How Plants Survive? Plants, like any other life forms, must continue to exist because they are necessary to support the existence of other organisms on Earth surface.
They equally important because they
help maintain the stability of the environment. To accomplish the survival, plants undergo different biological processes such as nourishment and growth and development. Plant Form and Function 1. Leaf The Internal Structure of Leaf 1. Spongy Mesophyll -composed of loosely packed cells covered by thin of water. 2. Stomata -Gas exchange is facilitated by tiny pores - most of them found in lower epidermis -Stomata are open in the morning and closes during the night. 3. Guard cells - regulates opening and closing of the stomata. 2. The Roots - Absorb the water. a. Root hairs -increases the surface are of the root, causing it to become more efficient. Type of Root System 1. Tap root system -has only one main root system where smaller branches of roots emerge. 2. Fibrous root system -having mass of similarly sized roots. 3. The Vascular Tissue a. Xylem -responsible for transport of water and nutrients in plants. -water moves up the plant against gravity tubes. Transpiration -the evaporation or diffusion of water on the surface of mesophyll cells going out of the leaf. Factors affecting the transpiration rate a. Light – increases transpiration b. Temperature- high temp. increases evaporation and diffusion. c. Wind – causes transpiration to become faster by removing water vapor quickly. d. Humidity – high humidity slows down transpiration. b. Phloem - responsible for the transport of sugar and other organic materials in the plants. Plant Barriers a. Cutin - lipi-based macromolecules found in the most above ground part. b. Suberin - found on underground parts, woody stem and healed wound of plants. c. Waxes - synthesized by the epidermal cells. d. Thorns -modified branches with sharp, pointed appearance. e. Spines -modified leaves that are also sharp and pointed f. Trichomes -stinging hairs on the plant, most of the time causes irritation on the skin. Plants Growth and Development Germination -the development of a plant from a seed or spore after a period of dormancy. Cotyledons -embryonic leaves develop in embryo. 1. Monocot - produce only one cotyledon 2. Dicot -produce two cotyledons Plant Hormones 1. Gibberellins: -Promote stem elongation 2. Cytokinins: -stimulate cell division in root and shoot meristems 3. Auxins: -affect lengthening of stems and coleoptiles (the protective cylinder that covers and protects the tender leaves during germination) 4. Abscisic Acid (ABA) -inhibits cell growth, helps prevent water loss (by promoting stomata closure), and promoting seed and bud dormancy. 5. Ethylene -stimulates the ripening of fruit and is used commercially for this purpose. What are Tropisms? A plant tropisms is a growth response – Evidenced by a turning of a root or shoot toward or away from an environmental stimulus Types of Tropisms 1. Gravitropisms: -the growth response to gravity– shoots grow up, roots grow down. 2. Phototropisms: -a growth response to light 3. Thigmotropism -shift in growth triggered by physical contact with surrounding objects. Growing without seeds • It’s called vegetative reproduction and occurs with roots stems or leaves. Runner • Horizontal above ground stem that helps the plant spread within an area. Bulb • Very short stem with thick fleshy leaves Corm • Very short thick underground stem with thin scaly leaves Rhizome • Horizontal underground stem Tuber • Swollen fleshy underground stem Flower parts • Petals attract pollinators; collectively known as corolla • Sepal protects the flower; collectively known as calyx • Stamen is the male reproductive organ. It consist of filament or stalk where the anther hold the pollen attached to its highest point. • Pistil is female organ that has stigma to catch pollen to send down pollen tube to ovary (ovule) & style protrudes from the ovary • Receptacle structure that holds all organs of a flower