Tuesday 5 June 2012

Plants USE OXYGEN ALL THE TIME!

Yes, all green or vascular plants use OXYGEN ALL THE TIME! Green plants release oxygen through photosynthesis but they still consume oxygen at the same time. The primary way plants USE OXYGEN is through THEIR ROOT CELLS. Plants continually grow root hairs in order to absorb water and nutrients from the soil. These root hairs DO NOT carry out photosynthesis (they are underground) and are made of living cells like you and me. These cells live and function by USING OXYGEN and give off CARBON DIOXIDE! Again, just like you and me. They burn carbohydrates to obtain the energy they need to function, just like you and me. This is why you can tragically "drown" a plant by giving it too much water. If there is too much water, the plant can't "breathe", it can't get enough oxygen. Again, the same could happen to you and me.

There are some plants that have evolved to get around this issue - it could rain and rain and rain - not our fault. Cypress trees and cattails have root hairs that grow out of the stems above the soil and/or water surface so that they can "breathe" - take in Oxygen.

No comments:

Post a Comment