Chapter 8: Transport in plants

8.1 Plant transport systems

All organisms need to obtain various substances from their environment.
For example, carbon dioxide and water are needed for photosynthesis and
mineral ions which plants absorb from the soil

Most plants have branching shapes which give them a large surface area in
relation to their volume. Leaves are adapted to ensure that no cell is far
away from the air so carbon dioxide can simply diffuse through the stomata

Plants absorb water through their roots and the water is transported by a
tissue called xylem. The plants also have a second transport system made
up of a tissue called phloem. Food is transported by the phloem vessels

Xylem
A xylem vessel is a long drainpipe that is made of many hollow, dead cells,
joined together. It runs from the root of the plant to the stem. It is made up
of cellulose and lignin. Lignin is very strong which helps xylem vessels to
be upright

Phloem
Phloem tubes are made of many cells joined end to end. The end walls form
sieve plates which have small holes in them. The cells are called sieve tube
element. Sieve tube element contain cytoplasm but no nucleus. Each sieve
tube element has a companion cell next to it, which supplies it with
requirements. However, the companion cells do have nucleus and some
other organelles

Vascular bundles
A group of xylem vessels and phloem tubes is called a vascular bundle. In
the root, it is found at the center. They are also found in leaves. They help
to support the plant

Chapter 8 Transport in plants 1

 8.2 Water uptake
Plants take in water from the soil, through their root hairs. At the very tip of
a root is a root cap. This is a layer of cells which protects the root as it
grows. The rest of the root is cover by a layer of cells called the epidermis

Root hairs do not live long. They are replaced by new ones. The function of
root hairs is to absorb water and minerals from the soil. Water moves into
root hair by osmosis.

The cytoplasm and cell sap inside it are quite concentrated solution. Water,
which has a dilute solution, therefore diffuses into the root hair, through the
partially permeable membrane

It travels by osmosis through the cortex, from cell to cell. Some of it may
also just seep through the spaces between the cells, or through the cells,
never actually entering a cell at all. Eventually it reaches the xylem vessels

Once the water reaches the xylem vessels, it moves up the xylem vessels
in the same way that a drink moves up a straw when we suck it. The
pressure at the top of the vessel is lowered while the pressure at the
bottom stays high. Water, therefore, flows up the xylem vessels

How water is absorbed by a plant

8.3 Transpiration
Chapter 8 Transport in plants 2
 Transpiration is the evaporation of water from a plant. Most of the
evaporation takes place in the leaves

There are usually more stomata in the lower epidermis. The mesophyll cells
inside the leaf are each covered with a thin film of moisture. Sometimes,
some of this film of moisture evaporates from the cells and that vapor
diffuses out of the leaf through the stomata

Water from the the xylem vessels travel to the cells to replace it. As water
is being constantly taken from the top of the xylem vessels, it reduces the
effective pressure at the top of the xylem vessels so water can flow up.
This process is called transpiration stream.

Water pontential grandient

Water moves down a water potential gradient from a high water potential to
low water potential. The highest water potential is in solution in the soil and
the lower water potential is in the air

Water molecules have a strong tendency to stick together. This is called

cohesion. When water is pulled up the xylem vessels, the whole column of
water stays together.

We can see how well the structure of the plant is adapted to help water
move up through the plant:

The root hair cells provide a huge surface area through which water
can be absorbed. This increases the quantity of water that can move
into the plant at one moment

The hollow and narrow xylem vessels provide an easy pathway for
water to move up from the roots to the very top of the plant

The many air spaces inside the leaf mean that there is a large surface
area and water can evaporate into the air. The increases the rate of
evaporation, drawing more water out of the xylem vessels and
speeding the flow of the water

The stomata allow water vapor to diffuse easily out of the leaf when it
is open. The reduces water potential inside the leaf which encourages
more water to evaporate from the mesophyll cells

Measuring tranpiration rate

Chapter 8 Transport in plants 3

 It is easier to measure how fast the plant takes up water than how
much water is lost from the leaves of a plant. A potometer is used for
measuring transpiration rate. By recording how fast the air/water
meniscus moves along the capillary tube you can compare how fast the
plant takes up water in different conditions

A potometer

Conditions that affect transpiration rate

Temperature
On a hot day, water will evaporate quickly from the leaves of a plant. Thus,
transpiration increases as temperature increases

Humidity
Humidity means moisture in the air. The higher the humidity, the less water
will evaporate from the leaves. This is because there is not much of a
diffusion gradient for the water between the air spaces inside the leaf and
the wet air outside it. Thus, transpiration decreases as humidity increases

Wind Speed

Chapter 8 Transport in plants 4

 On a windy day, water will evaporate more quickly than on a still day. Thus,
transpiration increases as wind speed increases

Light Intensity
In bright sunlight, a plant may open its stomata to supply plenty of carbon
dioxide for photosynthesis. More water can therefore evaporate from the
leaves

Water Supply
If water is in short supply then the plant will close its stomata so that the
plant will not lose water from the leaves by tranpiration
Transpiration is useful to plants because it keeps water moving up the
xylem vessels and evaporation helps to cool the leaves. But if the leaves
lose too much water, the roots may not be able take up enough water to
replace it. If this happens, the plant wilts, because the cells lose water by
osmosis and become flaccid

Uptake of ions
As well as absorbing water by osmosis, root hairs absorb mineral salts.
They travel to the xylem vessels along the water which is absorbed and
are transported to all parts of the plant

Root hairs' surface membrane allows the plant to take up ions from the
soil against the concentration gradient. This is called active transport.

8.4 Transport of manufactured food

Leaves make carbohydrates by photosynthesis. Some of the
carbohydrates is used to make amino acids, proteins, fats, and other
organic substances

Some of the organic food material, particularly sucrose, is transported

in the phloem tubes. This is called translocation.

Sources and sinks

The part of the plant from which sucrose and amino acids are being
translocated is called a source. The leaves are the major sources of

Chapter 8 Transport in plants 5

 translocated material

The part of the plant to which they are being translocated is called a
sink. In a plant, the root and flowers are the sinks

Many plants have a time of the year when they become dormant.
During these stages, they wait out harsh conditions in a state of
reduced activity. Sometimes it can be during the hottest seasons or
sometimes during the winter

Dormant plants do not photosynthesize. They survive on their stored

starch and other organic materials. They grow again when seasons
change

An example is there in the pictures below of potatoes in summer and

spring

Chapter 8 Transport in plants 6

Chapter 8 Transport in plants 7