# data[].attributes.body
A seed bank is a backup storage system to preserve plant genes. It is important especially in the event of diversity loss.

# data[].attributes.body
You can approach a seed like a pregnant woman. And while different seeds may differ in other specific parts, they generally share some common features - take Mangifera sp. for example:

Seed coats serve as protection during early development and dormancy (like a womb). The endosperm are tissues composed of starch with some oils and protein to serve as initial nutrients for the growing embryo (think of it as a child's womb milk).
And within the seed coat is the actual baby plant embryo.
(usually depending on the plant, may have corresponding cotyledons or embryonic leaves, supplying the initial stored energy & nutrients like the umbilical cord).

# data[].attributes.headline
Seed bank in the Philippines? 👀  Haven't heard of it.

# data[].attributes.subject
Seed bank in the Philippines? 👀  Haven't heard of it.

# data[].attributes.body
Places like the ENCA farm in Benguet, collaborate with projects like the Organic Seed Bank Project in the Philippines – aimed at helping farmers in the northern Philippines.

The project provides farmers with international training on saving, propagating, storage, and access to organic seeds in place of chemically induced ones.

aimed at generating "a new local economy and improve the well-being of the food system and health of farmers throughout Benguet Province and the entire Philippines” (Global Seed Savers, 2015).

The Philippines is also part of the Community Seed Banks (CSB) initiative implemented by the Southeast Asia Regional Initiatives for Community Empowerment (SEARICE, 2019).

# data[].attributes.body
(Clark, Douglas, & Choi, 2018)

# data[].attributes.body
ALWAYS PLANT NATIVE SPECIES!

「 Never plant species that are not native in the area, especially those species that have the tendency to be invasive, as it may replace the native ones and will result to the disruption of the ecosystem! 」

# data[].attributes.body
ZYGOTIC EMBRYOGENESIS
--------
A. STAGES OF EMBRYONIC DEVELOPMENT
(Ha, Morrow, & Algiers, 2021)

EUDICOTS

after fertilization, zygotes divide to form: the upper apical cell and the lower basal cell

GLOBULAR STAGE

Spherical form that is formed as the proembryo (produced by apical cell division) continues to divide

Considered as the embryo proper

HEART STAGE

where cotyledons arise from the embryo proper

Cotyledons - embryonic leaf-like structure that plays a role in food storage, absorption, and/or photosynthesis

TORPEDO STAGE

torpedo results from the elongation of cotyledons and thickening of the base of the embryo

most of the suspensor deteriorates during this stage

MATURE EMBRYO

Results in the final stage of embryogenesis

Includes a radicle (embryonic root)

At this point, embryo becomes dormant.

Cell division is concentrated at the shoot apical meristem (at the shoot tip, between the cotyledons) and at the root apical meristem (at the bottom part of the embryo)

MONOCOTS

the process is similar to the eudicots, the only differences are:

there is only a single cotyledon

there is no heart stage

embryo proper becomes cylindrical at this point

shoot apical meristem is present at the shoot tip, but not in between cotyledons since monocots only have one cotyledon

--------
Figure (description was copy and pasted from the source): The stages of embryogenesis in eudicots. I. The developing seed contains the triploid endosperm (1) and the diploid zygote (2). II. The zygote divides, forming the proembryo (3), which is anchored to the micropyle by suspensor (4), which has a large basal cell. The endosperm has also divided. III. The embryo proper is in the globular stage, now a spherical mass of cells. IV. The embryo proper is heart stage. The heart shape results from the two cotyledons (5). V. The embryo proper is in the torpedo stage, which is cylindrical with a rounded base. The shoot apical meristem (6) is between the cotyledons, and the root apical meristem (7) is on the opposite end, anchored to the suspensor. VI. The mature embryo includes the radicle (8), the hypocotyl (9) is the stem-like axis below the cotyledons. The epicotyl (10) is the stem-like axis above the cotyledons. The integument of the ovule has developed into the seed coat (11), which surrounds the seed. Image by TheLAW14 (CC-BY-SA).

