QUESTION: Which tissue transports water around a plant?
ANS:
- Xylem tissue is responsible for transporting water around a plant
- It is a complex network of cells that forms continuous tubes throughout the plant, allowing water and dissolved minerals to move from the roots to the rest of the plant.
- Xylem tissue is composed of several types of specialized cells, including vessel elements, tracheids, fibers, and parenchyma cells.
- The movement of water through the xylem is driven by a combination of transpiration (water loss from the leaves) and cohesion-tension forces.
- Xylem facilitates the absorption of minerals and nutrients from the soil by the plant’s roots, which are then transported upwards to support various metabolic processes.
- The xylem tissue provides structural support to the plant, allowing it to stand upright against gravity.
- Xylem sap is the water and dissolved substances transported through the xylem tissue.
- Xylem sap also contains hormones and other signaling molecules that help regulate plant growth and development.
| Xylem Tissue | Information |
| Composition
|
· Vessel elements
· Tracheids · Fibers · Parenchyma cells |
| Function | · Transport of water
· Minerals · Nutrients from the roots to the aerial parts of the plant · It also provides structural support. |
| Water transport | · The movement of water through xylem tissue is facilitated by the cohesion-tension theory |
| Mineral uptake | · Xylem tissue plays a crucial role in the absorption of minerals and nutrients from the soil by the plant’s roots, which are then transported upwards through the xylem. |
| Structural support | · Xylem tissue provides mechanical support and strength to the plant |
| Components of xylem sap | · Water
· Minerals · Nutrients such as potassium, calcium, and nitrogen compounds · It also contains hormones and signaling molecules |
| Evolutionary adaptations | · Xylem tissue has evolved different structural adaptations in different plant groups, such as vessel elements in angiosperms and tracheids in gymnosperms and other vascular plants. |
| Research areas
|
· Scientists study xylem tissue to understand its role in water transport
· Adaptations to different environments · Responses to stress · Potential applications in areas such as biomimicry and plant engineering. |