Plant responses Flashcards
Why do plants need to respond to the external environment ?
helps plant survive long enough to reproduce
What chemical defences are used in response to threat of herbivores?
- tannins
- alkaloids
- pheromones
Function of tannins
- toxic
- make leaf taste bitter
- prevent infiltration by pathogenic microorganisms
Function of alkaloids
feeding deterrent as they’re bitter
Function of pheromones
affect behaviour or physiology of other plants.
What are tropisms?
directional responses of plants
physical plant defenses
- folding of leaves in response to touch
- thorns
- spines
What are the types of tropisms?
- phototropism
- geotropism
- chemotropism
- thigmotropism
- hydrotropism
What’s phototropism?
directional growth response to light. shoots growing towards light (+vely phototropic), enables photosynthesis.
what’s geotropism?
directional growth response to gravity. Roots grow towards the pull of gravity, helps anchor them in soil.
What is chemotropism?
directional growth response to chemicals. On flowers, pollen tubes grow down the style attracted by chemicals, towards the ovary where fertilisation occurs.
What’s thigmotropism?
directional growth response to mechanical stimulation. shoots of climbing plants (ivy), wind around other plants or solid structures for support.
What are positive tropic responses?
plant responds towards a stimulus
What are negative tropic responses?
plant responds away from a stimulus
What are nastic responses?
non-directional responses to external stimuli - sensitive plants folding leaves when touched (thigmonasty) in Mimosa Pudica
What’s the role of plant hormones?
coordinate plant responses to environmental stimuli, transported from site of manufacture to target cells/tissues.