's say that wolfberry is completely poisonous. The smell of flowers gives me a headache.
That being said, the pink and cream buds are beautiful. The berries are also attractive in appearance. 5 kill a child, 12 kill an adult. Small doses are fraught with blisters on the skin and irritation.
However, Nepalese are not afraid of this. Residents of the region do not take wolfberry inside, but make it into premium paper. The disappearance of a plant is fraught with the disappearance of a profitable business.
In the photo is a wolfberry
Plants of uncertain status
Remembering what plants are listed in the Red Book, there is almost nothing to say about a number of species. There is not enough information. Maybe they are dying out, maybe, on the contrary, they are thriving.
It is usually not possible to give exact answers due to the complexity of the study. The catfish will climb into deep underwater holes, and the plant will climb to the highest peaks, and look for fistulas. Below are a few examples of the “dark horses” of the Red Book.
Chastuha grass-like
The plant is perennial, herbaceous, 40 centimeters high. The short and thick root can be attached underwater, or perhaps in above-ground form. The buds are collected in panicle inflorescences.
Botanists find it difficult to determine the status of the grass due to its uneven growth and tendency to abruptly disappear. The main factor in the death of chastukha is water pollution. The plant needs almost spring materials. Industrialization has spoiled and continues to pollute thousands of water bodies.
In the photo, chastuha grass-like
Leafless mugwort
It is a flowering plant of the orchid family. Indeterminate status was issued because the mullet lives underground and is a saprophyte. In other words, we are dealing with a plant-organism. It feeds on the remains of animals and other flora. Therefore, you can only find mullet in soil rich in...
Hiding underground, the chinstrap does not need sunlight and, accordingly, does not produce chlorophyll - the green pigment. You can only see flowers above the surface. 1-5 buds are formed on one plant. Only now, they do not form every year, which makes tracking the grass population even more difficult.
Leafless mugwort
Japanese Uzhovnik
It is a relict fern. It is perennial, no more than 15 centimeters in height. Fronds, that is, leaf-like shoots of a fern, are single. Remains of the “foliage” of previous years remain. It is interesting that the sporangia of the grasshopper literally grow into the frond and are sometimes not even visible.
In Russia, the Japanese grasshopper is found closer to its homeland - in the Far East. The fern was given an indefinite status due to the dynamic development of its growing areas.
The grasshopper is a mesohygrophyte, that is, it loves average humidity, settling on the outskirts of swamps, damp fields and near rivers. Human industrial activity leads mainly to the drainage of territories. Scientists do not have time to track the grasshopper population.
Japanese Uzhovnik
Possibly extinct species
The category includes species whose last officially documented specimen died. However, tracking every plant is difficult. Therefore, species that have not been found for the last 25-50 years are conventionally considered extinct.
The definition of “probably” is associated with cases of discovering plants that were considered extinct. Thus, Medusagina antifolia was rediscovered in 1970. The plant is the only representative of the medusaginaceae family.
The name is related to the shape of the fruit. They are like jellyfish. And in 1994, the Wollemia pine was discovered in Australia. They thought that it became extinct 200,000,000 years ago.
The pine grove was discovered by a park ranger in the country. Let's list a few Russian species that the public hopes may also be lucky. There are 76 of them in the country’s Red Book.
In the photo Medusagina contrafolia
Lily curly
It is popularly known as saranka. IN latest edition The plant is classified as extinct in the Red Book. Each region of Russia creates its own lists and all of them include curly lily.
It is also included in plants of the Red Data Book of the Volgograd region, where we met a couple of decades ago. There are still reports of locusts today.
However, people share what they see on the Internet and the commission for the protection of rare species is not called to the site. Actually, such a service does not exist. So, these books are conditional. But one thing is clear. If a plant is included in the list, its life is outdated or in doubt.
Lily curly
Volga cinquefoil
It was endemic to Russia and grew only in the Volga region. The leaves of the cinquefoil are pinnate and divided into many thin segments. Small yellow flowers collected in panicles.
Grass growth is 15-20 centimeters. If you see, at least sign up on the Internet. The World Wide Web allows you to create, although unofficial, the most complete Red Book.
Volga cinquefoil
Regenerating plants of Russia
The number of these plants is small, but is growing steadily, unlike declining species. Information about category heroes is posted on green pages Red Book. Plants of the Krasnodar region, Saratov region and other regions of the country may also be on white pages.
This is a symbol of little knowledge and uncertain status. The yellow pages talk about rare species, and the red pages talk about endangered species. Probably extinct plants - black leaves. But now let's go through the green ones.
Butterbur reed
The plant of the aster family is found mainly in Udmurtia. Outside of Russia, butterbur prefers the lands of Asian countries. The second name of the herb is swamp rhubarb; there are similarities with garden rhubarb. The shape of the leaves resembles a hoof print.
From here official name kind. In the old days it was called the plague root. It was believed that infusions made from the underground part of the plant would protect against the plague. The disease disappeared, and with it the butterbur almost disappeared. In the latest edition of the Red Book, he was declared recovering. The danger is behind us.
In the photo, the reed butterbur
Iris false calamus
This plant has elongated, broadly linear leaves. The central vein on them is convex. The greens are covered with wax. Leaves grow up to 120 centimeters, and peduncles up to 125. So, a giant among .
There are several branches on its peduncle. 2-3 buds bloom on each of them. They are golden. Therefore, the plant is also called yellow iris. There is also the name “marsh”, associated with the flower’s love for moist soils.
Iris false calamus
May lily of the valley
The lily of the valley was the first to be excluded from the list of endangered species. Moscow Red Book of Plants. In the capital region, work was carried out to restore the number of the flower.
Lily of the valley was actively planted in forested areas of Moscow. Along with the new status, the plant moved to a new family. Previously, scientists considered the flower to be linear. Now, lily of the valley is classified as an asparagus.
The appearance of the May lily of the valley is known to everyone. There is only one flower in the genus. There are several subspecies, but they are all similar in appearance and produce from 6 to 20 white, fragrant buds. They hang from one slightly curved peduncle.
May lily of the valley
People thought about preserving the plant world later than the fight for animal populations. First they stood up to protect the birds. The international convention for their conservation was adopted back in 1902. The document was the first aimed at fighting for biological diversity.
Plants became a reason for “battle” only 60 years later. Meanwhile, a number of scientists claim that with the current reduction in the number of flora, within 50 years it will species diversity be reduced by a third. Whether the predictions will come true depends not only on nature, but also on humans.