# data[].attributes.headline
𝟏 | 𝑵𝒆𝒑𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒔 𝒑𝒂𝒏𝒕𝒂𝒓𝒐𝒏𝒆𝒏𝒔𝒊𝒔

# data[].attributes.subject
𝟏 | 𝑵𝒆𝒑𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒔 𝒑𝒂𝒏𝒕𝒂𝒓𝒐𝒏𝒆𝒏𝒔𝒊𝒔

# data[].attributes.body
Discovered in the Pantaron Mountain Range.

Known to have wider distribution as it occurs in the Pantaron Range and Mt. Sumagaya.

Assessed as NEAR THREATENED (Gronemeyer et al., 2014).

(photo also from Gronemeyer et al., 2014)

# data[].attributes.body
ZYGOTIC EMBRYOGENESIS
--------
B. ESTABLISHMENT OF THE APICAL-BASAL AND RADIAL AXIS
(Jürgens, 2001)

First things first:

Seedling body organization can be seen as a superimposition of 2 patterns: apical-basal pattern along the main axis of polarity and a radial pattern across the axis.

The relative position of embryonic and non-embryonic cells that normally have its origins from the apical and basal daughter cells of the zygote, respectively, is what may have caused the polarity of embryo.

There is a possible maternal influence in orienting the embryo axis, as it is aligned with the axis of polarity of the ovule.

APICAL-BASAL AXIS

The apical and basal zygote daughter cells differ in several ways:

Apical cell - small, cytoplasm-rich, divided into 8 proembryo cells by 2 rounds of vertical divisions, then 1 round of horizontal division

Basal cell - large, contains vacuole, repeatedly divides horizontally which gives a single file of 7-9 cells

The asymmetric division of the zygote establishes 2 cells of different of different fates, indicating the embryo's apical-basal polarity

Octant stage proembryo has 2 tiers:

Upper tier - gives rise to the apical region of the embryo where the shoot meristem and cotyledons originate

Lower tier - produces the central region of the embryo that generates the remainder of cotyledons, root, hypocotyl, and upper tier of meristem stem cells of roots

Basal region gives rise to the rest of the root meristem, the center of quiescence, and lower tier of stem cells

All these shows that the apical-basal axis of young embryo is partitioned into 3 regions that develops differently: apical, central, and basal.

Example: inner cells within the apical region of 16-cell embryo express the homeobox gene WUSCHEL (WUS) that has a role in shoot meristem development.

RADIAL AXIS

Consists of tissue layers that are concentrically arranged from the periphery to the center: epidermis, cortex and endodermis, pericycle, and vascular tissues.

The radial pattern of tissue layers was brought about by the series of periclinal/tangential cell divisions on the central region of a young embryo

# data[].attributes.headline
Filed under:                                 ↳ Establishment of the apical-basal and radial axis

# data[].attributes.subject
Filed under:                                 ↳ Establishment of the apical-basal and radial axis

# data[].attributes.body
--------
Figure (description was copy and pasted from the source): Development of the apical-basal patter during Arabidopsis embryogenesis (A) One-cell stage. The zygote has divided asymmetrically into an apical (ac) and a basal (bc) daughter cell. (B) Octant stage. The proembryo (proE) derived from the apical cell consists of two tiers each of four cells. The basal cell has produced a file of cells, including the hypophysis (h) and the suspensor (su). (C) Dermatogen stage. Three embryo regions are indicated: A, apical; C, central; B, basal. (D) Heart stage. The basic body organization is in place. SM, shoot meristem; CO, cotyledon primordia; RM, root meristem; E, epidermis; G, ground tissue; V, vascular primordium. (E) Seedling. HY, hypocotyl; R, root. Lines indicate the origin of seedling structures from early embryo regions (Jürgens, 2001).

# data[].attributes.headline
Filed under:                                 ↳ Establishment of the apical-basal and radial axis

# data[].attributes.subject
Filed under:                                 ↳ Establishment of the apical-basal and radial axis

# data[].attributes.body
--------
GENES
Figure (description was copy and pasted from the source): Origin of the primary shoot meristem and the shoot apical organization. Approximate domains of gene expression are colour coded. (A) Globular embryo. The epidermis-specific AtML1 gene is expressed in both the central and the apical region (yellow; not shown in B and C). The white arrow indicates a cue from the central region in positioning of the shoot meristem primordium. (B) Transition-stage embryo displaying essentially the same expression pattern as the globular embryo. (C) Top end of heart-stage embryo. Expression domains of radial patterning genes, SCR and SHR, and of ZLL/PNH are not shown. In the shoot meristem primordium, the expression domains of CLV3 and CLV1 overlap. Note adaxial (REV) and abaxial (FIL, YAB3) gene expression domains in the cotyledon primordia. REV is also expressed in the vascular primordium (Jürgens, 2001).

