strategy
Awns cause self-plantingspear grass
Hairs on spear grass awn's result in the grass being able to self-plant into the soil by being hydrophilic and hydrophobic.
strategy
Rootlets reabsorb nutrientsgiant groundsel
The trunk of the giant groundsel recycles nutrients from dead attached leaves by sprouting rootlets to extract remaining nutrients.
strategy
Roots absorb nutrients from dead leaves
The stems of cushion plants reabsorb nutrients from dead leaves by sending out lateral rootlets.
strategy
Seeds disperse by jet actionice plants
Seeds of ice plants disperse by jet action using the energy of raindrops and moisture-sensitive capsules.
strategy
Skin prevents dehydrationfoam-nest treefrog
The excretory system of the coast foam-nest treefrog prevents water loss by producing uric acid, which the frog wipes on its impermeable skin.
strategy
Wings shed dirt and watercicada
The wings of cicadas shed dirt and water via nanoscale protrusions surrounded by air pockets that buoy water droplets.
strategy
Skin prevents water losscrocodiles
The skin of crocodiles and alligators protects against water loss via bony scales called 'scutes.'
strategy
Cryptobiosis protects from extremeswaterbear
The waterbear survives extreme environmental conditions by entering a reversibly suspended metabolic state known as cryptobiosis.
strategy
Covering protects eyepied kingfisher
The eye of the pied kingfisher is protected during high speed water entry via a bony plate.
strategy
Hydrological regimes maintain organismsstreams
Streams maintain aquatic organisms by maintaining natural hydrological regimes.
strategy
Fish shape maintains stability in turbulencespotted boxfish
Shape of boxfish provides stability in turbulent water by creating self-stabilizing vortices from the water itself.
strategy
Inflating for protectionporcupine fish
The skin of a porcupine fish protects from predators via embedded spines that erect when the fish inflates using sips of water.
strategy
Native plants persist in changing conditionswetland ecosystems
Some native plant species in wetlands have long-term persistence despite fluctuating water levels because they have long-lived seeds deposited in the soil seed bank.
strategy
Communities prevent asbestos dispersionplants and lichens
Communities of plants and lichens limit dispersion of asbestos mine fibers by spontaneous colonization due to xerophytism, metal tolerance, and pioneerism.
strategy
Multiple organisms interactsoil ecosystem
The soil ecosystem supports plant growth through interactions of millions of organisms that work together to break down chemicals and aerate the soil.
strategy
Fronds hyperaccumulate arsenicladder brake fern
Fronds of ladder brake ferns hyperaccumulate toxic arsenic using a special transporter protein that spatially isolates the chemical in vacuoles.
strategy
Bacteria help volatilize and mineralize ammoniatermites
The gut bacteria of soil-feeding termites help make soil nitrogen available to plants and protect from ammonia toxicity via ammonia volatilization and mineralization.
strategy
Forelegs mop up plant oilsolitary bees
The forelegs of solitary bees mop up plant oil using brushes at their tips.
strategy
Alkaline surfaces volatilize ammonialoach
The alkaline body surfaces of the loach protect from ammonia toxicity by volatilizing ammonia during aerial exposure.
strategy
Enzymes detoxify mercury compoundsbacteria
The enzymatic system of aerobic bacteria detoxifies mercury compounds such as methyl-mercury via the enzymes organomercurial lyase (MerB) and mercuric ion reductase.
strategy
Cells detect and sequester toxic copperMycobacterium tuberculosis
The cells of Mycobacterium tuberculosis detect, move, and sequester toxic copper via membrane copper pumps and protein chaperones.
strategy
Flower's pattern attracts/deters insectsAaron's beard
Markings on flowers help draw pollinators and at the same time discourage insect herbivores by containing ultraviolet pigments.
strategy
Microorganisms degrade crude oilbacteria
Bacteria degrade crude oil more quickly when working in multi-species consortiums.
strategy
Vessels resist bubble formationtrees
Xylem vessels running up tree trunks prevent gas bubble formation because all surfaces are hydrophilic.
strategy
Mixture waterproofs nestspaper wasps
Paper wasps use an oral secretion combined with masticated plant matter to create waterproof paper nests.
strategy
Fecal pellets sink carbonsalp
Salpa aspera transport carbon to the ocean floor via their fecal pellets.
strategy
Canopies enhance species diversitywetland ecosystems
Different kinds of plant canopies in wetlands enable great species diversity by providing a variety of microenvironments.
strategy
Dead leaves function as insulationgiant groundsel
Leaves of the giant groundsel protect from freezing because those that die remain on the plant and serve as insulation.
strategy
Small leaves buffer ambient temperaturesacred datura
Small leaves of sacred datura plants buffer ambient thermal variation more efficiently than large leaves due to a smaller boundary layer, allowing higher amounts of transpiration.
