Plants, the oldest form of life on earth hold many mysteries. Many species have adopted aggressive strategies that have allowed for their survival. It is these “quiet rulers” of earth that are not only the foundation of the global ecology, but also the spring from which all life flows.

Remarkable footage shows leafcutter ants using tree leaves to cultivate their own fungi.  A pitcher plant draws nutrients from trapped insects. A bladderwort forages for larva as it floats in water. Symbiotic relationships between plants and insects (the bullhorn acacia and stinging ants or the fig wasp and fig tree) can aid survival. Some plants compete for survival: the strangler fig kills its host tree as it climbs upward.  Birds that rely on trees for food, also help spread the seeds.  The ginko tree, a gymnosperm, relies on wind for pollination, while insects help pollinate many other plants. Mangroves survive in their intertidal environment by producing viviparous seeds that germinate before they drop.  Mutually beneficial relationships support the survival of many species in the eternal cycle of life on earth.