Well, they don't eat other life forms. At least most don't. But they do need fertilizer which is dead stuff. They must consume carbon which is the stuff all organic stuff is made of.Plants are not only alive, they require no other life.
All other life forms have to consume other life.
The only true explorer is a plant.
AFAIK All plants require the products/remains of other organisms (in part) for nourishment -- But, hey I've an open mind!Plants are not only alive, they require no other life.
All other life forms have to consume other life.
The only true explorer is a plant.
Sounds reasonable --- I can but assume their requirement of nitrogen compounds owes to protein/polypeptide synthesis...Plants don't need proteins, right?
What about the organisms that live on the deep sea thermal vents? They live in high pressures, high heat, no sun light, and eat the minerals coming out of the vents.If anyone knows of a plant (or, for that matter, any macroscopic organism) that is naturally and wholly sustained by inorganic (or inorganic carbon) compounds I'd be sincerely delighted to learn of it![]()
Not really. You can grow perfectly happy plants with nothing else but what you can buy from a chemical supply house. The plants don't require anything that came from another organism. No fancy molecules or vitamins like we require.AFAIK All plants require the products/remains of other organisms (in part) for nourishment ...
Thanks!Not really. You can grow perfectly happy plants with nothing else but what you can buy from a chemical supply house. The plants don't require anything that came from another organism. No fancy molecules or vitamins like we require.
As a practical matter it is true that much of the nitrogen used by plants comes from fixation of atmospheric nitrogen by microorganisms, or from the decay of other living things. But it can be entirely replaced by manmade nitrogen sources such as ammonia or urea. Of course their carbon comes from photosynthesis of CO2. Phosphorous and potassium come from the soil, often with the help of microorganisms as well. But again these can be replaced with simple chemicals.
All the micronutrients needed by plants are also known and can be supplied from manmade sources. Think hydroponics.
Interesting point!What about the organisms that live on the deep sea thermal vents? They live in high pressures, high heat, no sun light, and eat the minerals coming out of the vents.
Nope, they live on the chemical energy derived from metabolizing what comes out of the smoker vents. I forget the exact chemistry but just as we oxidize sugar, they oxidize something like hydrogen sulfide and extract the thermodynamic difference.I'm guessing their nutrition derives from plankton or aqueous microbes 'strained' from the water? --
Whatever the plants are is what it needs to consume. cells do not grow out of nothing or just air and water. It absorbs nutrients from the soil. Dead tissue from other plants and animals.I am not an expert on plants or fertilizer. Although I have been told to qualify the fertilizer statement.
Isn't fertilizer, chemical compounds that deliver elements to plants?
Plants don't need proteins, right?
Of course, all general statements have exceptions. The exceptions do not negate the general statement.
Thus it seems my scrabbling (i.e. 'chemosynthesis') wasn't too far off the mark?Nope, they live on the chemical energy derived from metabolizing what comes out of the smoker vents. I forget the exact chemistry but just as we oxidize sugar, they oxidize something like hydrogen sulfide and extract the thermodynamic difference.
Interesting! FWIW There are other examples of organisms seeming to have evolved identically in isolation -- While, of course, we know better - it is indeed mysterious (to say the least)!!!What makes this amazing is that these vents are far apart and I'm not sure anyone knows how they can travel from one to another.
---Emphasis added---Whatever the plants are is what it needs to consume. cells do not grow out of nothing or just air and water.
Why would the rules of evolution be that different in different parts of the world or even on different planets?Thus it seems my scrabbling (i.e. 'chemosynthesis') wasn't too far off the mark?
Interesting! FWIW There are other examples of organisms seeming to have evolved identically in isolation -- While, of course, we know better - it is indeed mysterious (to say the least)!!!
Many thanks!
Best regards
HP![]()