Celebrating Plants and the Planet:

We credit Charles Darwin with so much, some of which he rightly deserves. On this, his 200^th anniversary, we look back… and forward to his latest project.

April links at www.zooplantman.com  (NEWS/Botanical News) provide a variety of ways to consider Darwin's influence on our thinking and research.

·         Are flowers red simply to attract pollinators? Is anything that simple? Perhaps the color repels predators as well.

·         If the Amazon forest acts as a huge carbon sink, saving our energy-guzzling butts, what happens when the forest dies? Where does that carbon go?

·         When plants suffer insect attack or disease, they express themselves. A device has been invented to translate their cries.

·         Why did the South African plant have a bare stalk above its flower? To give sunbirds a place to sit.

·         In an innovative UK program, Charles Darwin aims to get every schoolchild interested in plants and botany.

There are several huge indoor zoo exhibits being planned in Europe. One of the most ambitious is the Chester Zoo's "Heart of Africa." Find out more at http://www.zooplantman.com/zoos.html.

Please share these stories with associates, staff, docents and -- most importantly -- visitors! Remember, over a hundred other stories can be found in the archive section of the website.

Rob