Herself's Houseplants

Predatory underwater plant

January 18, 2009–An oddity among oddities, this newly discovered carnivorous sea squirt traps fish and other prey in its funnel-like front section, scientists announced today. Most of the 2,000 or so known sea squirt species are filter feeders that strain plankton from seawater.

Tethered to the seafloor 13,143 feet (4,006 meters) underwater, the 20-inch (50-centimeter) sea squirt, or ascidian, is one of the deepest-dwelling animals ever found in Australia. The new species is one of many new deep-sea creatures discovered on a recent expedition that used a remotely operated vehicle (ROV) near southern Tasmania, Australia. . . . [ read more and see more photos Bizarre Species Found, Predatory Squirt

See also:
Research Cruise blog
Scientists think ‘killer petunias’ should join ranks of carnivorous plants

Rising fertilizer prices have been effecting farmers and home gardeners all year.  Prices doubled then tripled in 2008.   Most of the rise in prices is due to the idiotic ethanol fiasco.  Another reason is that natural gas prices have been rising which is the main source of nitrogen in many fertilizers.  So you would think a company that makes organic fertilizers, would benefit from the rising market.  Instead one company California Liquid Fertilizer spiked its organic fertilizers with ammonium sulfate.

California Liquid Fertilizer claims to make organic fertilizer from fish and chicken waste and by products.  The rising price of gas would not have effected their costs, yet make it able for them to charge more keeping with current prices.  So it is difficult to understand why they would do such a stupid thing.

Many organic farms are now at risk of losing their organic status.

The California regulatory agency was informed of the problem by a whistleblower in 2004.

More information:
Organic Farms unknowingly used a synthetic fertilizer
Rising fertilizer prices causing quite a stink

Another, yet unamed organic fertilizer company is also under investigation.

. . . One of nature’s most recognized wonders, the venus flytrap’s ability to snatch living prey makes it a favorite of elementary school science classes everywhere. Yet the flytrap is falsely ferocious: It’s hardly the man-eating Audrey Jr. from “The Little Shop of Horrors,” but a tiny plant only a few inches tall with leaves no bigger than a thumbprint.

These days, the little plant is more vulnerable than ever. And despite its popularity, the people who could protect it seem focused on other problems.

The flytrap’s natural habitat exists only within a hundred miles of the Carolinas’ coast, where much larger and more territorial plants have always held forth. Booming growth and development along the coast threatens to overrun the few sensitive and thin populations of venus flytraps that still exist in the wild. . . [ read more Venus flytraps caught in shrinking habitat]

What can you do? Fight to save native habitats. Buy some fly traps from responsible sellers and show people just was a cool wonderful plant it is. Tell them why it is worth saving. Spread the word.

See also:
Save the Venus Flytrap
Audubon Magazine: Carnivorous Plants
United Plant Savers: Venus Flytrap

As the world gets more urban and more of us move to cities the plant life of cities has a bigger impact on us all. The diversity of conditions in the city as opposed to the countryside gives us a larger selection of plants in the city. But the plants that can handle the urban environment tend to be very similar to each other. This means changes in climate and other city conditions may have a far greater detrimental impact on urban plants.

More plant species grow in German towns and cities than in the countryside, but those in towns and cities are more closely related and are often functionally similar. This makes urban ecosystems more susceptible to environmental impacts. . .. [ read more Similarity Of Urban Flora: Plants In Towns And Cities Are More Closely Related Than Those In The Countryside]