KNOWLEDGE AREA: Life processes in plants and animals

Topic : Support and transport systems in plants

Transport system in plants

Movement of water through a Plant
Transpiration and Guttation.

Wilting

Absorption and Transport of Water and

Mineral Salts.

Lateral Transport of Water and Mineral

Salts to the Stele.

Upward Movement of Water and Mineral

Salts in a Plant.

Translocation of Manufactured foods from

Leaves to the rest of the Plant.
ž Transpiration is the process during which water is
lost in the form of water vapour from the aerial
parts of the plant, mainly through the stomata of
the leaves.
ž Transpiration has both advantages and
disadvantages.
ž We will concentrate on the advantages and look at
the disadvantages later.
ADVANTAGES OF TRANSPIRATION:

1. Transpiration leads to transpiration pull, which

in turn is responsible for the upward movement
of water through the plant.
2. Transpiration helps in the cooling of the plant
through the loss of water vapour.
RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN WATER LOSS AND LEAF
STRUCTURE:
ž We must remember that leaves are all not the
same.
ž They differ in the following ways::
1. Their shape and size.
2. The arrangement of the leaves themselves.
3. Hairs: are present or not.
4. The cuticle: thickness.
5. The stomata: number and position
ž These differences effect the rate at which water is
lost form the plant , through transpiration.
ž The rate at which water is lost through
transpiration is called the rate of transpiration.
ž The rate of transpiration refers to how quickly or
slowly water vapour is lost from the plant.
They can change the rate of transpiration in the
following ways:
1. The shape and size of leaves are changed to
reduce the surface area and this leads to a
reduction in the rate of transpiration. Example
the leaves of the pine tree which are needle-
shaped.
2. Leaves may overlap each other to reduce
surface area exposed to the sun and therefore
reduces the rate of transpiration.
3. Hairs maybe present on some leaves, these hairs
reflect sunlight and reduces air movement,
therefore reducing the rate of transpiration.
4. Waterproof cuticle maybe thickened to further
reduce the rate of transpiration.
5. The arrangement and number of stomata may
be altered to reduce the rate of transpiration.
For example more stomata are found on the
undersurface of the leaf, away from the direct
sunlight. Some of the stomata are sunken to
trap moisture reducing the rate of transpiration.
Effect of Environmental factors on the rate of
Transpiration:
ž Earlier we discussed how the structure of the leaf
affected the rate of transpiration. We call these
internal structures.
ž The environment may also affect the rate of
transpiration. These are called external
factors.
ž We shall now discuss how these external factors
affect the rate of transpiration.
1. Wind:
ž Usually there is a pocket of humid air around
the leaf.
ž The wind blows away the pocket of humid air.
ž Therefore there is a higher concentration of
water vapour molecules inside the leaf than
outside.
ž Remember that water always moves from a
region of high concentration to a region of
lower concentration. ( In other words from
where there is a lot to where there is a little.)
ž Therefore water would move out of the leaf
into the surrounding atmosphere.
ž Therefore wind increases the rate of
transpiration.
ž However very strong winds causes the stomata
to close, reducing the rate of transpiration.
2. Temperature:
ž When the temperature increases the kinetic energy
of the water molecules also increases.
ž This increased energy causes the water molecules
to move faster. In other words they move at a
faster rate.
ž Therefore more water molecules will diffuse out of
the leaf on a hot.
ž In other words the rate of diffusion of water
molecules out of the leaf is higher on a hot day
than a cold one.
ž This means that…
high temperatures increases the rate of
transpiration.
3. Humidity:
ž Humidity refers to the amount of moisture in the
atmosphere.
ž On a humid day there is a high concentration of
water vapour around the leaves.
ž Therefore water will remain within the leaf because
there is a higher concentration of water vapour
molecules outside the leaves.
ž Remember that water moves from a region of
high concentration to a region of low concentration.
ž This means that…
increased humidity decreases the rate of
transpiration.
4. Light Intensity:
ž The stomata open in the presence of light.
ž Therefore as light intensity increases the rate of
transpiration…
increases.
ž However if the light intensity is too high the
stomata closes to prevent excessive loss of
water.
ž Guttation is the loss
of water in the form
