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Gas Exchange in Plants: Stomata Function

Plants exchange gases through openings called stomata. Stomata are located on the leaves and stems of plants and are flanked by guard cells that control the opening and closing of the stomata. The stomata allow carbon dioxide to enter the plant for photosynthesis while oxygen is released, and also facilitate transpiration. Guard cells regulate the opening and closing of stomata through changing turgor pressure - increasing their solute content makes the guard cells turgid and opens the stomata, while decreasing solutes at night makes the guard cells flaccid and closes the stomata.

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Maria Theresa Herrero
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190 views6 pages

Gas Exchange in Plants: Stomata Function

Plants exchange gases through openings called stomata. Stomata are located on the leaves and stems of plants and are flanked by guard cells that control the opening and closing of the stomata. The stomata allow carbon dioxide to enter the plant for photosynthesis while oxygen is released, and also facilitate transpiration. Guard cells regulate the opening and closing of stomata through changing turgor pressure - increasing their solute content makes the guard cells turgid and opens the stomata, while decreasing solutes at night makes the guard cells flaccid and closes the stomata.

Uploaded by

Maria Theresa Herrero
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

GAS EXCHANGE IN

PLANTS
Similar to animals, plants also need to
exchange gas with their environment.
However, plants have one of the
simplest ways of gas exchange.
THE NATURE AND FUNCTION
OF THE STOMATA
A close examination of the plant body, particularly
the leaves, will reveal the presence of openings
called stomata. The stomata are considered the
“breathing organs” of the plants. Aside from the
stomata, along the stems of plants are small
elevated and oval-shape structures called lenticels.
These are porous structures which function for gas
exchange
STOMATA
Stomata are minute openings in the leaves of plants flanked
by a pair of sausage- shape cells called guard cells.
Stomata serves as entry and exit points of gases in plants.
Carbon dioxide that plants need photosynthesis diffuses
from the surroundings to the leaves through the stomata,
while the oxygen molecules release as a by-product of
photosynthesis also move out these openings. The stomata
also serve as passageways for the transpiration of water
through the leaves during hot and windy days.
Stomata are commonly located at the lower epidermis of
leaves rather than at the upper epidermis. This maximizes
water loss and prevents the clogging of the stomata with
dust. Guard cells vary in shape. Dicot guard cells are
shaped differently compared to monocots. Guard cell
shape is a good taxonomic character that could
differentiate dicots from monocots. A close examination
of a guard cell shows the presence of a nucleus and
chloroplast. Guard cells are the only epidermal cells with
chloroplast. The size of the stomata is controlled by the
condition of the guardcells
TURGOR PRESSURE
Guard cells is responsible for the opening and closing of the stomata. It
is the pressure that water exist on the cell membrane, which pushes it
towards the cell wall. In guard cells, this happens as the result of active
uptake of potassium, malate and chlorine ions. This causes increase in
the concentration of solute inside the guard cells, decreasing their water
potential. When this happens, water outside the guardcells will move
osmotically to the inside of the cell, causing it to become turgid. When
the guard cells are turgid, the stomata are open. Guard cells are usually
open during day time when photosynthesis take place and then lose
turgor in the evening. During nighttime, sucrose produced during the
day is unloaded to the outside of the guard cells, resulting in their loss
of turgor. When this happens, guard cells become flaccid, and results in
the closing of the stomata.

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