# data[].attributes.body
Seed dormancy is the ability of the plant to conserve its energy and endure unfavorable environments by stalling germination (Bentsink & Koornneef, 2008). Different plants have their own unique way of detecting when the surroundings are favorable enough for growth, and while specific categories are still debated, the groups can be simplified into:

Exogenous dormancy with seeds like those of Mangifera with characterized by interaction to external factors - physically, the seed coat is hardened or dried to the point where water & gas cannot reach the ovary and chemical, and would require breakage through specific temperatures and organism intervention (Bentsink & Koornneef, 2008; Penfield, 2017)..

Endogenous dormancy on the other hand, is caused by internal and chemical mechanisms of the plant - usually regardless of suitable environments in cases such as where the embryo may not yet be mature enough. This involves the physiological aspects that will respond to chemical shifts in the plant based on required environment cues.
(Bentsink & Koornneef, 2008; Si et al., 2016).
Ultimately, both dormancy and germination are decided upon by the abscisic acid (ABA):gibberellin (GA)  ratio on a genetic level - where the former inhibits germination, and the latter incites.

Dormancy can be broken in numerous ways: light signalling, chemical reactions, or chilling or after-ripening such as those under the genus Mangifera like M. altissima can begin to germinate with ripe fruits under subtropical temperature ranges of (5-40°C), but best under (25-4O”C); with optimal 85% moisture content required for the seed to thrive. In this regard, after-ripening dry storage is risky, as desiccation for these plants is rapid
(Corbineau et al., 1986; Taiz et al., 2015).
Alternatively, plants like Urena lobate, an annual weed in the Philippines - may germinate under scarification methods such as chemical sulfuric acid bathing. Its dormancy is caused by its tough seed coat, hence the necessary external factors (Awan et al., 2014).

# data[].attributes.headline
Seed germination.... sounds complicated. But is it really? 🌱

# data[].attributes.subject
Seed germination.... sounds complicated. But is it really? 🌱

# data[].attributes.body
Seed germination is a crucial and important stage in a plant’s development as this can also determine the productivity of a plant. It begins by water imbibition, the mobilization of food reserves, synthesis of protein, and consequence radicle protrusion (Ali & Elozeiri, 2017).

# data[].attributes.body
Ali, A. S., & Elozeiri, A. A. (2017). Metabolic processes during seed germination. Advances in Seed Biology, 141-166. https://doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.70653.

Awan, T.H., Chauhan, B.S., & Cruz, P.C.S. (2014). Influence of Environmental Factors on the Germination of Urena lobata L. and Its Response to Herbicides. PLoS ONE 9(3): e90305. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0090305.

Bentsink, L., & Koornneef, M. (2008). Seed dormancy and germination. The arabidopsis book, 6, e0119. https://doi.org/10.1199/tab.0119.

Corbineau, F.; Kante, M.; Come, D. (1986). Seed germination and seedling development in the mango (Mangifera indica L.). Tree Physiology, 1(2), 151–160. doi:10.1093/treephys/1.2.151

Dietrich, D. (2018). Hydrotropism: how roots search for water. Journal of experimental botany, 69(11), 2759-2771. https://doi.org/10.1093/jxb/ery034

Gilroy, S. (2008). Plant tropisms. Current Biology, 18(7), R275-R277. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cub.2008.02.033

Gronemeyer, T., Coritico, F., Wistuba, A., Marwinski, D., Gieray, T., Micheler, M., Mey, F.S., & Amoroso, V. (2014). Four New Species of Nepenthes L. (Nepenthaceae) from the Central Mountains of Mindanao, Philippines. Plants, 3(2), 284–303. https://doi.org/10.3390/plants3020284

Hadas, A. (2005). GERMINATION AND SEEDLING ESTABLISHMENT. Encyclopedia of Soils in the Environment, 130–137. https://doi.org/10.1016/b0-12-348530-4/00149-1

Jürgens, G. (2001). Apical–basal pattern formation in Arabidopsis embryogenesis. The EMBO journal, 20(14), 3609-3616. https://doi.org/10.1093/emboj/20.14.3609

Lagunday, N. E., Acma, F. M., Cabana, V. G., Sabas, N. M., & Amoroso, V. B. (2017). Two new Nepenthes species from the unexplored mountains of central Mindanao, Philippines. Philippine Journal of Science, 146(2), 159-165.

