Transport Of Water in Plants Revision Exercise

Transport of Water Across the Root

Water is absorbed from the soil by osmosis Water moves down the gradient Water only enters the root near the root tip Here there are root hairs which increase the surface area for osmosis Water potential is higher in the epidermal cells than in the central cells Water moves across the cortex down the gradient to xylem vessels, Water can move via the symplast or apoplast routes

Casparian strip in the walls of the endodermal cells

Transverse section of a root

Diagram of transverse root section

epidermis with root hairs cortex endodermis pericycle xylem phloem

Water is transported across the root by two routes Apoplast route between the cells via the cell walls Symplast route cell cytoplasm to cell cytoplasm

The Symplast Route

Through the cytoplasm Water enters the root hair cells across the partially permeable membrane by osmosis Water moves from higher in the soil to the lower in the cell Water moves across the root from cytoplasm to cytoplasm down the gradient It passes from one cell to the other via plasmadesmata Water moves into the xylem by osmosis The only way across the endodermis Normally the most important pathway

The Apoplast Route

Water moves through the cellulose cell wall and intercellular spaces The permeable fibres of cellulose do no resist water flow Water cannot pass the endodermis by this route Because the Casparian strip in the endodermis cell wall is impermeable to water Due to the waterproof band of suberin So all water must pass the endodermis via the cytoplasm Therefore it is under cellular control Apoplast route is important when transpiration rates are high as it is faster and requires no energy

The Casparian strip acts as an apoplast block

The Casparian strip is made of suberin, which is impermeable to water Water is unable to pass through the endodermis by the apoplast route The endodermis actively transports salts into the root xylem Lowering the in the xylem, so water moves in down the gradient by osmosis Water moves up the stem in the xylem vessels

Transverse Section of a Stem (Dicot)

Vascular bundles

Vascular bundle from a stem

Xylem vessels with different types of lignin strengthening the cell walls

Xylem vessels no cell contents (dead) form continuous tubes lignin fibres strengthen the cell walls so do not collapse when pressure inside falls

Mechanisms for the Transport of Water up the Xylem 1. Capillarity 2. Root Pressure 3. Cohesion-Tension

Capillarity

Water rises up narrow tubes due to the adhesive forces between the water molecules and the wall of the tube
Water rises higher in narrower tubes Xylem vessels are very narrow

Limitations 1.Water will only rise 50mm 2.The flow rate is slower than the rate observed in xylem

Root Pressure

Water Cut stump of a well watered plant

Root pressure causes the mercury to rise in the manometer

Mercury Manometer

Root Pressure
Water is pushed up the xylem by hydrostatic pressure Mineral salts are pumped into the xylem vessels in the root by the endodermal cells Lowering the in the xylem Water moves in from the surrounding cells by osmosis Raising the hydrostatic pressure so pushing water up the xylem

What would happen if the roots were deprived of O2?

The pumping of the ions would stop as it requires ATP produced in aerobic respiration. O2 required for aerobic respiration

Root Pressure: Evidence

1. Cut stumps of plants exude water from their cut ends 2. In certain conditions some leaves exude water from their leaves = guttation 3. Pressures recorded by mercury manometers attached to the cut stumps could push water in the xylem up to 30m

Guttation

Water droplets exude from the leaves

Limitations of the Root Pressure Hypothesis

The pressure measured is not enough to get water to the top of trees Only find root pressure in spring Relies on the use of the plants energy (ATP) for active transport

Cohesion - Tension
Water is pulled up the xylem by the water lost in transpiration The sun provides the energy to pull the water up by providing the energy for evaporation Water moves up the xylem by mass flow from the higher pressure in roots to the lower pressure in the leaves The column of water does not break because of the cohesive forces between the water molecules Hydrogen bonds between individual water molecules is the force of attraction

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Evidence for the Cohesion Tension Hypothesis

1. Cut stems attached to a tube containing water over mercury can pull the mercury up almost 1m 2. Dendrographs record that tree trunks have a narrower diameter during the day when transpiration rate is high i.e. when most tension is created. 3. Puncturing the xylem of the stem of a transpiring shoot under water containing a dye causes the dye to move into the xylem both ways. The dye must be pulled in so the xylem is under tension.

Variation in trunk diameter and transpiration rate over 24 hours

Branch diameter

The diameter of the trunk decreases as transpiration rate increases Evaporation from the leaves draws water from the xylem by osmosis, water is pulled up the xylem creating a tension. The tension pulls the xylem vessel walls in, so the trunk diameter gets smaller The trunk has a larger diameter when there is less transpiration This supports the cohesion tension hypothesis but not root pressure.

Transpiration rate

2400

1200

2400

Water movement across the leaf

cuticle upper epidermis palisade mesophyll xylem water is pulled along the xylem water moves into cells down gradient by osmosis water evaporates from the spongy mesophyll cell surface lowering cell lowest in the air water vapour diffuses into the air down gradient

spongy mesophyll lower epidermis cuticle stoma

Lower pressure/tension at top of xylem

The Cohesion Tension Hypothesis for Movement of Water up the Xylem Vessels Transpiration
Water evaporates from the spongy mesophyll cells and diffuses into the atmosphere

Lower in the leaf cells Water is pulled up xylem vessels Water moves from down the gradient

Water moves across root from soil down gradient Cohesive forces between water molecules prevent water column breaking Via the apoplast and symplast paths

Questions
1. Explain, in terms of water potential how water moves from the soil to the endodermis in a root (5marks) Explain why, in summer, the diameter of a branch is smaller at noon than at midnight. (4 marks)

2.

3. Explain the root pressure hypothesis for water movement in the xylem. (3 marks) 4. Give two limitations of this hypothesis, (2marks)

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Click on the marks above to check your answers

Answer Q1 Water is absorbed from the soil by the root hairs By osmosis down the water potential gradient The water potential is higher in the epidermal cells than in the xylem in the root centre Water moves from cell to cell through the cytoplasm down the water potential gradient Water also moves through the fibres of the cell wall and intercellular spaces But must go through the endodermal cells due to the Casparian strip Any 5 points

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Answer Q2 Temperature higher at noon so transpiration rate higher More water evaporates from the surface of the mesophyll cells Reducing the the water potential Water moves from the xylem in the leaves into the cells Creating a tension pulling the water up the xylem This pulls the xylem vessels in so reducing the diameter of the trunk

Any four points

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Answer Q3 Root pressure is a hydrostatic pressure pushing water up the xylem Mineral ions are actively transported out of the endodermal cells into the xylem vessels Lowering the water potential in the xylem So water moves in from the surrounding cells by osmosis / down the water potential gradient Raising the hydrostatic pressure Any three points

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Answer Q4 The pressure measured is not enough to get water to the top of trees Only find root pressure in spring Relies on the use of the plants energy (ATP) for active transport Any two

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Now think of some synoptic links and make a list.

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