strategy
Mounds accumulate calcium carbonatetermites
Mounds of Macrotermes termites accumulate calcium carbonate.
strategy
Mounds increase diversitymound-building termites
The mounds created by some termites increase diversity in wetlands because they form 'islands,' supporting trees and other species during the wet season.
strategy
Fibers contract and relaxspiders
Dragline silk fibers in spider webs help maintain web tension under weight by contracting and relaxing in response to humidity.
strategy
Larvae protected from pathogensbeewolf digger wasps
The larvae of beewolf digger wasps are protected from pathogenic microbes thanks to bacterial symbionts.
strategy
Portable cases protect from predatorscaddisflies
Some caddisflies protect themselves from predators by building portable cases out of local materials - such as pebbles, sand, and aquatic plants - that are cemented together with silk or mucus.
strategy
Anus absorbs waterwoodlice
The anus of some woodlice can soak up water using posterior abdominal appendages and capillary action.
strategy
Intricate relationship allows the other to flourishthe sea anemone and the clownfish
The relationship between the sea anemone and clownfish allows the other to flourish through symbiosis.
strategy
Membranes maintain salt balancecrab-eating frog
Membranes of crab-eating frog tadpoles allow them to survive in salt water via active ion transport.
strategy
Pores allow gas exchangebirds
The eggs of a birds provide gas exchange through pore canals.
strategy
Self-medicating cures infections, stops painbaboons
Baboons may cure infections, stop diarrhea, or treat menstrual cramps by eating particular plant leaves.
strategy
Reflex bleeding deters predatorsfireflies
Some female fireflies defend themselves by releasing noxious, steroid-containing blood from their thoraxes.
strategy
Stripes serve as long-distance camouflagelionfish
The stripes on a lionfish serve as camouflage by breaking up the outline of the fish when viewed from afar.
strategy
Skin secretions fight microbesfrogs
Skin secretions of some frogs may help protect them from drug-resistant microbes via novel antimicrobial peptides.
strategy
Plants enhance healthgolden bee
Visits to nutrient-poor plants by golden bees may help protect from disease and parasites thanks to the collection of volatile oils.
strategy
Leaves deter herbivorybirch trees
The leaves of some birch trees may help deter herbivory by adsorbing arthropod-repelling chemical compounds emitted from neighboring plants.
strategy
Scales prevent structural penetrationfig
The inflorescence of a fig is protected from insect penetration by overlapping scales.
strategy
Net filters algaesalp
Salps capture tiny algae for food by filtering seawater through a net of mucus.
strategy
Poisonous secretions deter predatorsblister beetle
Secretions of blister beetles help deter predators by containing cantharidin, a poisonous chemical.
strategy
Eyes are anti-reflectiveelephant hawk-moth
Eyes of nocturnal moths are anti-reflective due to nanoscale protrusions.
strategy
Surviving oil pondspetroleum flies
Gut bacteria of petroleum fly larvae possibly aid survival in crude oil ponds via solvent tolerance.
strategy
Skin self-repairskangaroo
Skin of kangaroos self-repairs after sun damage using a DNA repair enzyme.
strategy
Body resists soil adhesiondung beetle
Body of the dung beetle reduces soil ahesion via non-smooth surface morphology.
strategy
Fatty acids prevent freezingcotton plants
Fatty acids in cotton seedlings prevent freezing by changing the composition of the cell membranes.
strategy
Secretions repel insects, bacteriagiraffe
The skin and hair of giraffes may repel ticks, mosquitoes and bacteria via secreted chemical compounds, particularly indole, skatole, and p-cresol.
strategy
Scales provide flexible, strong protectionpangolin
Scales of pangolins provide flexibility yet strong protection by overlapping like roof shingles.
strategy
Leaves focus lightbegonias
The leaves of begonias maximize photosynthesis in low-light conditions by using clear surface cells to focus light.
strategy
Squeezing larvae provides glueweaver ants
Weaver ants glue their nests together using silk squeezed from their larvae.
strategy
Pressure forces blood from poresgrasshopper
Weak pores in the cuticle of certain grasshoppers ooze blood plasma as the hydrostatic pressure within the grasshoppers' bodies increases.
strategy
Silk assembled on demandspiders
Structural components of spider silk are safely stored and assembled on demand with help from a molecular switch.
strategy
Lack of wing scales enhances camouflageclearwing butterfies
The wings of a clearwing butterfly provide camouflage because they lack scales, allowing whatever background the butterfly has landed on to show through its wings.
strategy
Mucus inhibits nematocyst firingshag-rug aeolis
The mouth of the Shag-rug aeolis prevents nematocyst firing in its sea anemone prey via adaptable, inhibitory mucus.