Lagunday, N. E., & Amoroso, V. B. (2019). Nepenthes cabanae (Caryophyllales, Nepenthaceae), a new species of pitcher plant from Central Mindanao, Philippines. Philippine J. Syst. Biol, 13. https://doi.org/10.26757/pjsb2019a13005

Macovei, A., Pagano, A., Cappuccio, M., Gallotti, L., Dondi, D., De Sousa Araujo, S., Fevereiro, P., & Balestrazzi, A. (2019). A Snapshot of the Trehalose Pathway During Seed Imbibition in Medicago truncatula Reveals Temporal- and Stress-Dependent Shifts in Gene Expression Patterns Associated With Metabolite Changes. Frontiers in plant science, 10, 1590. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpls.2019.01590

Miano Pastor, A. C. (2019). Ultrasound assisted hydration of grains with sigmoidal behavior: kinetics of hydration, cooking, germination and nutrient incorporation (Doctoral dissertation, Universidade de São Paulo).

Penfield, S. (2017). Seed dormancy and germination. Current Biology, 27(17), R874–R878. doi:10.1016/j.cub.2017.05.050

Pritchard, S. L., Charlton, W. L., Baker, A., & Graham, I. A. (2002). Germination and storage reserve mobilization are regulated independently in Arabidopsis. The Plant Journal, 31(5), 639-647. https://doi.org/10.1046/j.1365-313X.2002.01376.x

Si, Q., Ma, Y., & Zang, D. (2016). The Causes of Dormancy and the Changes of Endogenous Hormone Content in Cephalotaxus sinensis Seeds. Agricultural Sciences, 7(12), 834–849. https://doi.org/10.4236/as.2016.712076

Zhao, M., Zhang, H., Yan, H., Qiu, L., & Baskin, C. C. (2018). Mobilization and role of starch, protein, and fat reserves during seed germination of six wild grassland species. Frontiers in plant science, 9, 234. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpls.2018.00234

# data[].attributes.body
Berto. (2021a). Kamagong tree. The Philippines Today. Retrieved May 25, 2021, from https://thephilippinestoday.com/kamagong/

Berto. (2021b). Pahutan tree. The Philippines Today. Retrieved May 25, 2021, from https://thephilippinestoday.com/pahutan-tree/

CABI. (2019). Diospyros discolor (mabolo). In: Invasive Species Compendium. Wallingford, UK: CAB International.

Cagula, K.E. (2019). Lumad women petition to defend the Pantaron Mountain Range. Davao Today. Retrieved May 24, 2021, from http://davaotoday.com/main/environment/lumad-women-petition-to-defend-the-pantaron-mountain-range/

Environmental Science for Social Change [ESSC]. (2018). Updating the north Pantaron forest cover. Retrieved May 25, 2021, from

Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations [FAO]. (2010). Closed forests, Philippines. Retrieved May 25, 2021, from http://www.fao.org/forestry/country/61326/en/phl/

Foundation for the Philippine Environment [FPE]. (2016). Pantaron Range, Bukidnon. Retrieved May 24, 2021, from https://fpe.ph/conservation_site/location_details/pantaron-range-bukidnon

Global Seed Savers. (2015). Organic seed bank establishment in Philippines. Retrieved May 24, 2021, from https://www.globalgiving.org/projects/organic-seed-bank-establishment-in-philippines/

Ha, M., Morrow, M., & Algiers, K. (2021). Embryogenesis. Retrieved May 26, 2021, from https://bio.libretexts.org/@go/page/32041.

Taiz, L. Zeiger, E., Moller, I.M. and Murphy, A. (2015) Plant Physiology and Development. 6th Edition, Sinauer Associates, Sunderland, CT. pp. 517; 519-520

Pulangi Hydro Power Corporation [PHPC]. (2019). South Pulangi hydroelectric power plant project environmental impact statement [PDF]. Retrieved May 25, 2021, from http://eia.emb.gov.ph/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/South-Pulangi-HEPP-Draft-EIS.pdf

Plants for a Future [PFAF]. (2017). Xanthostemon verdugonianus -

Náves ex Fern.-Vill. Retrieved May 25, 2021, from https://pfaf.org/User/Plant.aspx?LatinName=Xanthostemon+verdugonianus.

