In Florida, specifically the Tallahassee area, winter made its mark at FSU. Seeing even a part of Florida in a white blanket and the students having a blast with the snow was a picturesque moment no one will forget. Did it make up for our football season? I don’t know, but it’s a moment that’ll be included in the core memories of anyone who experienced the snow.
This year’s snowstorm brought approximately two inches of snow to Tallahassee. To any northerner, that might be seen as nothing, but for Floridians, it’s a winter wonderland.
Florida has a stereotypical hot, humid climate. Therefore, its ecosystem is not equipped for the weather; the plants here don’t have a coat to put on like us.
- Plants don’t have coats
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The icy weather wasn’t so kind to some flowers and cacti, bringing a bit of decay to their usual lively vibes. In colder weather environments, plants can have thick, waxy coats that help them hold onto water. Why does that matter? Here’s a quick plant survival lesson: plants need water; they can’t function without it. If they lose too much water, they get weak and droopy.
When it’s freezing outside, water in the ground can freeze, making it difficult for plants to get any water. That’s why having a waxy coat to keep water in is such a lifesaver for them! Only plants used to the cold have this coating, so these Florida plants don’t have this adaptation.
- The Effect of Winter Frost
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The snow and frost haven’t affected every plant, but some aren’t looking their best; this is the toll that the frost took on the beautiful plants on campus. When frost covers a plant, the plant can sustain tissue damage. The frost pulls the water of the plant up, leaving the plant dehydrated, dry, and shriveled.
- How the plants will recover
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We have so many types of plants on campus, so one answer isn’t going to apply to all of them. A few things might happen: some plants can die off if they’re decayed or wilted and cannot recover. Depending on the plant, they can bounce back from stored energy to create new leaves and stems, or if the plant fully dies, the nutrients will go back into the soil, benefitting the plants around it.
- What the snow means for our environment
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We can always say that we are helping the environment by using our reusable water bottles, but what are some actual implementations we can do? If you don’t already have one, having one is a good start. My favorite water bottle brand is Owala, but anything reusable works.
Besides having a reusable bottle, we can all do many more daily things, such as eliminating food waste by meal prepping and eating leftovers.
Think back to the 2020-era VSCO girl trend and their iconic slogan, “Save the turtles.” Why not channel that energy and switch to metal straws instead of plastic ones? These simple swaps can greatly help our environment!
Snow in Florida isn’t a good sign: don’t get me wrong, I loved the Instagram pictures of all the FSU students with snowmen or making snow angels, but the ecosystem is suffering.
We might not feel like we are impactful, but everyone is. The smallest changes in your daily life can create a ripple effect, and if we all take steps towards a positive change, the impact would be truly incredible.
Snow drastically affects Florida’s plant life, and we can all help make a difference to keep our environment and campus beautiful.
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