Xylem transports water
and mineral ions, the
phloem transports
dissolved substances
such as sugars.
Xylem
Very long, tube like
structures formed from
cells joined end to end
No end walls,
the cells are
dead
Walls thickened with lignin
helps supports the xylem
from collapsing and
waterproofs it.
The pits allow
water to move
in and out
Phloem
Purely a transport tissue
and not used for support
Sieve tube elements are living. Contain
little cytoplasm and have no nucleus.
The sieve parts are at the end walls
which allow solutes to pass through
Companion cells, for every sieve tube
element there is a companion cell. Has
many mitochondria to make ATP.
Water transport
Water enter a plant
through root hair cells
Water from the soil diffuses into the
root cells down the water potential
gradient
Water moves through the
root into the Xylem
Water travel into
the xylem via the
root cortex
Apoplast, symplast and
vacuolar pathways
Water reaches the
Casparian Strips (waxy) and
forces the water into the
symplast pathway. Easy for
water to diffuse through
membrane in the xylem)
Up the Xylem and
out at the leaves
Water leaves the xylem and moves
into the cells in the leaves. It
evaporates from the cells walls into
the spaces. When the stomata open
the vapor moves out
Against gravity
From root to leaves is called
transpiration stream
Water molecules are
cohesive and form a
column, the whole column
moves up when vapor
escapes
Adhesion: water is also
attracted to the wall of the
xylem vessel
Transpiration
Evaporation of water
from a plants surface
The lighter, hotter, lower
humidity and winder it is,
increases the transpiration rate
Potometers measure
the water uptake
Cut the shoot at a slant. No air
bubbles. Insert shoot underwater.
Make sure it's airtight. Dry the leaves.
Keep conditions constant. Record the
movement of bubble.
Xerophytic Plants
Less stomata and
they are sunk in pits
Spines instead
of leaves
Thick, waxy layer
Curled leaves inside
and a layer of hair
Translocation
Movement of
dissolved substances
The source is where a
substance is made. The sink
is the area where it is used up
Sucrose is loaded into the phloem by an active
process. ATP by the companion cells, to actively
load H+ out of their cytoplasm. Set up a diffusion
gradient and the H+ diffuse back in.
As the concentration of sucrose builds up
they diffuse into the sieve tube elements.
At the source, sucrose
enters, reducing water
potential, so water also
enters.
At the sink they sucrose is removed and
increases water potential so water also
leaves the phloem. The pressure gradient
pushes solutes along the sieve tubes