Greenhouse Effect

Those who have ever walked by Jordan Hall may have noticed a clear glass dome with wild green plants growing in it. Although they all know it's a greenhouse, some may wonder what it's used for, why there are red poinsettias pressed against the glass during Christmas season and whether there is anything else in the greenhouse besides green plants.\nBack in 1956, before the biology, microbiology and zoology departments all formed together into one, Indiana University's on-campus greenhouse was built for students doing plant research and for instructors teaching different science classes. It was also designed for the public to walk through and view the different types of plants being grown.\nToday, the IU greenhouse, located on 3rd Street in front of Jordan Hall, still serves the same purposes today as it did in 1956. The greenhouse is primarily used for research and teaching, yet it is still open today for public display. Guided tours are given throughout the year to school groups, summer camps and for other activities.\nFour people are in charge of taking care of the greenhouse. They are not teachers or researchers, yet they support the research that goes on inside it and also give the guided tours. \nDon Burton oversees the entire greenhouse and works with the other greenhouses in what is called the "Botany Experimental Field," which is located on 10th street and the Bypass. \nJohn Lemon is the greenhouse supervisor and works on taking care of the greenhouses in the Field. David Campbell and Michael O'Conner are the other two caretakers. \nAccording to Lemon, the greenhouse is mainly used for teaching and research.\n"Teachers are able to use the greenhouse for live material, and students are able to observe the plant life and their growth," Lemon said. "It gives students a more hands-on view of what they are learning and they are able to learn much more by having live plants they can see and work with instead of just a book."\nSenior Nicole Brammer, a pre-med majoring in Biology with a double minor in chemistry and psychology, agrees with Lemon.\n"We had to use the greenhouse for my L133 Biology Lab," Brammer said. "We were required to look at the different plants and study their adaptations to the environment. Using the greenhouse was more helpful than the book because we could actually see the size of the plants, rather than just a picture in a book."\nMost of the plant life on the first floor is used for teaching, while the research takes place on the upper floors of Jordan Hall. The greenhouse is also used for studying other effects of life besides plants, such as fungus.\nWendy Taheri, an associate instructor for the B352 Mycology lab, placed empty Petri dishes in the greenhouse and collected airborne fungus. Although the spores were microscopic at first, the dishes soon began to grow fungus on them. \n"The greenhouse was a good place for the students to use to collect the airborne fungus because it is a controlled climate," Taheri said. "There is lots of fungus because there are lots of plants and it is a damp place where fungus would grow."\nThe greenhouse is divided into different rooms. Although each room is pretty much the same, there can be some differences in the amount of sunlight received, water level and temperature. \nTemperature varies between 70 and 80 degrees but feels even warmer in some rooms, like the one containing desert plants. All rooms in the greenhouse are much warmer in the summertime.\n"The greenhouse is best for potted plants because although the size of the blooms may not differ, the greenhouse has a set temperature and light level that is set at a plant's comfort, not a human's comfort," Lemon said. "Still, there is more heat and light received in a greenhouse, therefore they will grow faster and need more water than a regular house plant."\nFamiliar plants, such as the Venus Fly Trap, African Violets, Baby's Tears and the Desert Rose are all found in the greenhouse, as well as some plants that may be unfamiliar.\nThe Ornamental Egg Plant is grown in the greenhouse. From a distance, the plant looks like it grows mangos, but, when given a closer, actually looks like orange eggs. There is also the dry, warm room for desert plants and the room that can be seen from 3rd Street which hold the tropical plants.\n"Overall, I think the greenhouse is really nice," Brammer said. "My favorite room is the tropical room because it looks like a rainforest."\nAnd what about the poinsettias grown during the holiday season?\n"Those are shown just for a traditional display, not research, and we will continue to show them as long is there is room for them," Lemon said.