The need for transport systems in multicellular plants

Question 1

What are the metabolic demands for why plants need transport systems?

Answer 1

• Assimilates produced in photosynthesising cells needed by those that don’t photosynthesise

Waste oroducts need to be removed from cells

• Plant hormones made in 1 part of cell needed to get to other parts
• Mineral ions absorbed by roots needed for protein + chlorophyll production in other parts of plants

Question 2

Why do plants need transport systems due to size?

Answer 2

As perennial plants increase in size, distance substances travel increases + transport systems needed to deliver these substances effectively

Question 3

Why do plants need transport systems due to sa:v ratio?

Answer 3

Larger plants have small sa:v ratio so cant rely on diffusion alone to transport substances