Botanical Skills NI: Evolutionary adaptations of plants

It’s easy to look at a thriving plant and assume it made a conscious choice to adapt, but nature is far more ruthless. In the evolutionary game, plants that couldn't handle their environment simply perished without leaving an heir, leaving only the most ingeniously equipped to colonise the planet.

Join renowned botanist and BSBI Wales Officer Maarten Christenhusz for a fascinating Botanical Skills Northern Ireland Project deep dive into the extreme strategies plants use to survive impossible conditions. Discover how salt-tolerant halophytes transform into their own internal desalination plants, how carnivorous species catch animals to supplement their nutrients, and why parasitic plants resort to stealing directly from neighbouring plants and fungi. From heavy-metal soil tolerance to bizarre cytological and physiological twists, this talk reveals the exact genetic mechanics that keep the world's most resilient flora alive.

Booking: If you experience any difficulties booking online, please phone the main BSBI phone number between 9:00 am and 5:30 pm for assistance: +44 (0) 7404 231178.

Accessibility: If you have any questions about accessibility or specific needs that would help you take part comfortably, please feel free to contact us on bookings@bsbi.org or +44 (0) 7404 231178.

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Photo credit: Great Sundew by Sue Thomas