MODULE 6: Plant Form and Function Flashcards
Autotrophs and Heterotrophs
Autotrophs:
- self sufficient without eating other organisms
- plants, algae, some prokaryotes
- use photosynthesis to make organic molecules from water and CO2
Heterotrophs:
- live on compounds produced by other organisms
- humans, cows, etc
Choroplasts
- in leaves
- where photosynthesis occurs
- contain thylakoids
- thylakoids stack into grana
- stoma outside thylakoids
Photosynthesis Equation
6CO2 + 6H2O —–(light energy)—–> C6H12O6 + 6O2
water oxidised and carbon dioxide reduced
Light Reaction
- first phase of photosynthesis
- convert solar energy (physical) to the chemical energy of ATP and NADPH
Pigments
Chlorophyll A
- main photosynthesis pigment
Chlorophyll B
- accessory pigment
- absorbs different wavelengths of light
- passes energy to chlorophyll A
Carotenoids: other accessory pigments
Photosystems
- composed of a reaction centre surrounded by a number of light-harvesting complexes
- these complexes consist of pigment molecules bound to proteins
- funnel energy of photons to reaction centre
- when chlorophyll in reaction centre absorbs energy one of its electrons gets bumped up to the primary electron acceptor
- thylakoid membrane contains two types of photosystems, I and II
Electron Flow During Light Reactions
- lost electrons replaced by splitting water into two protons and an oxygen
- 2 electrons from oxygen atom replace lost electrons
- oxygen and protons are a by-product
- electron reaches primary receptor and indirectly produces ATP (thylakoid fills with protons)
- electron is low energy when it reaches next photosystem
- pumped up by another photon
Calvin Cycle
- dark reaction (doesn’t need light)
- uses ATP and NADPH from light reaction to convert CO2 to sugar
- occurs in stroma outside the thylakoids
- input of CO2 which in incorporated by rubisco
- output is sugar
Leaf Structures
- complex
- surrounded by cuticles which makes leaves impermeable
- structures allow opening and closing of access to leaf by opening or closing these cells
- can control what comes in and out
- stomata open —> CO2 enters, O2 exits and water evaporates
- plants close stomata in hot, dry weather
- conserves water but limits CO2 access
- buildup of O2 results in photorespiration
- rubsico incorporates O2 instead of CO2
- energy consumed not produced
- photosynthetic rate is reduced
C4 plants
- minimise cost oh photorespiration
- spatially confines calvin cycle to very internal cells
- Co2 incorporated into 4 carbon organic acids in mesophyll cells by PEP carboxylase (not by rubisco)
- PEP carboxylase isn’t sensitive to CO2/O2 ratios and can incorporate CO2 at low concentrations
- C4 exported to bundle of sheath cells where they release CO2 used in calvin cycle
CAM Plants
- use temporal separation instead of spatial deparation
- open stomata at night
- incorporate as much CO2 as possible and incorporate CO2 into organic acids
- close during day and CO2 released from organic acids for use in calvin cycle
Three basic organs of plants
roots, stems, leaves
Roots
- anchors plants
- absorbs minerals and water through root hairs
- often stores nutrients
Stems
- alternating system of nodes where leaves attach
- internodes, stem segments b/w nodes
- auxiliary buds: structures with potential to form lateral shoot of branch
- terminal bus: located near shoot tip, causes elongation of shoot
Leaf
- main photosynthetic organ of vascular plants
Tissue System
dermal tissue:
- protection
vascular tissue:
- long distance transport of materials
- two tissues: xylem and phloem
ground tissue:
- specialised cells for functions such as storage, photosynthesis and support
Tissue Organisations of Stems
In most eudicots (two cotyledons), vascular tissue consists of vascular bundles arranged in a ring
In most monocot stems, vascular bundles scattered throughout ground tissue instead of forming a ring
Epidermal barrier in leaves is an impermeable cuticle to liquid and gas
Interrupted by stomata to allow exchange of CO2 and O2
Ground tissue sandwiched between upper and lower epidermis
Vascular tissue continuous of stem
Xylem
- empty dead cells forming tubes
- transport water and dissolved minerals upward from roots into shoots
Phloem
- live cells
- transports organic nutrients from where they are made to where they are needed
Tissue Organisation of Leaves
epidermal barrier is impermeable to liquid and gas
ground tissue sandwiched between upper and lower epidermus
vascular tissue continuous of stem
Meristems
Generate cells for new organs
Apical meristems:
- located at tips of roots and buds of shoots
- elongate shoots and roots through primary (vertical) growth
Lateral meristems:
- adds thickness to woody plants throgh secondary growth
- cork cambium
- vascular cambium
- form ring
Primary Growth of Roots
- root tip covered by root cap
- protects the delicate epical meristem as root pushes through hard soil during primary growth
- hard cells of root cap multiply to move upwards
- cells left behind are stem cells which go through elongation then maturation