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Lecture Notes - Plant Water Relations 1
Lecture Notes - Plant Water Relations 1
Lecture Notes - Plant Water Relations 1
Key elements
• Major processes of water movement in plant cells.
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From: Tiaz L and Zeiger E. 2002. Plant Physiology. Sinauer Associates, Inc. Pg.34.
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Water movement in
plants is through
Translocation -
Movement of
substances from one
region to another
Dixon, H.H. and Joly, J. (1895). On the Ascent of Sap. Phil. Trans. Roy. Soc. London. (B.). 186: 563-576.
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dm dc
DA
dt dx [] []
Fick’s Law
dc
dm/dt = amount of substance dx
moved per unit time
D = diffusion coefficient
(property of substance and
matrix) x
dc/dx = gradient of
concentration (change in
concentration per unit A = area through
of distance, dx, in a direction which flow occurs
perpendicular to the plane A)
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dc
Diffusion is faster when:
• The concentration dx
gradient dc/dx is steeper
• The area A is larger
• The distance x is smaller x
• D is larger
A = area through
which flow occurs
dm dc
DA
dt dx
The diffusion coefficient
D is affected by:
• Molecular shape
• Molecular size
• Molecular charge
• Solvent viscosity
• Solution properties as
salt concentration, pH,
temperature etc.
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Potassium permanganate crystals begin to diffuse in the water to give layers of different concentrations.
From: http://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/intermediate2/biology/living_cells/diffusion_and_osmosis/revision/2/
Tequila Sunrise
Pour the tequila and orange juice into glass over ice.
Add the grenadine, which will sink to the bottom.
Do not stir.
Garnish and serve.
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Osmosis
• Diffusion of water across the selectively permeable
membrane from an area of low solute concentration to one
of high concentration.
• Both concentration gradient and pressure gradients drive
transport in osmosis.
• Direction and rate of water flow across the membrane is
determined by the sum of these two driving force known as
water potential.
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Water potential
Water potential is a measure of free energy status
of water.
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w = p + s + g
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Solute potential
• Represents the effect of dissolved solutes.
Pressure potential
• P is the hydrostatic physical pressure of a solution.
• Positive pressures increase the water potential while
negative pressures reduce it.
• Positive hydrostatic pressure within the cells is
referred to as turgor pressure.
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* These numbers are relative to atmospheric pressure (0.1 MPa), not absolute Mschel; Image 14869 CDC/ Nasheka Powell
Young, non-woody
tissues are supported
by turgor pressure
Clemson University - USDA Cooperative Extension Slide Series ,R.L. Croissant, Bugwood.org
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Gravity potential
• Water moves downward unless the force of gravity is
opposed.
• Depends on height (h) of the water above the reference
state water, density of water (pw) and the acceleration
due to gravity.
• Gravitational component is usually omitted when dealing
with water at cellular level since it is negligible compared
to P and s
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Applying pressure removes water out of the cell hence increases the
solute potential of the cell.
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2. Water moves
through plant
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Human
circulatory
system: Water
Energy movement
provided by up a plant:
mechanical Solar energy
pump drives
(heart) evaporation
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