STEM Projects
Plants in Motion
Although our lives depend on plants for virtually everything that keeps us alive (oxygen, food, fibers, lumber, fuel, etc.), their lives remain a secret to most of us. The reason is simple—plants live on a different time-scale from ours. Although not usually obvious in the relatively hyperactive activities of humans, plants are in constant motion as they develop, search for light and nutrients, avoid predators, exploit neighbors, and reproduce.
Time-lapse photography allows us to easily see the movements of plants and clearly demonstrates that plants are living organisms capable of some extraordinary things. Time-lapse photography is done by capturing a series of images at intervals ranging from seconds to hours apart. When the images are viewed in rapid succession, much like a flip book, the effect is to compress into a short period the changes that occurred over a relatively long period of time.
The movies on this site show a variety of plants living out their dynamic lives. While it is hoped that this site provides material that may captivate the interest of budding plant biologists, even the seasoned plant biologists will find interesting material. New movies will be added to the site as they are made or obtained.
Department, School, or Office
College of Arts and Sciences, Department of Biology
Contact
Roger P. Hangarter
rhangart [at] indiana.edu
(E-mail)
Web site
http://plantsinmotion.bio.indiana.edu/plantmotion/starthere.html