Views, Experiences and Best Practices as an example of possible options for the national implementation of Article 9 of the International Treaty. (2019). SEARICE. Retrieved from: http://www.fao.org/3/ca8198en/ca8198en.pdf

# data[].attributes.body
Clark, M.A., Douglas, M., & Choi, J. (2018). Structure of monocot and dicot seeds [Figure]. Retrieved from https://openstax.org/books/biology-2e/pages/32-2-pollination-and-fertilization

Laforteza, G. (2016). Red lauan [Photograph]. Retrieved from https://negrosorientalregio8h.wordpress.com/2016/08/29/flora/

Lovemindanao. (2012). [Photograph of Mangkono tree]. Retrieved from http://www.lovemindanao.com/2012/08/magkono.html

Manalansan. L. (2018). Sunrise view from Salupongan Ta Tanu Igkanugon Learning Center [Image]. Bulatlat. Retrieved from https://www.bulatlat.com/2018/12/01/context-of-talaingod-incident-the-decades-old-struggle-of-lumad-in-pantaron-mountain-range-for-ancestral-land-right-to-self-determination/

Parmarch. (2018). A portion of a medang kok Mangifera altissima tree showing leaves [Image]. Retrieved from http://www.fruitipedia.com/2018/12/medang-kok_mangifera-altissima/

Rotor, A.V. (2015). [Picture of Kamagong tree]. Retrieved form https://naturalismavrotor.blogspot.com/2015/09/rare-philippine-plants-kamagong-indigo.html

[Photograph of a Lumad student holding Save Pantaron Range placard]. (2019). Liyang Network. Retrieved from https://www.liyangnetwork.org/our-impact

Manoranjan. (2013). [Figure of mango seed]. Retrieved from http://manoba.blogspot.com/2013/06/

# data[].attributes.headline
𝟐 | 𝑵𝒆𝒑𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒔 𝒎𝒂𝒍𝒊𝒎𝒖𝒎𝒖𝒆𝒏𝒔𝒊𝒔

# data[].attributes.subject
𝟐 | 𝑵𝒆𝒑𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒔 𝒎𝒂𝒍𝒊𝒎𝒖𝒎𝒖𝒆𝒏𝒔𝒊𝒔

# data[].attributes.body
Documented and discovered from Mt. Malimumu of the Pantaron Range (Lagunday et al., 2017).

Classified as CRITICALLY ENDANGERED.

(photo also from Lagunday et al., 2017)

# data[].attributes.headline
𝟑 | 𝑵𝒆𝒑𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒔 𝒎𝒂𝒏𝒐𝒃𝒐

# data[].attributes.subject
𝟑 | 𝑵𝒆𝒑𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒔 𝒎𝒂𝒏𝒐𝒃𝒐

# data[].attributes.body
Documented from Mt. Malimumu of the Pantaron Range.

Specific epithet was chosen to acknowledge the indigenous Manobo tribe as this species occurs in the ancestral territory of the tribe (Lagunday et al., 2017).

Classified as CRITICALLY ENDANGERED.

(photo also from Lagunday et al., 2017)

# data[].attributes.headline
𝟒 | 𝑵𝒆𝒑𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒔 𝒕𝒂𝒍𝒂𝒂𝒏𝒅𝒊𝒈

# data[].attributes.subject
𝟒 | 𝑵𝒆𝒑𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒔 𝒕𝒂𝒍𝒂𝒂𝒏𝒅𝒊𝒈

# data[].attributes.body
It is anticipated that this species, together with Nepenthes cornuta are widely distributed in the Pantaron Range.

Because there is only a few recorded data about this species, it is assessed as VULNERABLE (Gronemeyer et al., 2014).

(photo also from Gronemeyer et al., 2014)

# data[].attributes.headline
𝟓 | 𝑵𝒆𝒑𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒔 𝒄𝒐𝒓𝒏𝒖𝒕𝒂

# data[].attributes.subject
𝟓 | 𝑵𝒆𝒑𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒔 𝒄𝒐𝒓𝒏𝒖𝒕𝒂

# data[].attributes.body
Along with Nepenthes talaandig, it is assessed as VULNERABLE due to a few recorded data (Gronemeyer et al., 2014).

