Transpiration Lecture

Transpiration
1. Definition
• Transpiration is the evaporation of water
from the aerial parts of plants.
Of all the water plant absorbs, over 95-99%

is transpired to the air as water vapor.
4. From where water is transpired?
• Aerial parts of whole young plant
• Lenticels (lenticular transpiration) 0.1%
• Cutin (cuticular transpiration) 3%~10%
Stomatum (stomatal transpiration) ~ 90%
What is most likely leaving through the
stomata of the leaf picture here?
• Water (H2O)
What is this process called?
◼ Stomatal Transpiration
Stomatal transpiration
Cuticle
Prevents
water loss
Mesophyll
Site of
photosynthesis
Cuticle
Stomata Guard cells
Openings allow gases Open and close
and water to move in the stomata
and out of leaf
Importance of transpiration
Guard Cells What process involves
Guard Cells
What
using CO2 and H2O
goes releasing O2 as a waste
O2 H2O product?
out?
• Photosynthesis
What
goes CO2 What is the plant using this
in? process to make?
Stoma Closed
Stoma
Stoma Open • Carbohydrates-glucose
If the plant needs water for

photosynthesis, why is
water coming out of the
stoma?
Function of Stomata
• These stomata (leaf
openings) naturally allow
water to evaporate out.
Why would the plant close
stomata with guard cells?
• Prevent excess water loss
Guard Cells
throughStoma
transpiration.
Open Stoma Closed
(conserve water)
So what is the point of having
stomata?
• Allows gas exchange for
photosynthesis
Function of Guard Cells
How do the
guard cells react
to the availability
of water?
Dry – guard
cells CLOSE
lots of H2O –
guard cells
OPEN
http://www.ualr.edu/~botany/images.html
4. Guard cells:
• cells that open and
close the stoma
5. Stomata: openings in
leaf’s surface; when
open:
• GAS EXCHANGE:
Allows CO2 in & O2 out
of leaf Guard Cells Stomata
• TRANSPIRATION:
5. Characteristics of guard cells
Factors influencing stomatal
aperture
• Light
• Temp.
• CO2
• Water content
• Plant hormone
(1). Light
• Stomata of most plant open in the day and
close at night, while CAM plants are just
the opposite.
• Stomata opening are sensitive to red light
and blue light, and blue light is more
effective, it stimulates opening by a blue-
light receptor: zeaxanthin.
(2) Temperature
• Stomatal aperture increase with Temp,
within 20- 30℃ (the optimal).
(3). CO2
• Low CO2 conc. promotes stomatal opening,
while high CO2 conc. inhibits stomatal
opening through its acidification of the
guard cell thus inhibits PM
hyperpolarization.
(4) Water content
• Stomata open when the leaf contain
enough water. When there is a water
shortage, they close.
(5) Plant hormones
• CTK promotes opening
• ABA inhibits
Factors that influence transpiration
Transpiration from the leaf depends on
two major factors:
1. Difference in water vapor gradient

2. Diffusional resistance
The driving force
of transpiration is
the “vapor
pressure
gradient.” This is
the difference in
vapor pressure
between the
internal spaces in
the leaf and the
atmosphere
around the leaf
Diffusional resistance comprises

stomatal resistance and boundary
layer resistance
Environmental factors that affect
the rate of transpiration
1. Light
Plants transpire more rapidly in the light
than in the dark. This is largely because
light stimulates the opening of the
stomata , Light also speeds up
transpiration by warming the leaf .
2. Temperature
Plants transpire more rapidly at higher
temperatures because water evaporates
more rapidly as the temperature rises.
3. Humidity
When the surrounding air is dry, diffusion
of water out of the leaf goes on more
rapidly.
• 4. Wind
When a breeze is present, the humid air is
carried away and replaced by drier air.
• 5. Soil water
A plant cannot continue to transpire rapidly if its
water loss is not made up by replacement from
the soil. When absorption of water by the roots
fails to keep up with the rate of transpiration,
loss of turgor occurs, and the stomata close.
This immediately reduces the rate of
transpiration. If the loss of turgor extends to the
rest of the leaf and stem, the plant wilts.
If you were an aquatic plant
where would your stomata be?
Fringed Water-lily
Stomata are found only on the upper epidermis because

the lower epidermis if submerged in water. If the stomata
were to be on the underside, they wouldn't be able to
perform their function (i.e to allow water to evaporate and
thus contribute to transpiration).

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Transpiration

Of all the water plant absorbs, over 95-99%

If the plant needs water for

1. Difference in water vapor gradient

Diffusional resistance comprises

Stomata are found only on the upper epidermis because

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