2. Diversity, ecological adaptations, and seasonality of temperate forest flora.
Demonstrate specific morphological adaptations of spring flora of decidous fprest to specific, temperate climate condition.

3. NETCHEM Remote Access Laboratory Guide
Morphology and composition of spring time herbaceous plants in European deciduous forests – adaptation to sesonality
In this exercise, you will:
Observe plant structures by using Binocular sstereomicroscope
Observe plant structures using Camera
Observe specific morphology of flowering species from decidous forest
______________________________________________________________________________________________________
This project has been funded with support from the European Commission. This publication reflects the views only of the authors, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.

4. Background
Temperate deciduous forest biomes consider plant communities distributed in North and South America, Asia, Southern slopes of the Himalayas, Europe. They have formed under climatic conditions which have great seasonable temperature variability with growth occurring during warm summers and leaf drop in autumn and dormancy during cold winters. These seasonally distinctive communities have diverse life forms that are impacted greatly by the seasonality of their climate, mainly temperature and precipitation rates. These varying and regionally different ecological conditions produce distinctive forest plant communities in different regions. Deciduous plants, including trees, shrubs and herbaceous perennials, are those that lose all of their leaves for part of the year. This process is called abscission. In reference of temperate regions it consider trees and shrubs that seasonally shed leaves, usually in the autumn. The principal factor operating in these forests is the seasonal appearance and disappearance of the canopy. Shade from the canopy limits the growth of many kinds of plants. Many species that are typical of these forests time their growth and flowering to the short period just before the canopy opens; hence, they are known as spring ephemerals. Examples include Scilla bifolia (two-leaf squill) and Anemone ranunculoides (yellow anemone). Most spring ephemerals are insect-pollinated, and the seeds themselves are often transported by ants, a mode of dispersal known as myrmecochory. A smaller number of species is able to grow under the canopy, and even a few that grow during the period when leaves are being lost. Many understory plants have leaf adoptions to cope with low light levels, and the need to exploit moving flecks of light on the forest floor, or many produce swollen subterrranean organs, roots, rhizomes or bulbs. Temperate deciduous forests have a great variety of plant species.
______________________________________________________________________________________________________
This project has been funded with support from the European Commission. This publication reflects the views only of the authors, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.

5. Binocular
Binocular Stereo Microscope is designed for low magnification observation of a samples, typically using light reflected from the surface of an object rather than transmitted through it. Binocular Stereo Microscopes provide the user with an erect (upright and unreserved) stereoscopic (3-dimensional) image. This is particularly useful for biologists as an essential tool for performing dissections, small part s of flowers or anyone who needs to work on small objects. The binoculare or simple stereo microscope is often used to study the surfaces of solid dry or fresh plant parts or to carry out close work such as plants specific details, that are not easily visible.
______________________________________________________________________________________________________
This project has been funded with support from the European Commission. This publication reflects the views only of the authors, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.

6. OPTIKA LAB-10 Binocular Stereo Microscope – 20x & 40x magnification (New York Microscope Company inc.)
______________________________________________________________________________________________________
This project has been funded with support from the European Commission. This publication reflects the views only of the authors, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.

7. Material
For this laboratory exercise, you will need the following material :
Fresh plant material of Scilla bifolia (two-leaf squill), fam. Liliaceae;
Fresh plant material of Anemone ranunculoides (yellow anemone), fam. Ranunculaceae;
______________________________________________________________________________________________________
This project has been funded with support from the European Commission. This publication reflects the views only of the authors, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.

8. Procedure :
Prepare plant specimens for binoclar stereomicroscopic observations.
Start your binocular and additional hardware equipment.
Put the preparation considering steam and undergound parts at the observation table.
Turn on the light of the binocular and adjust the intensity.
Observe plant morphology using different magnifications.
Take the images of the certain structures by using camera.
______________________________________________________________________________________________________
This project has been funded with support from the European Commission. This publication reflects the views only of the authors, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.

9. Specimen of Scilla bifolia, herbaceous, perennial plant, blooming in forest in early to late spring.
______________________________________________________________________________________________________
This project has been funded with support from the European Commission. This publication reflects the views only of the authors, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.

10. Result I:
Based on observation, please note the folowing adaptations of the plant to the environment:
Underground bulb, 1–2 cm (0.4–0.8 in) across.
Two or rarely three lance-shaped, curved, fleshy and shiny leaves.
The bases of the leaves clasp up to about the half of the stem (amplexicaul)
The flowering stems are erect and unbranched, 10–20 cm (4–8 in) high
The fruit is a capsule 6–8 mm (0.2–0.3 in) across.

11. II I IV
III

12. V

13. Specimen of Anemone ranunculoides, early-spring flowering, herbaceous perennial forest plant.
______________________________________________________________________________________________________
This project has been funded with support from the European Commission. This publication reflects the views only of the authors, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.

14. Result II:
Based on observation, please note the folowing adaptations of the plant to the environment:
Compound leaves are palmate or ternate (divided into three lobes)
Flowers are solitary and fruits, produced on short stems, held above the foliage.
Longer steam part, below the foliage
Strong underground stems - rhizomes 

15. II I
III IV

16. Majority of the spring ephemerals grow from underground root-like stems called rhizomes or bulbs ore even steam bulbs, and the foliage dies back down by mid summer (summer dormant). Please note the additional examles:
Anemone nemorosa L.
Cardamine bulbifera (L.) Crantz
Symphytum bulbosum K.F.Schimp.

17. Anemone nemorosa L.
rhizome

18. Anemone nemorosa L.
rhizome

19. Cardamine bulbifera (L.) Crantz
Dark bulbils that plant forms in upper leaves. Bulbils fall from the mother-plant and take root in the soil.

20. Symphytum bulbosum K.F.Schimp.
Swolen, upper part of the rhizome

21. Author, Editor and Referee References
This remote access laboratory was created thanks to work done primarily at University of Niš.
Contributors to this material were: Bojan Zlatković
Refereeing of this material was done by: _____________________
Editing into NETCHEM Format and onto NETCHEM platform was completed by: Milan Milošević
______________________________________________________________________________________________________
This project has been funded with support from the European Commission. This publication reflects the views only of the authors, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.

22. References and Supplemental Material
The NETCHEM platform was established at the University of Nis in through the Erasmus Programme. Please contact a NETCHEM representatives at your institution or visit our website for an expanded contact list. The work included had been led by the NETCHEM staff at your institution.
______________________________________________________________________________________________________
This project has been funded with support from the European Commission. This publication reflects the views only of the authors, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.