Question

Distinguish between respiration in plants and respiration in animals

Answer 1

 

Plants do not breathe, they only respire. Animals usually breathe in the air for carrying out cellular respiration.

 

Plants lack a respiratory system, which is usually found in animals.

 

 

 

In plants, the leaf obtains oxygen directly from the air through the stomata. Stems and roots also take in oxygen. In case of animals, oxygen is taken in through special openings (like nostrils or gill clefts) into the respiratory organ.

 

In animals, there is a respiratory organ (like lungs, gills, etc.) present within the body, where exchange of gases occurs. No such respiratory organ is present in plants.

 

The carbon dioxide produced in animals during respiration is released to the atmosphere, whereas the carbondioxide produced during plant respiration may be used by the plant for carrying out photosynthesis.

 

There is no respiratory pigment in case of plants, whereas in animals, respiratory pigments play an important role in transporting oxygen to the cells.

 

 

Respiration in plants can also proceed in a manner that produces neither metabolic energy nor carbon skeletons, but heat. This type of respiration involves the cyanide-resistant, alternative oxidase; it is unique to plants, and resides in the mitochondria.

 

Answer 2

Respiration is the process of releasing energy from food and excretion is the removal of waste from the body. Plants also undergo the process of respiration and excretion. During respiration there is a gaseous exchange of respiratory gases and in excretion various kinds of plant waste is removed through different methods. So, it is important to know how gaseous exchange of respiratory gases takes place in a plant.