Plant Transpiration and Water Uptake Flashcards

Flashcards about plant transpiration and water uptake.

Potometer

Apparatus used to determine the effect of different environmental factors on the rate of transpiration.

Wilting

Occurs when more water is lost during transpiration than can be absorbed by the plant roots.

Guttation

A type of water loss where liquid water droplets form on the edges of the lamina through specialized structures called hydathodes.

Hydathodes

Specialized pores on the epidermis of certain plants through which guttation occurs.

Osmosis

The spontaneous movement of water molecules from an area with a high concentration to an area with a low concentration through a differentially permeable membrane down a water potential gradient.

Apoplastic Route

Route where water moves along the cell walls and intercellular air spaces without crossing any membranes until it reaches the Casparian strips.

Symplastic Route

Route where water moves through the cytoplasm of adjacent cells via plasmodesmata.

Transmembrane Route

Route where water moves in through the cell membrane, through the cytoplasm, and out through the cell membrane of adjacent cells.

Transpiration pull

Loss of water through evaporation out of mesophyll cells, lowering the water potential in those cells.

Root pressure

Pressure created by the continuous endosmosis of water into the root from the ground, pushing water up into the stem.

Capillarity

Phenomenon whereby liquid will spontaneously move up tubes that have a very small cross-section, comprised of adhesion and cohesion.

Adhesion

Forces where water molecules are attracted to the wall of the xylem tissue.

Cohesion

Forces where water molecules are attracted to each other.

Translocation

The movement of sucrose from the leaves to the rest of the plant.

Lenticels

Stomata that are located in the cork cambium of woody plants, allowing for gaseous exchange.

Transpiration

The loss of water, in the form of water vapor, from the leaf surface (stomata).

Annual rings

Interchanging dark and light concentric rings visible in the cross section of a woody stem, used to determine the age of the tree and climatic conditions.

Xerophytes

Plants that strongly limit water loss since they grow in areas that are extremely arid / dry.

Transpiration rate

The rate at which water is lost through the leaves of a plant per minute.