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GASES EXCHANGE IN PLANTS

Siti Sarah binti Sekeri

Introduction
Gas exchange three major gases with the environment These are CO (for photosynthesis), O (for respiration) and water vapour (transpiration) These gases may be taken up or release by plants

 During the day, most plants produce oxygen through photosynthesis and use up carbon dioxide During the night, when there is no photosynthesis, oxygen is consumed for respiratory processes

 In aquatic plants, carbon dioxide required for photosynthesis is obtained from the surrounding water in the form of hydrogencarbonate ions from the carbonic acid present

 In terrestrial plants, the carbon dioxide is obtained from the atmosphere through the stomata found on the surface of leaves, stems and branches

Structure of Stoma
Stoma is a pore or aperture that penetrates the epidermis of leaves, branches and stems of green plants Normally, more stomata are found on the lower epidermis compared to the upper epidermis of leaves, and much less on the epidermis of stems

 Gaseous exchange in plants occurs mainly through pores called stomata They are found on the epidermis of leaves & stems of flowering plants

 Lenticels found in the bark of stem & root hairs with thin walls & large surface are also allow gaseous exchange to take place Each stoma consist of a stomata pore surrounded by two guard cells

 Each guard cell is kidney-shapes & contains chloroplasts It has a thinner outer wall & a thicker, less elastic, inner wall

 Changes in turgid pressure of guard cells causes the opening or closing of the stomatal pore

 Besides, stoma is a formed by two specialized epidermal cells, bordering each other The guard cells play an important role in the opening and closing of the stoma

 Next, the guard cells are beanshaped, and are different from other epidermal cells These guard cells contain chlorophyll, thus can photosynthesise, whereas the epidermal cells do not contain chlorophyll and thus cannot photosynthesise

 Another unique characteristic of the guard cell is that the inner cellulose wall bordering the stoma is thicker than the outer cellulose wall bordering the epidermal cells around the guard cells

Functions of Stoma Stoma plays important role in the gaseous exchange of respiratory gases, in particular the absorption of CO, and the regulation of water in the plants

 O produced during photosynthesis diffuses out through the stomatal pores into the atmosphere, while CO diffuses in from the atmosphere into the leaves

 Under water deficit conditions, stoma closes automatically This helps to prevent water loss from the plants until the water deficit diminishes

STOMATAL OPENING

STOMATAL OPENING AND CLOSING

STOMATAL CLOSING

STOMATAL OPENING
It has been observed that stomatal opening is promoted by high light intensity and low mesophyll CO levels. Guard cells, which contain chloroplasts, generate ATP by photophosphorylation during photosynthesis.

 Blue light (BL) is absorbed by BL photoreceptors Which activate a proto pump (H-ATPase) in the cell membrane of the guard cell.

 ATPs generated by the lightdependent reaction of photosynthesis are hydrolysed to provide energy to drive the proton pump. As proton (H) are pumped out of the guard cells, the cells become increasingly negatively charge.

 Potassium channels are activated and K ions diffuse from subsidiary cells through the channels down this electrochemical gradient into the guard cells. Chloride ions (Cl) then enter to balance the charge.

 In some plants, starch are converted into malate (the old hypothesis proposed that starch was converted to sugar). The older hypothesis is the starch-sugar hypothesis.

 During the daylight, starch is converted into soluble sugars to lower the water potential of cell sap. The reverse process occurs at night.

 The accumulation of K ions (and malate ions) causes the water potential in the guard cells to become more negative. Water enters by osmosis from neighbouring subsidiary cells into the guard cells.

 The guard cells become turgid. The outer wall of guard cell is thinner and more elastic than the thicker inner wall. There are cellulose microfibrils radially arranged around the cell wall and the ends of the two guard cells are joined.

 The increased turgor pressure therefore causes the guard cells to curve outward and the stoma opens.

Stomatal closure
Stomatal closure can be triggered by water stress, high temperature, increasing CO levels in the leaf mesophyll and low light intensity (nighttime). The hormone abscisic acid (ABA) is secreted by plant cell when transpiration rate is high and soil water is low.

 This often occurs around mid-day or when a plant begins to wilt. The ABA binds the receptors at the cell membrane of the guard cells. This increases the permeability of calcium channels in the cell membrane.

 Calcium ions (Ca ) enter into the guard cell. The influx of Ca also triggers the release of Ca from the cell vacuole into the cytosol. The accumulation of Ca inhibits the proton pump.

 Potassium ions (K) move out of the guard cells into subsidiary cells. In some plants, Cl and certain organic ions e.g malate ions also move out of the guard cells.

 In the older hypothesis, at night glucose is converted to insoluble starch. The water potential in the guard cell increases. Water diffuses out to neighbouring subsidiary cells by osmosis.

 The turgor pressure in the guard cells decreases, the cells become flaccid and the stoma closes. At the night, the chloroplasts in the guard cells do not photosynthesise. Less ATP is produced.

 There is no active uptake of K ions. Instead, the K ions diffuse out of the guard cells. The cells become flaccid and the stoma closes.

Factors affecting the opening and closing of stoma

Circadian rhythms Some plants have biological clock whereby stomata open during the day and close at night Plants were observed to continue opening and closing their stoma even when exposed to 24 hours of continuous light However, some plants in hot dry conditions (CAM plants) have an opposite rhythm

 Water balance When there is a shortage of water, plants will wilt. Wilting closes stomata Concentration of CO A low concentration of CO in the surrounding air causes stomata to open Light Light causes stomata to open whereby plants are more sensitive to blue light compared to red light