Question

Describe the environment that xeric, mesic, and hydric plants are adapted for and discuss the anatomical/physiological differences of the leaves between these groups. Include a detailed description of transpiration, its function, and problems that it imposes on certain plants due to their environment.

Answer 1

1. Xeric plants - adapted to survive in an environment with little liquid water such as a desert or an ice- or snow-covered region in the Alps or the Arctic. xeric plants have deep-spreading roots and capacity to store water. The leaves are waxy and thorny that prevents loss of water and moisture. adapted for reduced transpiration for it a Thick waxy cuticle that acts as a barrier to evaporation. Sunken stomata in pits in the lower epidermis trap moist air that reduces evaporation rate.

2. Mesic plants - Mesic climates receive less rain than hydric but stay moist most of the year. They have little root systems. Their leaves will be shiny or waxy and without as many trichome as their Xeric cousins who live in dryer climates. Have darker green leaves, Have smooth leaves with little appearance of trichomes and Often will have leaves that are tightly curled or cupped. are usually leaved under canopy of a tree and have medium capapcity of transpiration.

3. hydric plants - hydrophytes adapted to live in aquatic conditions iwth little or no root system. The most common adaptation is the presence of lightweight internal packing cells, aerenchyma, but floating leaves and finely dissected leaves are also common. Most leaves in hydrophytes are thin, and many can float freely in water. The part of plants that allow for gas exchange known as stomata are located only on the part of the plant surface which are exposed to air. Finally, underwater plants will often lack stomata since they no longer need to exchange gases with the atmosphere anymore. They instead exchange gases with the water they live in.

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