Plant and animal responses Flashcards
What kind of stimuli do plants respond too?
Biotic (living) and abiotic (non-living)
How do plants respond to the threat of herbivores
Chemical defenses:
Tannins; Alkaloids; pheromones
Tannins
-Toxic to microorganisms / larger herbivores
-Found on upper epidermis of the leaf and makes it taste bad
-Roots = prevents infiltration of pathogenic microorganisms
Alkaloids
-Derived from amino acids
-Tastes bitter = feeding deterrent
-Located in growing tips and flowers / peripheral cell layers of stem and roots
Pheromones
-Chemicals released by one individual = influence behaviour/ physiology of another
What are some other examples of plant defences
-Deposition of thicker wax on leaves = higher temp
- Vascular tissue is lignified = windy
Tropism
Directional growth response, in which the direction of the response is determined by the direction of the external stimulus
Phototropism
Shoot grows towards light ( positive phototropic) which enables photosynthesis
Geotropism
Roots grow towards the pull of gravity
-Anchors in soil and helps of absorption of water (to keep cells turgid)
=Helps photosynthesis / cools the plant
=Also minerals i.e. nitrate which is needed for protein synthesis
Chemotropism
On a flower, pollen tubes grow down the style, attracted by the chemicals towards the ovary where fertilisation takes place
Thigmotropism
Shoots of climbing plants i.e. ivy wind around plants or toher solid structures for support
Positive tropic
If a plant responds to a stimulus
Negative tropic
If a plant responds away from a stimulus
Nastic responses
non-directional response to external stimuli
Thigmonasty
Non directional response in plants, to the stimulation of contact
Photoperiod
Plant response to day length, which influences what time of year the plant flowers
Plant hormones
Coordinate the plants responses to environmental stimuli
-Not produced in endocrine glands, but by cells in a variety of tissues in the plant
Amplify/cancel out
Synergy = amplify
Antagonistic = cancel out
What do plant hormones do within a plant
Amplify/cancel out the effects of different tissue
Used in:
-Cell division
-Cell elongation
-Cell growth
How are hormones transported around the plant
-Active transport
-Diffusion
-Mass flow in phloem/ xylem
Examples of plant hormones
-Cytokines
-Abscisic acid
-Auxins
-Gibberellins
-Ethene
Cytokines
-promote cell division
- Delay leaf senescence
-Overcome apical dominance
-Promote cell expansion
Abscisic acid
-inhibits seed germination and growth
-Causes stomata closure when their is low water availability
Auxins
-Promotes cell elongation (plant growth)
-Inhibits growth of side shoots
-Inhibits leaf fall
Gibberellins
Promotes seed germination and growth of stems
Ethene
Promotes fruit ripening
What were the researchers investigating with the role of auxin with plants
If the apex of the plant is broken the plant grows side branches from lateral buds that were previously dormant
Researchers suggested that auxins from the apical bud prevent lateral buds from growing
When the tip of the plant is removed, auxin in the shoot drop and lateral buds grow
How did the researchers test their first hypothesis with auxin
Scientists applied a paste that contained auxins to the end of the shoot and the lateral buds did not grow
What were the limitations of the researcher’s first method at investigating their hypothesis of the effect of auxin in plants
When exposed to oxygen cells on the cut end of the stem could have produced a hormone that promoted lateral bud growth
How did the researchers improve their method at investigating their hypothesis of the effect of auxin in plants
Applied a ring of auxin transport inhibitor below the apex of the shoot
=Lateral buds grow
What was the researchers conclusion after their improvement on the auxin experiment
Normal auxin levels in the lateral buds inhibit growth
Low auxin levels = promote growth