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The Conversation
The Conversation
Kale Sniderman, Honorary Research Fellow, The University of Melbourne

Why are there so many plants? New research reveals two key phases in Earth’s past

Chirag Saini/Unsplash

Plants are crucial for life on land. The energy they capture from the Sun underpins the existence of almost all land-based animals, fungi and bacteria.

In particular, flowering plants – the most productive and diverse group of land plants – dominate most ecosystems on Earth. There are at least 350,000 species, and they’re vital for capturing carbon dioxide from the air.

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