Plants give out water through the pores present on the lower side of their leaves. Plants living in deserts need to reduce the loss of water because water is very scarce in deserts. Which of the following is an adaptation developed by the desert plants to manage the above situation?
Answers
Answer:
Explanation:
Most of the water a plant loses is lost due to a natural process called transpirationThe process where plant roots will take up water and then release water vapor through pores (stomata) in the leaves.. Plants have little pores (holes or openings) on the underside of their leaves, called stomataLittle holes in the lower surface of a leaf through which water and gas can move in and out of a plant.. Plants will absorb water through their roots and release water as vapor into the air through these stomata. To survive in drought conditions, plants need to decrease transpiration to limit their water loss. Some plants that live in dry conditions have evolved to have smaller leaves and therefore fewer stomata. Extreme examples are plants with leaves that resemble spiky thorns. Some plants may also completely shed their leaves in a drought, to prevent water loss. The basic rule is that fewer leaves mean less water loss through transpiration. These extreme leaf adaptations can also protect the plants from hungry and thirsty birds and animals (Figure 1). You certainly would not like to have a prickly meal!
Some adaptations are quite clever and involve plants “escaping” drought as seeds (remember, escape is another defense strategy). The seeds survive during the dry spells and very quickly germinate (sprout), grow and produce more seeds when rains fall. These seeds are then scattered and can also survive extreme harsh conditions for long periods of time. Looking closely at desert soils, you will find a lot of seeds lying around, just waiting for rain before germinating again.
SOME PLANTS ALSO HAVE INTERNAL DEFENSES AGAINST DROUGHT
In addition to special structures, plants have internal defenses to protect them against water shortage, as well. When a plant experiences drought conditions, some reactions will quickly happen inside the plant to help the plant with the stress of the drought. These reactions that occur in the plant are often quite complex and sophisticated. We will give you some examples.
PLANTS STILL NEED TO PERFORM PHOTOSYNTHESIS DURING DROUGHT
Plants are green because they contain a green chemical called chlorophyll. Chlorophyll is packed into special structures called chloroplasts, which are the energy factories of plants. Together with water and carbon dioxide (CO2), chlorophyll uses sunlight to create sugars. These sugars allow the plant to grow and flourish. This is the process of photosynthesisThe process where plants use water, light and CO2 to produce their own food (in the form of sugars) and release oxygen into the air. and it is linked to the availability of water.