(photo also from Gronemeyer et al., 2014)

# data[].attributes.headline
𝟔 | 𝑵𝒆𝒑𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒔 𝒄𝒂𝒃𝒂𝒏𝒂𝒆

# data[].attributes.subject
𝟔 | 𝑵𝒆𝒑𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒔 𝒄𝒂𝒃𝒂𝒏𝒂𝒆

# data[].attributes.body
New species discovered last 2015 in Mt. Malimumu, Pantaron Range by Lagunday & Amoroso (2019).

Known only to occur in the Pantaron Range.

Assessed as CRITICALLY ENDANGERED.

(photo from Lagunday & Amoroso, 2019).

# data[].attributes.headline
Oh, a lot of pitchers! Cool. But why these?

# data[].attributes.subject
Oh, a lot of pitchers! Cool. But why these?

# data[].attributes.body
Nepenthes are the largest of all carnivorous plants, where the species with the largest pitchers are capable of trapping and digesting organisms such as amphibians and even mammals (Gronemeyer et al., 2014).

These plants are not really threatened by hunting and poaching (the impact is low), but habitat destruction brought about by human development, deforestation, quarrying, slash and burn farming, and illegal logging, among others, is the biggest threat to these populations (Gronemeyer et al., 2014; Lagunday et al., 2017).

We also thought it's nice to highlight these ✨ pretty carnivorous plants ✨ since the Philippines is considered to host the highest diversity of the carnivorous genus Nepenthes, with the islands Mindanao and Palawan as the main centers for genus' diversity (Gronemeyer et al., 2014).

And, aren't they ~cool~??!

# data[].attributes.body
--------
It is a 𝒉𝒂𝒗𝒆𝒏 𝒐𝒇 𝒃𝒊𝒐𝒅𝒊𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒔𝒊𝒕𝒚, although the mountain range's biodiversity is still largely undocumented. It is the most extensive mountain mastiff and one of Mindanao's few remaining old growth forest/ tropical rainforest. It extends from the municipality of Claveria, towards the munisipality of San Fernando, and is bounded by Bukidnon, Misamis Oriental, and Agusan del Sur in the north, and Bukidnon and Davao del Norte in the south. The whole area is majorly covered by dipterocrap, lower and upper mountain forest (Gronemeyer et al., 2014; FPE, 2016).

# data[].attributes.headline
⛰️  The role of the Pantaron Mountain Range ⛰️ 

# data[].attributes.subject
⛰️  The role of the Pantaron Mountain Range ⛰️ 

# data[].attributes.body
--------
This mountain range provides critical ecosystem services to a great majority of Mindanao's population, including the regulation of the supply of water of 82 rivers from the Rio Pulangi, Agusan, Gabuyan, Tagoloan, and Davao, among others, and the water needs of 42% of Mindanao (ESSC, 2018).

# data[].attributes.headline
Inhabitants of the Pantaron Mountain Range 👩‍🌾

# data[].attributes.subject
Inhabitants of the Pantaron Mountain Range 👩‍🌾

# data[].attributes.body
--------
🦅 : It is home to the critically endangered Philippine Eagle and other endemic fauna such as the Philippine Brown Deer and the Philippine Flying Lemur

👩‍🌾 : It is also an ancestral land to the Lumads (a collective term of the indigenous peoples in Mindanao) such as the tribes of Obo Manobo, Pulangiyen, Ilianen Manobo, Ata Manobo, Higaonon, Tagabawa, and Kalagan, among others, whose cultural identities depends and is rooted on the survival of the forests (FPE, 2016; ESSC, 2018).

# data[].attributes.headline
Threats and the efforts to #DefendPantaron 🛡️

# data[].attributes.subject
Threats and the efforts to #DefendPantaron 🛡️

# data[].attributes.body
--------

❝
Land is our life. Water springs from
here and we live here.
❞

Despite this highly important role of the Pantaron Mountain Range both in biodiversity and culture, it is under the threat of habitat destruction mainly because of mining and logging. That is why the Lumads are doing all they can do, with the help and support of other concerned organizations, institutions, and individuals, to protect and defend the mountain range (and other ancestral lands) from the threats of mining and other "development" projects that does not benefit the environment and the people (Cagula, 2019).

