Transport systems

Large organisms need a transport system so that all cells can obtain
the essential substances required. Diffusion alone would be too slow.

Simple unicellular organisms can rely on diffusion because they have

a large surface area to volume ratio.

Transport in flowering plants

There are 2 types of transport vessel in plants;

1. Xylem vessels
Long hollow cells that from long tubes through the plant. Xylem
cells are dead and lignified (reinforced) to help support the
plant.
They carry water and dissolved mineral ions which enter the
plant through the root from the soil. They are important for
supplying water to leaves for photosynthesis.
The position of the xylem and phloem;

In the root In the stem

2. Phloem vessels
Phloem cells are living cells linked together to form continuous
tubes that carry dissolved food materials. These are mostly
the products of photosynthesis such as sucrose and amino
acids which are formed in leaves and carried to the rest of the
plant. Glucose is converted to sucrose before transport as it is
1
 less reactive and does not cause osmotic imbalances as it
travels. Sucrose can be converted to starch and stored in
seeds and tubers. This movement of food materials is called
translocation.

The absorption of water

Root hair cells absorb water and mineral ions from the soil.
They have fine extensions that stick out into the soil which
greatly increases the surface area for absorption.

Root hair cells are found in a short region of the root just
behind the growing tip of each root. They are delicate and
easily damaged, they are lost as the root grows and more are
produced near the tip of the root.
Soil water is a very dilute concentration of water and solutes.
The concentration of water in the soil is higher than in the
root hair cell, so water enters the root hair cell (RHC) by

2
 osmosis. This increases the concentration of water in the RHC
compared with the cells nearby so water moves into the
neighbouring cells by osmosis. This increases the water
concentration in the neighbouring cells compared with the cells
further in the root so water moves into them…and so on until
water moves into the vascular bundle in the root. Here water is
carried up the xylem tubes by osmosis to the leaves.

Transpiration

Transpiration; evaporation of water vapour from the surface of

a plant, especially the leaves.
Water travels up the xylem vessels to the leaves by osmosis.
Here some water molecules in the spongy mesophyll cells
evaporate into the air spaces in the mesophyll layer. When the
stomata are open the water vapour will diffuse out of the leaf
into the air. This is transpiration.
The loss of water from the spongy mesophyll cells to the air
spaces decreases the concentration of water in their
cytoplasm which draws water into them from surrounding cells
by osmosis. This creates a concentration gradient between
those cells and cells further in the leaf, so water molecules
move into them, and so on….all the way back to the xylem.

3
 Water from the xylem moves out into the surrounding cells by
osmosis, which in turn draws water up the xylem vessel. This
continuous movement of water molecules up the plant is called
the transpiration stream.

Factors that affect the rate of transpiration

The rate of transpiration from a leaf is affected by anything
that changes the concentration gradient of water molecules
between the leaf and the air.
1. Humidity
The concentration of water molecules in the air is called
humidity. High humidity air feels damp because of the high
concentration of water molecules in the air. Air feels dry
when humidity is low.
There is a high concentration of water molecules in the air
spaces of leaves, so when there is high humidity there is a
low concentration gradient between the leaf and the air and

4
 transpiration rate is slow. In low humidity air there is a high
concentration gradient so the rate of transpiration is
faster.
2. Wind Speed
The faster the air outside the leaf is moving, the faster the
water molecules that diffuse out of the leaf move away.
This ensures the concentration gradient is always high so
transpiration rate is higher.
3. Temperature
Increased temperature gives particles more heat energy
which means they move faster, so they evaporate out of the
leaf faster. Higher temperatures therefore increase the
transpiration rate.
4. Light intensity
The higher the light intensity; the more photosynthesis is
taking place, so stomata open wide to allow diffusion of
gases into and out of the leaf. The open stomata also allow
water molecules to diffuse out of the leaf more easily which
increases the rate of transpiration.

Plants use transpiration for;

1. Obtaining water for photosynthesis ~ 10%
2. A solvent for other things ~10%
3. In chemical reactions ~5%
4. Where chemical reactions take place ~5%
5. Cooling the plant ~70%

5
Measuring the Rate of Transpiration

Potometers are used to measure the rate of

transpiration.

Everything must be placed in a sink whilst setting

up to prevent formation of air bubbles. The shoot
is cut at an angle to make it easier to push into
the rubber tubing. Vaseline can be used to seal
joints. A capillary tube is used to magnify the
uptake. Time taken for the bubble to move along the scale is
recorded.

Problem: Usually the water uptake would exceed water lost because
water is used for photosynthesis. In experiments like this, we
assume that they’re equal.