of droplets form
special pores in the
leaves called
hydathodes.
ž The hydathodes are
found on the margins
of the leaves.
ž It occurs in the
following way… Guttation
ž If the air is very humid transpiration may slow
down or can even stop because there is more
moisture outside the leaf that in.
ž The concentration gradient has been reversed.
ž If there is enough moisture in the soil and the
plant has absorbed more water than necessary
then it loses the excess water in the form of
droplets through the hydathodes.
ž Sometimes the environmental factors causes an
increase in transpiration, causing the plant to lose
a large amount of water.
ž The plant must be able to absorb more water
from the soil to replace the water lost through
transpiration.
ž If the soil does not have enough water or the
roots do not have a large enough surface area to
absorb enough water to replace the lost water
then..
ž The xylem absorbs the water from the
surrounding cells for example the parenchyma.
ž The loss of water causes…
a. the vacuoles to shrink in size and
b. Sometimes even the volume of the cytoplasm
to decrease due to the water loss.
ž These cells lose the tugour or turgidity.
ž This loss of turgidity can sometimes result in the
leaves and even stems becoming limp.
ž They then droop.
ž When this happens then the plant is wilting.
ž However wilting does not have to be permanent,
it can be reversed if the plant is placed in water
or water is added to the soil, provided that it did
not suffer a water loss for too long.
ž The root hair is responsible for the absorption of
water and mineral salts from the soil.
ž This is possible because the soil water always has
a higher concentration of water molecules than
the cell sap of the vacuole in the root hair.
ž The cell sap has a lower concentration of water
because it has a high concentration of salts.
ž This difference in concentration ensures that
water will always move into the root.
ž The water moves into the root by osmosis.
žRemember that osmosis is the movement
of water from a region of high concentration to a
region of low water concentration across a
differentially permeable membrane until
equilibrium is reached.
ž The cell membrane and tonoplast of the vacuole
act as a differentially permeable membranes.
ž Therefore water simply moves into the root by
osmosis.
ž However with the absorption of mineral salts it is
slightly different.
ž Mineral salts cannot diffuse into the root because
there is a higher concentration of salts in the vacuole
than in the soil water.
ž This means that mineral salts have to be absorbed
from a region of low concentration to a region of high
concentration.
ž When this happens we say that the substance is being
absorbed against the concentration gradient.
ž active transport
This process is called
because it requires energy.
ž Remember the soil
has a higher
concentration of
water molecules than
the cell sap of the
vacuole therefore
water will move into
the epidermis of the
root by osmosis.
ž Now the epidermis
has a higher water Diagram showing the lateral
concentration that movement of water through
the cells of the cortex. the root.
ž Therefore water will now enter the cells of the cortex
through osmosis.
ž This entry of water now ensures that the cells of the
cortex has a higher water concentration than the
endodermal cells.
ž Water would therefore move into the endodermal
cell by osmosis.
ž The endodermal cells directs the movement of water
because some of the cells are thickened by the
casparian strip. The water is only able to move
through the non thickened passage cells.
ž The endodermal cells now have a higher water
concentration than the cells of the xylem.
ž Water will therefore enter the xylem by osmosis.
ž Explainthe lateral movement of water in the root
using the diagram below.
ž Since the soil water has a higher water
concentration than the epidermis of the root,
water enters the epidermis of the root by osmosis.
ž The epidermis now has a higher water
concentration than the parenchyma cells of the
cortex.
ž Water will therefore move into the parenchyma
cells of the cortex by osmosis.
ž The parenchyma cells of the cortex now has a
higher water concentration than the cells of the
endodermis.
ž The endodermis directs the follow of water by
allowing the water to move only through the
passage cells to the cells of the xylem.
ž The passage cells are unthickened, while the rest
of the endodermis is thickened by the casparian
strip.
ž Water therefore enters the xylem by osmosis,
because the endodermis has a higher water
concentration than the xylem.
ž Water moves up the plant by 3 processes.
ž These are:
1. Root pressure
2. Capillarity
3. Transpiration pull