#SAVEPANTARON
#DEFENDPANTARON

# data[].attributes.headline
𝟕 | 𝑺𝒉𝒐𝒓𝒆𝒂 𝒏𝒆𝒈𝒓𝒐𝒔𝒆𝒏𝒔𝒊𝒔

# data[].attributes.subject
𝟕 | 𝑺𝒉𝒐𝒓𝒆𝒂 𝒏𝒆𝒈𝒓𝒐𝒔𝒆𝒏𝒔𝒊𝒔

# data[].attributes.body
Red Lauan, or also known as Lawaan

Endemic to the Philippines

Can also be found in the Pantaron Range

Occurs in lowland areas and foothills of up to an elevation of about 400m where there is no definite dry season (FAO, 2010).

Conservation status: ENDANGERED

# data[].attributes.headline
𝟖 | 𝑫𝒊𝒐𝒔𝒑𝒚𝒓𝒐𝒔 𝒅𝒊𝒔𝒄𝒐𝒍𝒐𝒓

# data[].attributes.subject
𝟖 | 𝑫𝒊𝒐𝒔𝒑𝒚𝒓𝒐𝒔 𝒅𝒊𝒔𝒄𝒐𝒍𝒐𝒓

# data[].attributes.body
Hardwood, locally known as Kamagong

Native to the Philippines

One of the hardest wood

Its deep roots make it an effective winbreaker (Berto, 2021a).

The fruit is edible (CABI, 2019).

# data[].attributes.headline
𝟗 | 𝑿𝒂𝒏𝒕𝒉𝒐𝒔𝒕𝒆𝒎𝒐𝒏 𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒅𝒖𝒈𝒐𝒏𝒊𝒂𝒏𝒖𝒔

# data[].attributes.subject
𝟗 | 𝑿𝒂𝒏𝒕𝒉𝒐𝒔𝒕𝒆𝒎𝒐𝒏 𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒅𝒖𝒈𝒐𝒏𝒊𝒂𝒏𝒖𝒔

# data[].attributes.body
Commonly known as Mangkono or the Philippine Ironwood

Considered as the hardest wood.

Threatened by habitat loss, assessed as VULNERABLE (PFAF, 2017).

# data[].attributes.headline
𝟏𝟎 | 𝑴𝒂𝒏𝒈𝒊𝒇𝒆𝒓𝒂 𝒂𝒍𝒕𝒊𝒔𝒔𝒊𝒎𝒂

# data[].attributes.subject
𝟏𝟎 | 𝑴𝒂𝒏𝒈𝒊𝒇𝒆𝒓𝒂 𝒂𝒍𝒕𝒊𝒔𝒔𝒊𝒎𝒂

# data[].attributes.body
Commonly known as Pahutan, a species of mango native in the Philippines.

Grow in primary lowland, inland forests (Berto, 2021b).

Fruit can be eaten raw or cooked.

Assessed as THREATENED (PHPC, 2019).

# data[].attributes.headline
Filed under:                                 ↳ Seed Germination

# data[].attributes.subject
Filed under:                                 ↳ Seed Germination

# data[].attributes.body
On water imbibition:
Macovei et al., 2019:

First phase of seed germination

Physical process defined by rapid uptake of water, release of gas, and changes in temperature

Hadas, 2005:

Water enters the seed, distributed in the cracks of the seed cover, and absorbed by the seed tissues

Water uptake rates are temperature-dependent and are accompanied by increase in respiration rate and sensitivity in light (in some species)

Figure: Seed water imbibition during the hydration-germination process. Adapted from Bewley & Black (1978) (Miano Pastor, 2019).

# data[].attributes.headline
Filed under:                                 ↳ Seed Germination

# data[].attributes.subject
Filed under:                                 ↳ Seed Germination

# data[].attributes.body
On water imbibition example:
CEREAL GRAINS (Miano Pastor, 2019)

Water crosses all the surface area of the grain

Hydration process takes a long period of time as starch is the main reserve component and endosperm is compact in cereal grains

Hydration kinetics behavior has a downward concave shape (DCS)

Characterized by a reduction in the hydration rate from a max. value to zero when the grain absorbs the max. water that it can hold, called the equilibrium moisture content.

