by UC Davis California Center for Urban Horticulture
Resource Type: Database and Website
Source: UC Davis California Center for Urban Horticulture
Grades: Middle School and High School
Database of many plant species common in California showing their watering needs at the regional level. Invaluable when planning for drought-tolerant landscapes.
Phenomena:
Drought
Technology to improve the environment
DCIs:
LS1.C: Organization for matter and energy flow in organisms
ESS3.A: Natural resources
Notes:
- Plants need water to photosynthesize and grow, but their water needs differ greatly.
- Good environmental stewardship as well as existing and forthcoming legislation require thoughtful choice of plants in terms of their water needs.
- Database could be used to design landscapes with waterwise plants.
Driving questions:
- How can we choose plant species wisely to reduce use of limited freshwater?
- Are native species generally heavy water users?
- When we bring plants that need a lot of water to an ecosystem, how are we changing it?
Topics: California, design, drought, native species, and waterwise plants
Features: database and technology