Question
Explain how abiotic factors affect plants.
Answer
(1) Wind
- Windy conditions transpiration
- Wind disperses fruits/seeds/spores; an agent of pollination
(2) Temperature
- Change in temperature affect rate of photosynthesis/other biochemical reactions/ metabolic/enzymatic reactions; rise in temperature rises transpiration.
(3) Light
-(Green) plants need light for photosynthesis
- Some plants need it for flowering
- Some seeds (like lattice) require it for germination
(4) Humidity
- When humidity is low, transpiration rate rises
(5) PH
- Each plant requires specific PH to grow well
- Acidic or alkalinity or neutral
(6) Salinity
- Plants with salt tolerant tissues (e.g. mangrove) grow in saline area; plants in estuaries adjust to salt fluctuations
(7) Topography
- North falling slopes in temperate lands have more plants than south facing slopes
- Windward side plants have stunted and distorted growth; leeward side plants are stunted/windward normal growth
(8) Rainfall/water
- Few plants in dry areas/where rainfall is less
- Water for germination
- Water as a raw material for photosynthesis
- Water as solvent for mineral salts
- Provides turgidity
- Water for dispersal
- A medium of transport of plant nutrients
(9) Mineral salts
- Plants thrive (grow well in soils with mineral salts)
- Plants living in soil with deficiency of particular element have special methods of obtaining it. Legumes obtain nitrogen by nitrogen fixation /carnivorous plants/insectivorous plants, carnivorous trees obtain their nutrients from mycorrhizal association
- Windy conditions transpiration
- Wind disperses fruits/seeds/spores; an agent of pollination
(2) Temperature
- Change in temperature affect rate of photosynthesis/other biochemical reactions/ metabolic/enzymatic reactions; rise in temperature rises transpiration.
(3) Light
-(Green) plants need light for photosynthesis
- Some plants need it for flowering
- Some seeds (like lattice) require it for germination
(4) Humidity
- When humidity is low, transpiration rate rises
(5) PH
- Each plant requires specific PH to grow well
- Acidic or alkalinity or neutral
(6) Salinity
- Plants with salt tolerant tissues (e.g. mangrove) grow in saline area; plants in estuaries adjust to salt fluctuations
(7) Topography
- North falling slopes in temperate lands have more plants than south facing slopes
- Windward side plants have stunted and distorted growth; leeward side plants are stunted/windward normal growth
(8) Rainfall/water
- Few plants in dry areas/where rainfall is less
- Water for germination
- Water as a raw material for photosynthesis
- Water as solvent for mineral salts
- Provides turgidity
- Water for dispersal
- A medium of transport of plant nutrients
(9) Mineral salts
- Plants thrive (grow well in soils with mineral salts)
- Plants living in soil with deficiency of particular element have special methods of obtaining it. Legumes obtain nitrogen by nitrogen fixation /carnivorous plants/insectivorous plants, carnivorous trees obtain their nutrients from mycorrhizal association
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