On the Figure below, we can see that:

water enters the seed tip cap and fills space between the germ and endosperm

water can also cross the bran through diffusion

therefore grain hydration process can take place by capillary flow or diffusion

Figure (description copy and pasted from the source): Water uptake pathway and hydration kinetics behavior of cereal grains. The arrows represent the direction and way water may enter: by diffusion or capillary flow. (a) DCS behavior with 1 step - wheat kernel as an example. (b) DCS behavior with 2 steps - corn kernel as an example (Miano Pastor, 2019).)

# data[].attributes.headline
Filed under:                                 ↳ Seed Germination

# data[].attributes.subject
Filed under:                                 ↳ Seed Germination

# data[].attributes.body
On food reserves mobilization:

Pritchard et al., 2002:

Complex molecules such as carbohydrates, proteins, and lipids are what consists the seed storage reserves

In early post-germinative growth, storage reserves are broken down into soluble molecules (ike sucrose) which can be transported around the developing seedling.

Phytohormones - known to control storage reserves mobilization in cereals

ABA and GA regulates the expression of genes encoding the enzymes required for storage carbohydrates and protein mobilization in rice.

It is possible that this reserve mobilization control by phytohormones seen in cereals is conserved in dicots.

In Arabidopsis, experiment of Pritchard et al. (2002) showed that ABA blocks germination, but reserve mobilization still occurs

Zhao et al., 2018

Seed reserve mobilization is usually thought to happen post-germination, but studies found that this also happens during germination

Mobilization during germination varies with the species and their amount of reserves.

# data[].attributes.headline
Filed under:                                 ↳ Seed Germination

# data[].attributes.subject
Filed under:                                 ↳ Seed Germination

# data[].attributes.body
On tropisms (Gilroy, 2008):

Plants, being sessile organisms, respond to many directional cues from the environment through tropisms (the directional growth response). It can be away from (negative) or towards (positive) the stimulus, like the gravitropism on the stem and on the roots, respectively, as can be seen on the figure below.

AUXIN

asymmetrical redistribution of this plant hormone is the principle regulator of this directional growth response

higher level of auxin in shoots promote elongation

higher level of auxin in roots are inhibitory

# data[].attributes.headline
Filed under:                                 ↳ Seed Germination

# data[].attributes.subject
Filed under:                                 ↳ Seed Germination

# data[].attributes.body
On tropisms
(Gilroy, 2018; Dietrich, 2018):

𝐏𝐇𝐎𝐓𝐎𝐓𝐑𝐎𝐏𝐈𝐒𝐌

response to the direction of light

widespread among plants, from mosses, to ferns, and even algaes

most easily observed in stems and leaves

plants generally grow towards the blue-light

phototropins are the sensory receptor for this response

phototropin system appear to interact with a red-light sensor phytochrome dependent pathway to enhance the blue-light response

𝐆𝐑𝐀𝐕𝐈𝐓𝐑𝐎𝐏𝐈𝐒𝐌

plant's response to gravity

specialized sensory cells are present in the root tips, or near the vascular tissues of the shoot

red-light represses shoot gravitropism

gravity vector's directional information is perceived to be translated to a biochemical signaling cascade through the sedimentation of starch-filled amyloplasts present in the cytoplasm

In some species, the prior activation of red-light signaling system is where gravitropic responses depend

𝐓𝐇𝐈𝐆𝐌𝐎𝐓𝐑𝐎𝐏𝐈𝐒𝐌

plant's response to touch/touch stimulus

usually observed in twining plants or tendrils

it is thought that a calcium ion-related signaling network triggers a cellular response

however, the sensor and downstream components that respond to the calcium ion change are still undefined

shown to downregulate gravitropism

𝐇𝐘𝐃𝐑𝐎𝐓𝐑𝐎𝐏𝐈𝐒𝐌

directional growth of roots towards water/water source

plant roots are able to detect a water potential gradient around them, and change the direction of the root tip accordingly

like thigmotropism, it is also shown to downregulate gravitropism

gravitropic responsiveness needs to be reduced so hydrotropism will happen

Species-specific mechanistic differences in hydrotropism exists

In Arabidopsis thaliana, cortex tissue appears to play a necessary role in hydrotropism, with proof that differential elongation in the tissue is what drives the bending response