Plant adaptations Flashcards
what is photosynthesis?
the process where the energy from the sun creates chemical reactions that turns CO2 into carbohydrates (simple sugars) and releases O2.
photosynthesis uses light energy from the sun to convert ___ and ____ into ____.
CO2 and H2O into glucose
what are heterotrophs ?
heterotrophs are organisms that are unable to manufacture their own food from inorganic material. they rely on other organisms for energy and nutrients.
what is a light-dependent reaction ?
they are reactions that are responsible for converting light energy into chemical energy in the Calvin cycle
what is a light-independent reaction ?
a reaction that has a series of biochemical (the transformation of one molecule to a different molecule inside a cell) reactions in photosynthesis that doesn’t require light to proceed in the Calvin cycle
what is PAR ?
photosynthetically active radiation, it is the light of wavelengths 400-700 nm that is used by plants in photosynthesis
what is mesophyll ?
a specialized tissue that is located in the epidermal layers of the leaf
in terrestrial plants, photosynthesis occurs in ___ cells and ___ leaves through the ___.
mesophyll cells and CO2; stomata
what is the light compensation point ?
the depth of level of light where photosynthesis and respiration balance each other
what is the light saturation point ?
the limits at which photosynthesis can operate
what is photo inhibition?
the slowing or stopping of a plant process by light ( negative effect of light on plants)
what is the turgid pressure ?
the pressure of the water inside the plant that helps maintain stability
what is osmotic potential ?
the potential of water to move from a higher region of concentration to a lower region of concentration
what is matric potential ?
how much water the soil can hold
solar radiation generates ___ and ___, they are needed to synthesize or combine ____ and ____
ATP and NADPH; G3P and RuBP
aquatic autotrophs don’t have a ___; CO2 diffuses directly from the water through ___.
stomata; cell membranes
terrestrial plants release heat through ____ and ____.
evaporation and convection
aquatic plants mostly release heat through ____.
convection
what is convection ?
the transfer of heat energy through circulating fluids
what is developmental plasticity?
when a change happens in early years to an individual and when it becomes an adult, it cannot change its form back.
what is acclimation ?
when an individual organism can switch back and forth between phenotypes
what is the function of a C4 pathway?
C4 pathway acts as a mechanism to build up high concentrations of carbon dioxide in the chloroplasts of the bundle sheath cells
what is Rubisco ?
ribulose biphosphate carboxylase-oxygenase, an enzyme in photosynthesis that accelerates the initial transformation of CO2 into sugar
what are shade tolerant plants ?
plants that can tolerate low light levels. they have low photosynthetic, respiratory, metabolic, and growth rates
what are shade intolerant plants ?
plants that require full sunlight and little or no competition. they have higher photosynthetic, respiratory, and growth rates
what is the C4 pathway ?
where majority of plants produce 3-carbon acid (PGA) as a first product during carbon dioxide fixation
what is the function of C3 plants ?
C3 plants capture light and do carbon fixation in the mesophyll cells
what are bundle sheath cells ?
a leaf cell type that forms a tightly packed layer surrounding veins
how do CAM plants function ?
CAM plants open their stomata to take in CO2 at night when the humidity is high. they convert CO2 to malate. during the day CAM plants close their stomata and covert malate back to CO2
