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    Xerophytes

    Uploaded by

    Réda Mouline
    This document discusses plant adaptations to different habitats. It focuses on xerophytes, which are plants adapted to dry habitats. The session aims to take leaf measurements to compare mass loss, learn about xerophyte adaptations, and have students generate questions about xerophytes. Xerophytes possess adaptations like thick waxy cuticles, sunken stomata, leaf hairs, and rolled leaves to reduce water loss through transpiration. Examples of xerophytic plants and their adaptations are discussed, including marram grass and cacti.

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    Xerophytes

    Uploaded by

    Réda Mouline
    117 views22 pages
    This document discusses plant adaptations to different habitats. It focuses on xerophytes, which are plants adapted to dry habitats. The session aims to take leaf measurements to compare mass loss, learn about xerophyte adaptations, and have students generate questions about xerophytes. Xerophytes possess adaptations like thick waxy cuticles, sunken stomata, leaf hairs, and rolled leaves to reduce water loss through transpiration. Examples of xerophytic plants and their adaptations are discussed, including marram grass and cacti.

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    This document discusses plant adaptations to different habitats. It focuses on xerophytes, which are plants adapted to dry habitats. The session aims to take leaf measurements to compare mass loss, learn about xerophyte adaptations, and have students generate questions about xerophytes. Xerophytes possess adaptations like thick waxy cuticles, sunken stomata, leaf hairs, and rolled leaves to reduce water loss through transpiration. Examples of xerophytic plants and their adaptations are discussed, including marram grass and cacti.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PPT, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as ppt, pdf, or txt
    117 views22 pages

    Xerophytes

    Uploaded by

    Réda Mouline
    This document discusses plant adaptations to different habitats. It focuses on xerophytes, which are plants adapted to dry habitats. The session aims to take leaf measurements to compare mass loss, learn about xerophyte adaptations, and have students generate questions about xerophytes. Xerophytes possess adaptations like thick waxy cuticles, sunken stomata, leaf hairs, and rolled leaves to reduce water loss through transpiration. Examples of xerophytic plants and their adaptations are discussed, including marram grass and cacti.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PPT, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as ppt, pdf, or txt
    of 22

    Aims of the session:

    • Take measurements of leaves + see if xerophytes have


    a different pattern of mass loss

    • Learn about the adaptations xerophytes have

    • See what type of question they can ask about


    xerophytes (and be able to answer it)
    Plant adaptations to habitats
    Plants in different habitats possess different adaptations:

    Mesophytes: plants adapted to a habitat with adequate


    water

    Xerophytes: plants adapted to a dry habitat

    Halophytes: plants adapted to a salty habitat

    Hydrophytes: plants adapted to a freshwater habitat


    Hydrophyte:
    Leaf undersurface of the tree fern. Extremely
    high number of stomata per unit in a species
    living in tropic cloud forests where is is very
    moist.
    XEROPHYTES
    Xerophytes possess some or all of
    these adaptations to prevent
    excessive water loss

    •Stomata sunken in pits creates local


    humidity/decreases exposure to air currents;

    •Presence of hairs creates local humidity next


    to leaf/decreases exposure to air currents by
    reducing flow around stomata;

    •Thick waxy cuticle makes more waterproof


    impermeable to water;
    Xerophytes possess some or all of
    these adaptations to prevent
    excessive water loss cont.

    •Stomata on inside of rolled leaf creates local


    humidity/decreases exposure to air currents
    because water vapour evaporates into air
    space rather than atmosphere e.g. British
    Marram grass

    •Fewer stomata decreases transpiration as this


    is where water is lost;
    Xerophyte adaptations summary:
    Adaptation How it works Example

    thick cuticle stops uncontrolled evaporation  


    through leaf cells

    small leaf surface less surface area for conifer needles, cactus
    area evaporation spines

    low stomata density smaller surface area for  


    diffusion

    sunken stomata maintains humid air around marram grass, cacti


    stomata

    stomatal hairs maintains humid air around marram grass, couch


    (trichores) stomata grass

    rolled leaves maintains humid air around marram grass,


    stomata

    extensive roots maximise water uptake cacti


    All Cacti are xerophytes
    Left and right Epidermis of the cactus Rhipsalis
    dissimilis.
    Left: View of the epidermis surface. The crater-shaped
    depressions with a guard cell each at their base can be
    seen.
    Right: X-section through the epidermis & underlying
    tissues. The guard cells are countersunk, the cuticle is
    thickened. These are classic xerophyte adaptations.
    Transverse Section Through Leaf of Xerophytic Plant
    XEROPHYTE
    SPECIES STUDY:

    MARRAM GRASS
    Marram grass possesses:
    rolled leaves, leaf hairs and
    sunken stomata. These
    adaptations make it resistant
    to dry conditions and of
    course sand-dunes which
    drain very quickly retain very
    little water.
    BYB3 June 2001 Question 8 part c
    BYB3 June 2001 Question 8 part c
    ANSWERS
    BYB3 Jan 2002 Question 6 part c
    BYB3 Jan 2002 Question 6 part c
    ANSWERS
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