Weight=190.0 pounds, Steps=19,592
Growing Orchids on Tree Trunks
Monday was spend doing a bit of yardwork which included grafting Dendrobium orchid plantings to Manila palm tree trunks. A good time to do this seems to be when the plant starts forming roots. The technique Gyongyi uses is to attach a pad of sphagnum moss to the roots of the orchid and tie it tight to the tree trunk with cotton string. After several weeks the roots will attach themselves to the tree trunk and begin a symbiotic relationship. The cotton string will eventually decompose and not harm the environment. It fades in a few weeks, blending in with its surroundings, and the plant will have rooted in place. No further tending or watering required.
The orchid and tree have an interesting symbiotic relationship. A symbiotic relationship is a relationship between two organisms that can be helpful, harmful, or have no effect. A mutualistic relationship benefits both species involved in the relationship. Commensalism is a type of a symbiotic relationship in which one species benefits while the other species is neither harmed nor helped. A parasitic relationship helps one of the species involved in the relationship but harms the other organism.
The symbiotic relationship that occurs between an orchid and a tree would be classified as commensalism. Most orchids are epiphytes, which mean that that they grow on other plants. This benefits the orchids because they can grow on top of the jungle canopy, which prevents the orchids from being walked on or eaten by ground-dwelling organisms. Being in the canopy also allows the orchids to receive more sunlight for photosynthesis. However, the orchids receive nutrients from the air and compost on the trees. Thus, they do not harm the plants on which they grow by drawing nutrients from them.
In the evening we attended a talk about the status of the volcanoes on the Big Island at the Lyman Museum. Mauna Loa has erupted 33 times since 1843, most recently in 1984. In September 2015, the Volcano Alert Level for Mauna Loa was elevated from “NORMAL” to “ADVISORY” due to increased seismicity and deformation at the volcano. Hualālai has been quiet for over 200 years, but it is still an active volcano that could erupt again. Kīlauea Volcano’s East Rift Zone has been erupting nearly nonstop since 1983, the Puʻu ʻŌʻō Crater. Presently, lava continues to enter the ocean from this crater at Kamokuna and surface flows remain active within 1.5 miles of the vent at Puʻu ʻŌʻō. These lava flows currently pose no threat to nearby communities but there is a heightened threat of sea cliff collapse near the Kamokuna ocean entry. In 2008, a second vent opened at the summit of Kīlauea, the Halema'uma'u Crater, but lava is not flowing from there at this time.
Below:
Lunch consisting of summer spring rolls from the Maku'u Market, Hawaiian style tuna poke, and rice cake with guacamole and feta cheese.
Growing Orchids on Tree Trunks
Monday was spend doing a bit of yardwork which included grafting Dendrobium orchid plantings to Manila palm tree trunks. A good time to do this seems to be when the plant starts forming roots. The technique Gyongyi uses is to attach a pad of sphagnum moss to the roots of the orchid and tie it tight to the tree trunk with cotton string. After several weeks the roots will attach themselves to the tree trunk and begin a symbiotic relationship. The cotton string will eventually decompose and not harm the environment. It fades in a few weeks, blending in with its surroundings, and the plant will have rooted in place. No further tending or watering required.
The orchid and tree have an interesting symbiotic relationship. A symbiotic relationship is a relationship between two organisms that can be helpful, harmful, or have no effect. A mutualistic relationship benefits both species involved in the relationship. Commensalism is a type of a symbiotic relationship in which one species benefits while the other species is neither harmed nor helped. A parasitic relationship helps one of the species involved in the relationship but harms the other organism.
The symbiotic relationship that occurs between an orchid and a tree would be classified as commensalism. Most orchids are epiphytes, which mean that that they grow on other plants. This benefits the orchids because they can grow on top of the jungle canopy, which prevents the orchids from being walked on or eaten by ground-dwelling organisms. Being in the canopy also allows the orchids to receive more sunlight for photosynthesis. However, the orchids receive nutrients from the air and compost on the trees. Thus, they do not harm the plants on which they grow by drawing nutrients from them.
In the evening we attended a talk about the status of the volcanoes on the Big Island at the Lyman Museum. Mauna Loa has erupted 33 times since 1843, most recently in 1984. In September 2015, the Volcano Alert Level for Mauna Loa was elevated from “NORMAL” to “ADVISORY” due to increased seismicity and deformation at the volcano. Hualālai has been quiet for over 200 years, but it is still an active volcano that could erupt again. Kīlauea Volcano’s East Rift Zone has been erupting nearly nonstop since 1983, the Puʻu ʻŌʻō Crater. Presently, lava continues to enter the ocean from this crater at Kamokuna and surface flows remain active within 1.5 miles of the vent at Puʻu ʻŌʻō. These lava flows currently pose no threat to nearby communities but there is a heightened threat of sea cliff collapse near the Kamokuna ocean entry. In 2008, a second vent opened at the summit of Kīlauea, the Halema'uma'u Crater, but lava is not flowing from there at this time.
Below:
Lunch consisting of summer spring rolls from the Maku'u Market, Hawaiian style tuna poke, and rice cake with guacamole and feta cheese.
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