Plant Physiology Transport Mechanisms

Plant Physiology

• The study of how plants function.
• Focuses on the processes that allow plants to grow, reproduce, and respond to their environment.
• Includes areas like transport, photosynthesis, and transpiration.

Transport in Plants

• Plants lack a circulatory system, but water and minerals move from roots to leaves via vascular tissues.
• Nutrients move from leaves to roots through the same vascular tissues.
• Each level of structural organization contributes to the physiology of the plant: cells, tissues, organs, organ systems, and organisms.

Types of Transport in Cells

• Passive Transport: Movement of substances across membranes from an area of high concentration to an area of low concentration.
  • Requires no energy (ATP).
  • Examples: Diffusion and Osmosis.
• Active Transport: Movement of substances across membranes from an area of low concentration to an area of high concentration.
  • Requires cellular energy (ATP).

Processes of Transport in Living Systems

• Diffusion: The natural movement of molecules from a region of high concentration to a region of low concentration.
• Osmosis: The movement of water across a semi-permeable membrane from a region of high concentration to a region of low concentration.
  • The goal of both diffusion and osmosis is to reach equilibrium within the cell.

Plant-Water Relations

• Solution: A mixture of a dissolved substance (solute) evenly spread throughout the dissolving substance (solvent).
• Hypotonic solution: A solution that causes a cell to swell due to osmosis, as water rushes into the cell.
• Hypertonic solution: A solution that causes a cell to shrink due to osmosis, as water leaves the cell.
• Isotonic solution: A solution where the concentration of solutes is equal inside and outside the cell, leading to no net movement of water.

Transpiration

• The evaporation of water from plant leaves, primarily through small pores called stomata on the underside of leaves.
• Plays a major role in the movement of water through plants, as it creates a pressure gradient that pulls water from roots up the stem and out the leaves.

Photosynthesis

• Plants utilize carbon dioxide (CO2) from the air and water (H2O) from the soil to produce sugar.

Plant Physiology

• The study of how plants function, from a cellular level up to organism level
• There is no circulatory system in plants, but substances move within plants
• Water and minerals are transported from roots to leaves
• Nutrients are transported from leaves to roots

Levels of Structural Organization in Plants

• Cell: Basic unit of life
• Tissue: A group of similar cells that work together
• Organs: A structure composed of different tissues that work together
• Organ Systems: A group of organs that work together
• Organism: A complete living being

Transport in Cells

• Passive Transport: Movement from an area of high to low concentration
• Does not require energy (ATP)
• Examples: Diffusion, Osmosis
• Active Transport: Movement from an area of low to high concentration
• Requires cellular energy (ATP)

Processes of Transport in Living Systems

• Diffusion: Molecules move from a region of high to low concentration
• Osmosis: Movement of water from an area of higher to lower water concentration across a semi-permeable membrane

Plant - Water Relations

• Solution: A mixture where the minor component (solute) is evenly distributed within the major component (solvent)
• Hypotonic Solution: Causes cells to swell due to osmosis, water moves into the cell
• Isotonic Solution: Equal solute concentration inside and outside the cell, no net water movement
• Hypertonic Solution: Causes cells to shrink due to osmosis, water moves out of the cell

Transpiration

• Evaporation of water from plant leaves
• Water is carried through plants from roots to leaves
• Occurs through pores on the underside of leaves called stomata
• Water vapor is released to the atmosphere

Photosynthesis

• Plants use carbon dioxide (CO2) from the air and water (H2O) from the soil
• CO2 and H2O are combined to make sugar

This quiz explores the fascinating processes of transport in plant physiology. You will learn about how plants move water and nutrients through vascular tissues, as well as the distinctions between passive and active transport mechanisms. Test your knowledge on the fundamental functions that enable plants to thrive in their environments.