How many plants do you have in your home? Some flowers in your garden, a small Succulent on your desk, or even that potted plant in your window that survives despite being under watered for the past 4 years, we are surrounded by plants in and around our homes. Despite this, most are completely unaware of some of the amazing things that plants can do. Most are aware that plants convert carbon dioxide to oxygen, allowing the rest of life on earth to thrive, but some are capable of actions that we usually reserve for other forms of life like animals, and so much more. Plants are capable of so much, ranging from being able to move in ways similar to animals and microbes, to being able to detoxify soils through large scale decontamination projects.
https://www.thompsoncreek.com/blog/best-windows-for-plants/
Nastic and Tropic Movements
Many plants are able to go through one of several processes that allow them to perform some sort of movement. These movements are separated into two categories, nastic and tropic movements. The more common of these two is tropic movements. These movements are caused by asymmetric cell expansion and happen for a variety of reasons. One of the most common causes for tropic movement is light. As light shines on one side of a plant more so than another, the cells on the side getting less light expand, causing the plant to tilt itself towards the higher concentration of light. This mechanism leads to permanent changes to the plant, as it is unable to simply return to its old form.
https://www.jagranjosh.com/general-knowledge/what-is-nastic-movement-in-plants-1516350600-1
The other form of plant movement is known as Nastic movement, and unlike tropisms it is a fast and temporary movement. One of the best examples of a nastic movement is seen in the well known Venus Flytrap. Nastic movements utilize water pressure in order to achieve quick movements. As the plant is stimulated by an outside source, water rushes to the site of movement, causing the plant to (usually) close in a way. We see this effect in the Venus flytrap, when an insect brushes against the hair like follicles, the water rushes into the "mouth" of the plant, causing it to close and trap the insect.
https://www.sciencefocus.com/nature/how-do-venus-flytraps-know-when-to-shut/
Phytoremediation
Another interesting capability of many plants is known as Hyper-accumulation. This term describes the ability of plants to uptake different material from the environment, be it essential nutrients, salts, or biochemical waste. These processes vary from species to species, both in what is taken in by the plant and the efficiency of the process. Some plants that are capable of very efficient uptake of certain materials are able to be used in a newer field known as Phytoremediation. Phytoremediation is the purposeful introduction of a plant to a polluted area of the world in order to remove toxins from the location that we are otherwise unable to clean. A good example of a strong remediator is the Willow Tree, which has been seen to be a strong hyper-accumulator of oils and other toxins, and studies are being one to see their efficiency in areas of the world such as war torn local, and even Chernobyl.
https://www.xdd-llc.com/phytoremediation-technologies/
Closing
Overall, plants are much more amazing than most people give them credit for. They aren't just an object on your table whose color brings the room together. Plants are amazing living creatures capable of movement, and also able to help us in places where we need it most. In a lot of places the world is polluted by years of neglect, but maybe, through phytoremediation, we can successfully combat our mistakes.
Additional Resources
https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/agricultural-and-biological-sciences/nastic-movements
https://academicjournals.org/article/article1380805605_Milan%20et%20al.pdf
