Plants: Tropism, Factors affecting growth

Question 1

What is phototropism?

Answer 1

Change in plant growth in response to light

Question 2

What is gravitotropism?

Answer 2

Change in plant growth in response to gravity

Question 3

What is thygmotropism?

Answer 3

Change in plant growth in response to contact

Question 4

How does light affect plant growth?

Answer 4

Plants use it for growth.

Plants have photoreceptors that detect changes in light intensity and wavelength. Plants alter their growth accordingly

Question 5

How do nutrients affect plant growth?

Answer 5

Plants use simple inorganic substances to assemble their own nutrient molecules, these are obtained from the environment

Question 6

How does temperature affect plant growth?

Answer 6

Plant’s cellular processes perform best at specific temperature ranges.

E.g. opening and closing of stomata (hot weather opens stomata)

Question 7

How does climate change affect plant growth?

Answer 7

Plants must adapt to rapidly changing conditions or die out

Question 8

How does soil affect plant growth?

Answer 8

Plants need soil to anchor themselves, get water absorbed (for mineral/nutrient transportation), and to get air

Changes in soil characteristics may compromise these functions and affect plant growth.