EVERYDAY SCIENCE

Detailed explanation-1: -True or false: A skilled botanist may be able to identify a type of habitat from a fragment of a plant. True. Skilled botanists have the expert knowledge on detecting the significant details that may determine the botanical specimen’s place of origin.

Detailed explanation-2: -A forensic botanist must look not only at the different species in an area, but must also calculate the percentages of each species when comparing two locations. 5. Annual rings are formed as a result of differences in color of the lighter springwood and the darker winterwood.

Detailed explanation-3: -Forensic botanists can use their knowledge of plant structure, anatomy, and environments to assemble sufficient evidence to convict a suspect by placing him at the scene of the crime or by establishing that an object or a body has been moved.

Detailed explanation-4: -Plant evidence can be useful for determining if a death was due to an acci-dent, suicide, or homicide, or what time of year burial may have taken place. In addition, plant evi-dence can be used to determine if a crime scene is a primary or secondary scene and to locate missing bodies.

Detailed explanation-5: -True or false: A limitation of forensic botany is that all living matter decomposes quickly. False. Not all living matter decomposes at the same rate. Moreover, forensic botany does not directly involve or deal with the remains of organisms.