7.2 Gaseous Exchange in Plants

7.
GAS EXCHANGE
7.3 GASEOUS CHANGE IN PLANTS

LEARNING OUTCOMES:
At the of the lesson, students should be able to:
• describe the structure and functions of stomata

• describe the mechanism of stomatal opening and closing
based on the potassium ion accumulation hypothesis
The Structure and Functions of Stomata
• An opening on the epidermis of leaves which sometimes
can also be found on branches and stems of green
plants.
• Normally, there are more stomata found on the lower
epidermis compared to the upper epidermis, and much
lesser on the epidermis of stems
Stoma under microscope
Structure of stomata
• An opening between two
specialized, photosynthetic
epidermal cells, called
guard cells.
• Play an important role in
the opening and closing of
the stoma (affected by
external and internal
factors)
• The guard cell is
bean-shaped
• Unique - its inner
cellulose wall
bordering the stoma
is thicker than the
outer cellulose wall
facing the epidermal
cells
Functions of stomata
• Plays an important role in gaseous exchange of
respiratory gaseous (absorption of carbon dioxide for
photosynthesis and the regulation of water in the plants)
• Oxygen produced during photosynthesis diffuses out
through the stomatal pores into the atmosphere, while
carbon dioxide diffuses in from the atmosphere into the
leaves
• Under severe water deficit condition, the stomata close
automatically.
• This is due to the release of abscisic acid by the plant
during this water stress condition.
• The closure of stomata helps to prevent water loss from
the plants until the water deficit is lessened.
Opening and Closing of Stoma
• The mechanism of opening and closing of stomata can be
explained in terms of diffusion pressure deficit, water
potential and the accumulatiom of potassium ions in the
guard cells.
• Also affected by various factors (light intensity, water
deficit, temperature and pH in the leaf)
• The opening and and closing of the stomata is a response
to an increase or decrease in the water potential of the
sap solution in the guard cells causing water to enter or
exit the guard cells.
• The bidirectional movement of water in and out of the
guard cells can be explained by many hypotheses, one of
which is the potassium ion accumulation hypothesis.
Potassium ion accumulation hypothesis
• In the potassium ion accumulation hypothesis, the
opening of the stomata is associated with the influx of K+
ions into the guard cells from the epidermal cells
During the day:
• blue light increases the activity of the proton pumps found
in the membrane of the guard cells
• the proton pumps use ATPs produced during the
photosynthetic light reaction to transport H+ ions out of
guard cells
• when H+ ions are pumped out, K+ ions diffuse into the
guard cells through channel proteins (maintain the
electron potential in the guard cells)
• The accumulation of K+ ions in the sap of the guard cells
causes its water potential to decrease. Water is then
drawn into the guard cells by osmosis from the
surrounding epidermal cells
• The guard cells become turgid and curve inwards more
due to the difference in the thickness of its cell walls. This
causes the stoma to open.
Potassium ion accumulation hypothesis:
In the dark or at night:
• the proton pumps are inactive and active transport is not
taking place. K+ ions diffuse out of the guard cells
• this increases the water potential and water then flows out
of the guard cells by osmosis
• the guard cells lose turgidity and the stomatal aperture
closes
• During peak transpiration, the tissues of roots, stem and
leaves may come under some degree of water shortage,
referred to as water stress.
• If the water stress is sufficiently severe, the plant may
release abscisic acid. This phytohormone will trigger the
closure of stomatal aperture, probably by activating the
metabolic ion pump mechanism on the membrane.
• K+ ions move from guard cells to subsidiary epidermal
cells, resulting in a decrease in the concentration of K+
ions in the guard cells.
Factors affecting the opening and closing of stomata
Factors Description
When there is a shortage of water or when the plants
1. Water balance
are experiencing a water stress, the stomata will close
2. Concentration Low concentration of CO2 (less than 0.1%) in the
of CO2 atmosphere will cause stomata to open
Generally, high light intensity but not extremely high will
3. Light cause the stomata to open. The guard cells in the
plants are more sensitive to blue light than the red light
Some plants have a biological clock whereby stomata
4. Circadian will open during the day and close at night. In the case
rhythms of CAM plants, the stomata open during the night and
close during the day to avoid excessive loss of water.

7.2 Gaseous Exchange in Plants

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7.

7.3 GASEOUS CHANGE IN PLANTS

At the of the lesson, students should be able to:

• describe the structure and functions of stomata

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