1. Root Pressure:
ž This process forces water up the xylem for only
a short distance.
ž It is an upward force that is brought about by
the continuous entry of water into the roots.
2. Capillarity:
ž Capillarity is the natural tendency of liquid to
move up tubes with fine bores on their own.
ž A fine bore means that the tube has a very
small diameter.
ž Xylem vessels and tracheids are very long tubes
with fine bores.
ž Therefore water will move up xylem vessels
and tracheids by capillarity.
ž However capillarity is only responsible for the
movement of water only very short distances.
3. Transpiration Pull:
ž This is the main force responsible for pulling
water up the xylem of a plant.
ž It occurs in the following way:
1. When transpiration occurs, the water is
evaporated from the air space of the sub-
stomatal chamber.
2. The air space now has a lower concentration of
water molecules than the mesophyll cells.
3. Therefore water from the mesophyll cells now
enter the air space of the sub-stomatal
chamber.
4. Now the concentration of water molecules of
the mesophyll tissue is lower than the
concentration of water molecules in the xylem
of the leaf.
5. Therefore water moves from the xylem to the
mesophyll tissue.
6. But the xylem of the leaf is continuous with the
xylem of the stem and the xylem of the root.
7. And strong forces of attraction exist between
water molecules themselves. This force is
called the cohesive force.
8. Therefore when water moves from the xylem of
the leaf into the mesophyll tissue, the tension
is transmitted into the xylem of the stem and
root.
9. Therefore water will move be pulled up the
plant as a column of water.
10. The cohesive force between the water
molecules and continuation of the xylem of the
root, stems and leaves ensure that water moves
up the plant as a column of water.
ž Unfortunately the transport of manufactured food
through the plant is still under investigation by
scientists and not fully understood yet.
ž However here is what is understood:
1. Manufactured food is transported by the sieve
tube of the phloem.
2. This food (in the form of glucose) is transported
as cytoplasmic strands.
3. The cytoplasmic strands pass from one sieve
tube to another through the sieve plates.
ž Transpiration: is the process during which water is
lost in the form of water vapour from the aerial
parts of the plant, mainly through the stomata of
the leaves.
ž Rate of transpiration: refers to how quickly or
slowly water vapour is lost from the plant
ž Humidity: refers to the moisture in the
atmosphere.
ž Guttation: is the loss of water in the form of
droplets from the hydathodes of the leaves.
ž Hydathodes: these are pores found on the leaf
margin through which guttation occurs.
ž Wilting: when the leaves and stems droop as a result
of water loss from the vacuole of cells.
ž Active transport: when substances are absorbed
against a concentration gradient and energy is
required for this process.
ž Cohesive forces: are the forces of attraction between
water molecules themselves.
ž Root pressure: is the upward force caused by the
continual entry of water into the roots.
ž Capillarity: is the natural tendency of liquids to move
up tubes with fine bores.
1. The force necessary for the upward movement
of water is called…
A. Root pressure
B. Capillarity
C. Transpiration pull
D. Xylem pressure
2. The natural tendency for liquids to move up
tubes with fine bores is called…
A. Root pressure
B. Capillarity
C. Transpiration pull
D. Xylem pressure
3. The upward force that is caused by the continual
entry of water into the roots is called…
A. Root pressure
B. Capillarity
C. Transpiration pull
D. Xylem pressure
4. Water is able to move up the plant as a
continuous column because of the…
A. Cohesive forces of water molecules only
B. Continuation of the xylem of the leaf with the
xylem of the root and stem.
C. Root pressure.
D. Both A and B
5. Water enters the epidermis of the root because…
A. The soil water has a higher water molecule
concentration
B. The epidermis has a higher water molecule
concentration
C. The soil water has a lower water molecule
concentration
D. Both A and B
6. The endodermis is able to direct the flow of
water because of its…
A. Completely thickened walls of the cells
B. Passage cells that are also thickened
C. Unthickened passage cells
D. None of the above
7. Mineral salts are absorbed by active transport
because…
A. They are absorbed against the concentration
gradient
B. Energy is required for their absorption
C. They are absorbed with the concentration
gradient
D. Both A and B
8. Mineral salts cannot enter the root hairs by
diffusion because…
A. The cell sap already has a high salt content
B. The cell sap has a lower salt content
C. The soil has a high salt concentration
D. There is no mineral salt in the soil
9. Water enters the root hairs by the process of…
A. Diffusion
B. Root pressure
C. Osmosis
D. Streaming
10. The process during which water is lost in the
form of droplets form the hydathodes of the
leaves is called…
A. Transpiration
B. Guttation
C. Wilting
D. osmosis
11. The process during which the plant loses water
in the form of water vapour through the aerial
parts of the plant is called…
A. Transpiration
B. Guttation
C. Wilting
D. osmosis
12. When the leaves and even stems droop because
the plant cell became flaccid is called…
A. Transpiration
B. Guttation
C. Wilting
D. Osmosis
13. Wilting occurs because the…
A. Cell have taken in excess water and the
vacuole becomes swollen.
B. The vacuoles lose water because the plant
cannot replace the large amount of water lost
through transpiration
C. Water enters the root continuously
D. Water moves up the xylem
14. Rate of transpiration in increases when…
A. Temperature increases
B. Humidity increases
C. Light intensity decreases
D. Temperature decreases
15. Rate of transpiration decreases when…
A. Humidity increases and temperature
decreases
B. Humidity decreases and temperature
increases.
C. When humidity and temperature decreases
D. When humidity and temperature increases
16. Light intensity increases rate of transpiration
because…
A. The stomata opens in the presence of light
B. Stomata closes in the presence of light
C. The water molecules have less energy
D. None of the above
17. The rate of transpiration is reduced if a plant
has…
A. More stomata on its upper surface
B. No cuticle
C. A large surface area
D. None of the above
18. Hairs on leaves are able to reduce water loss
through transpiration because…
A. The hairs reflect light
B. The hairs reduce air movement
C. Both A and B
D. None of the above
19. A plant that has_____________ will have a
reduced rate of transpiration.
A. Hairs on leaves and is broad and flat
B. Hairs on the leaves and is thin and narrow
C. Hairs on the leaves and a large number of
stomata on its upper surface
D. Hairs on its leaves and no cuticle
20. Sunken stomata reduce water loss by
transpiration because…
A. Water vapour collects in the sunken pockets.
B. The air in the sunken pockets is dry
C. There is a higher concentration of water
molecules inside the leaf
D. None of the above
1. C 11. A
2. B 12. C
3. A 13. B
4. D 14. A
5. A 15. B
6. C 16. A
7. D 17. D
8. A 18. C
9. C 19. B
10. B 20. A