transport in plants + exchange surfaces Flashcards
mass flow definition
the bulk movement of fluids down a pressure or concentration gradient
3 reasons why plants need specialised transport systems
- to move products of photosynthesis, water and O2 from source to sink
- most plants are large and substances have to travel huge distances from root to tip
- SA:V is very low overall
outline the process of phloem loading
- sucrose is actively loaded into phloem companion cells
- sucrose can diffuse through plasmodesmata into sieve tube elements
- as sucrose conc increases in phloem, water potential decreases causing water to move in laterally from xylem via osmosis
- this increases hydrostatic pressure causing phloem sap to move towards sink via mass flow
- at the sink sucrose moves back into companion cells + is used up, maintaining conc gradient
- water rejoins xylem
source definition
where a substance is made or stored
sink definition
where a substance is needed e.g. roots which cannot photosynthesise, storage organs, growing regions
how is sucrose actively loaded into companion cells
a protein in companion cell membrane uses ATP to pump H+ out of cytoplasm into cell wall, then H+ reenters through cotransporter proteins with sucrose
why is sucrose used to transport sugars around plants
glucose is too reactive, sucrose isn’t so ensures all glucose makes it to sink where it is needed
what happens when sucrose gets to the cells where it is needed
it is usually converted into:
- glucose for respiration
- starch for storage
what is the function of the phloem
facilitates the transport of assimilates from source to sink, either up or down the plants
assimilates definition
substances made in plants as a result of photosynthesis, e.g. dissolved ions, sugars, etc
how are assimilates transported in phloem
assimilates dissolve in water to form sap which moves through phloem
outline the structure of the phloem
made of living cells
- sieve tube elements
- companion cells
- phloem fibres / sclerenchyma
- parenchyma
3 functions + structure of sieve tube elements
- main conducting cells so have strong cellulose walls
- also have a very thin layer of cytoplasm and few organelles which provides more space for assimilates
- have pores on end plates which allows liquid to easily flow
4 functions + structure of companion cells
- provides metabolic support so linked to sieve tube elements by plasmodesmata
- also has very dense cytoplasm with many organelles
- provides ATP for movement so contain many mitochondria
- also lots of proteins in plasma membrane, allow for the creation of conc gradients + supplying substances to sieve tube elements + receiving substances from neighbouring cells
3 functions + structure of phloem sclerenchyma
- made of dead cells with tapered ends
- provides structural support so reinforced with lignin in walls which is water proof
- also prevents wilting but costly to make
3 functions + structure of phloem parenchyma
- storage cells for food, etc so have a dense cytoplasm and a large vacuole
- thin cellulose wall allows them to closely pack together
- elongated + tapered + cylindrical
what is the function of the xylem
facilitates the transport of water around the plant
transpiration definition
the evaporation of water from the xylem out of the leaves
how does water leave the plant
through the stomata
how is water loss in plants controlled
the stomata can open and close, this is controlled by guard cells (found in pairs)
how do the guard cells control the opening + closing of the stomata
through turgor pressure
- epidermal cells surrounding guard cells pump in K+ ions to lower water potential, these can also diffuse back out to increase water potential
- when guard cells fill with water, they swell and become turgid, inner wall next to stomata is thicker than outer wall, causing the thicker wall to bend, opening the stomata
- when guard cells lose water they become flaccid, and stomata close
what is important about guard cell walls
the inner wall next to stomata is thicker than the outer wall
4 ways plants conserve water
- waxy cuticle
- stomata on underside of leaf
- closeable stomata
- roots that grow down to water in soil
what 4 main factors affect the rate of transpiration
- humidity
- temperature
- light intensity
- air movement
how does humidity affect the rate of transpiration
high air humidity decreases rate
this is because there is more water in the air which decreases the water potential gradient
how does temperature affect the rate of transpiration
high temp increases rate
this is because molecules have more kinetic energy, increasing rate of evaporation
also at high temps the concentration of water held by air increases
how does light intensity affect the rate of transpiration
high light intensity increases rate
this is because stomata open in response to light, also light warms leaf increases rate of evaporation
how does air movement affect the rate of transpiration
lots of air movement increases rate
this is because wind moves air away from stomata which maintains a steep water potential gradient