Lecture 15: Transport in Plants Flashcards
Describe the transpiration-cohesion-tension mechanism. What is its significance?
long distance transport of water
Define passive transport and identify the 3 types
Passive transport is movement of molecules across short distances or across membranes without the addition of energy
- simple diffusion: net movement of a population of molecules down its concentration gradient
- osmosis: net diffusion of water against the solute concentration gradient
Define active transport
uses energy to move solutes against their concentration gradient across a membrane through transport proteins
T or F: Diffusion is the primary means for transporting all materials through non-vascular plants. Why/why not
True because they only need transfer of molecules across short distances
When does diffusion occur in vascular plants?
to transport CO2 and O2 in and out of the stomata and across cell membranes in the mesophyll
Define cytoplasmic streaming
cytoplasm circulates within and between cells through the plasmodesmata so that large molecules and organelles (like chloroplasts) can be moved from cell to cell.
What are the two mechanisms of short distance transport?
- diffusion
2. cytoplasmic streaming
T or F: gases are transported in plants - why/why not?
FALSE. all living cells do gas exchange
Define transpiration
the process of water movement through a plant body
involves the uptake, transport, and evaporation of water
Why does cytoplasmic streaming occur?
so chloroplasts can move from shaded areas of the leaf to sunnier spots to maximize photosynthesis
Describe the net diffusion of O2 in plants
O2 diffuses through plant roots from the soil and is released out leaves during cellular respiration
Describe the net diffusion of CO2 in plants
CO2 is taken in/diffused through leaves/green areas through photosynthesis and released by the roots
Which materials are transported from roots to shoots?
water and minerals are taken in through plant roots and released from leaves as water vapour
What materials are produced by the plant and transported throughout the plant body?
Sugars are made by the plant during photosynthesis and are transported to other areas of the body
Which tissue system do the sugar and water (and mineral) transporting cells belong to? what are the tissues and the cells for each?
VASCULAR TISSUE SYSTEM transports sugars and water (and minerals) throughout the plant body.
PHLOEM TISSUES:
transport sugars
- companion cell
- sieve tube element
XYLEM TISSUES:
transports water and minerals
- vessel element
- tracheids
To get from the roots to the shoots, is water pushed up by the roots or pulled up by the leaves?
Water is PULLED up by the leaves through the process of transpiration.
How much water is lost to evaporation during transpiration?
over 95%
Why are plants so inefficient with water use compared to animals?
Unlike in animals where water is constantly being re-circulated through the vertebrate body via the circulatory system, plants do not have a circulatory system.
Instead, in plants, water is taken up and transported BY evaporative water loss from leaves (that is what pulls the water up from the roots)
Briefly describe water’s journey through a plant body
- uptake by roots
- pulled up through plant body
- evaporates from leaf surface
T or F: there is a film of water coating the surface of mesophyll cells inside leaves?
TRUE.
T or F: the concentration of water molecules inside a leaf is much higher than the concentration in the atmosphere outside the leaf
TRUE