Plants matter: Introducing <i>Plants, People, Planet</i>

Hiscock, Simon J.; Wilkin, Paul; Lennon, Sarah; Young, Bennett

doi:10.1002/ppp3.14

Cited by 8 publications

(18 citation statements)

References 11 publications

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“…Some 20 years ago, two biology teachers coined the term “plant blindness” ( Wandersee and Schussler, 1999 ) to refer to the fact that humans tend to “not notice” plants in their environments, which they considered to be due to a perceptual inability ( Wandersee and Schussler, 2001 ). Plants, however, play a fundamental role for life on planet Earth, both quantitatively ( Bar-On et al, 2018 ) and functionally ( Hiscock et al, 2019 ), in that they provide humans with numerous goods and services, and they have a great significance in cultural identities ( Pardo de Santayana et al, 2014 ). However, a growing ignorance of plants and an underestimation of their importance is generally detected ( Bebbington, 2005 ), which can be attributed to several factors: while people living in societies where plants are essential for their survival know them closely ( Hall, 2011 ), more than half the world’s population is currently urban ( World Watch Institute, 2007 ) and has thus grown away from them.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Gardens as Science Learning Contexts Across Educational Stages: Learning Assessment Based on Students’ Graphic Representations

2020

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The educational use of daily-life contexts is considered a valuable strategy to promote meaningful science learning, since it facilitates the establishment of connections between previous knowledge, personal interests, and new learning. The aim of this work is to provide evidence to support the presence of gardens at educational centers, by assessing key science topics whose learning is promoted at the preschool, primary, secondary, and university stages. To this end, we analyzed the paired graphic representations of "a garden" that students drew both before and after their participation in a garden-based learning program. Firstly, we obtained the frequency of appearance of every represented element, and afterward characterized the level of change between paired graphic representations. Sample size was of 24-19-25-29 pairs per stage, respectively. Across all stages, an overall improvement in students' graphic expression was observed, which can be attributed to their experience in the space. At the preschool stage, the garden favored the establishment of some simple cause-effect relationships which were consolidated at the primary stage, and provided a climate of motivation and affectivity that was evident in the final drawings, given the enormous quantity of details represented, the level of the finished product, and the careful combination and variety of colors. The presence of elements related to water notably increased in final graphic representations from preschool , primary, and secondary education, thus evidencing that the use of gardens facilitates an approach to responsible water management. At the university stage, students initially demonstrated good knowledge of conventional agriculture, while the gardening experience-which was based on permaculture practices-helped evolve their ideas toward an alternative model of cultivation. The most prevalent science learning across all stages was related to plant knowledge, particularly to their anatomical traits and diversity. Finally, the role of educational gardens as models for students was evidenced, which suggests the importance of teachers and institutions carefully considering which model to offer.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Gardens as Science Learning Contexts Across Educational Stages: Learning Assessment Based on Students’ Graphic Representations

2020

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“…Through decades of development, tools for constructing and analyzing metabolic networks are quite mature and useful for plant biosystems design. However, several key challenges still remain: (1) the lack of knowledge of gene functions and their regulation required for accurate and comprehensive network curation and analysis [23]; (2) the lack of experimental data to decipher metabolites, reactions, and pathways that exist in compartments within a cell and among different cell types of a plant; and (3) the hidden underground metabolism due to enzyme promiscuity [22,35]. Advances in single-cell/single-cell-type omics (see Section 3.6.2) are critically required to address these challenges.…”

Section: The Mechanistic Modeling Theory Of Plant Biosystemsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Humans depend on plants for a variety of important resources including sustenance, energy, clothing, bio-based products, and shelter [1][2][3]. On a global scale, plants play critical roles in biogeochemical cycling and environmental stability [4,5].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Plant Biosystems Design Research Roadmap 1.0

et al. 2020

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Human life intimately depends on plants for food, biomaterials, health, energy, and a sustainable environment. Various plants have been genetically improved mostly through breeding, along with limited modification via genetic engineering, yet they are still not able to meet the ever-increasing needs, in terms of both quantity and quality, resulting from the rapid increase in world population and expected standards of living. A step change that may address these challenges would be to expand the potential of plants using biosystems design approaches. This represents a shift in plant science research from relatively simple trial-and-error approaches to innovative strategies based on predictive models of biological systems. Plant biosystems design seeks to accelerate plant genetic improvement using genome editing and genetic circuit engineering or create novel plant systems through de novo synthesis of plant genomes. From this perspective, we present a comprehensive roadmap of plant biosystems design covering theories, principles, and technical methods, along with potential applications in basic and applied plant biology research. We highlight current challenges, future opportunities, and research priorities, along with a framework for international collaboration, towards rapid advancement of this emerging interdisciplinary area of research. Finally, we discuss the importance of social responsibility in utilizing plant biosystems design and suggest strategies for improving public perception, trust, and acceptance.

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“…(Bar‐On et al, , p. 6508). Thus, “seeing plants” in the world includes recognition of the critical ecological functions they support (Hiscock et al, ) through their diversity and biomass and, importantly, their role in our survival; for it appears that even in representations of the deep geological past, plants have barely been covered, as Vujaković demonstrates, where he argues for a more “phytocentric” representation of Earth's history (; in this issue, pp. 188).…”

Section: Plants Are Not the Backgroundmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Even the oxygen in the air we breathe is the result of their biological processes. Indeed, “we rely on plants for food, shelter, fuel, and fibers for clothing, as well as for our gardens, landscape, and artistic inspiration” (Hiscock, Wilkin, Lennon, & Young, ). And yet, many of us struggle to even notice their existence, a phenomenon described as “plant blindness” (Halpin & Mckim, ; Wandersee & Schussler, ; ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Standing in the shadows of plants

Sanders

2019

Plants People Planet

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This special issue of Plants, People, Planet brings together a wide range of perspectives on the topic of “plant blindness”—the widest to date in one issue—with contributions from scholars working across a diverse range of disciplines, from the humanities and social sciences to plant science, conservation, and ecology. We also take this opportunity to showcase the work of visual artists working at the interface of art and plant science, and educators who use plants as a key subject in their education practice. The geographical reach of the contributions is also extensive with contributions from around the globe and the Twittersphere.

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Plants matter: Introducing Plants, People, Planet

Cited by 8 publications

References 11 publications

Gardens as Science Learning Contexts Across Educational Stages: Learning Assessment Based on Students’ Graphic Representations

Gardens as Science Learning Contexts Across Educational Stages: Learning Assessment Based on Students’ Graphic Representations

Plant Biosystems Design Research Roadmap 1.0

Standing in the shadows of plants

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