What does evaporation mean for plants? What does this phenomenon lead to?

Many of the townsfolk have a poor understanding of the importance of vegetation for life on the planet. Meanwhile, it is the plants that provide replenishment of the Earth's atmosphere with oxygen, serve as food for herbivores and other forms of life, process biological waste and carbon dioxide.

And even the water cycle in nature is unthinkable without flora! Do you know the importance of evaporation for plants, and also for the biosphere as a whole? If not, then specially for you we have prepared this article!

How does water enter tissues and plant cells?

Through the roots and root hairs, the liquid is absorbed, and then spread throughout the plant's organism. As in the case of animal cells, water for them is life itself, since plant tissue more than 90% consists precisely of liquid.

The molecules of numerous trace element salts that are dissolved in the liquid exert a certain pressure on the cell membrane, since they can not pass through it under normal conditions.

This phenomenon is called osmotic pressure. Of course, the water itself in the form of an isotonic salt solution also stretches the elastic cell membrane. The voltage is indicated by the word "turgor". Simply put, it is due to water and dissolved salts in it that plant tissue is maintained in an elastic and elastic state. But this happens only in conditions of normal water-salt metabolism.

So what does evaporation mean for plants? As soon as a part of the water from the cell evaporates, the concentration of salts in it becomes larger. The concentrated solution begins to draw water through the cell membrane until it becomes isotonic. The difference between the concentration of salts in the cell and the water that enters the plant determines the suction force.

The importance of evaporation in this process

On the surface of the leaf there are tiny holes, stomata. It is with their help that the plant evaporates moisture from its surface. And what is the significance of evaporation for plants in this case? Most important, because it is through evaporation and increasing the concentration of salts in the cell creates a suction force that contributes to the flow of water and nutrients into cells and tissues.

Actually, all the movement of liquids in the plant becomes possible only through the evaporation process. It is not necessary to consider that this phenomenon goes uncontrollably: the stomata of the stomata can be opened and closed for a fraction of a percent, ideally regulating the intensity of the moisture transfer to the external environment. In total darkness and in the midday sun they completely overlap, preventing dehydration of the plant.

On what else the flow of water into the cytoplasm of cells depends

If the intensity of the movement of fluids in the tissues of the plant depended solely on evaporation, at night it would completely stop. The fact is that some of the water always evaporates through the cuticle, but its amount is very small.

If you conduct a simple experiment, cutting the plant near the root of the neck itself, you will quickly notice that the water still continues to flow from the roots. This proves that the fluid moves through the tissues of the plants also because of the difference in the concentrations of the solutions.

In addition, a huge role in this process is also played by root pressure, due to which the plant distills moisture into the "vessels" formed by layers of dead cells.

Since there are no living tissues, the water freely reaches the leaves, where it evaporates through the stomata mentioned above.

So what is the significance of evaporation for plants, if we generalize all the information obtained? First, with the water that moves as a result of this phenomenon, nutrients are spread over the plant . Secondly, constant evaporation is extremely important for plants growing in the southern regions. Evaporating, the water corny cools the whole plant.

As you can see, the evaporation of water in the life of plants plays a vital role.

Percentage of absorbed and evaporated moisture

The simplest experiments of scientists have shown that out of a thousand volumetric parts of water that enter the plant, no more than three are absorbed. All other 997 parts by weight evaporate. In our climate plants need to evaporate about a kilogram of water to form a similar amount of dry matter. In a word, the intensity of this phenomenon directly depends on the climatic conditions in your locality.

Experiments of scientists

Scientist Shlessing has spent a couple of centuries ago an entertaining experience. He took three bush of tobacco, two of which were planted in open ground. The difference between them was only in the composition of the soil and the place of planting. The third plant he rooted in a pot, which was kept in a roomy environment, but was constantly covered with a hood.

As a result of his experiments, he found out that the first two shrubs had evaporated almost three times more water during the growing season, but at the same time they formed two times (!) Times less dry matter than the "room" tobacco.

But! When he burned the first two plants, he was surprised to find out that the ash elements contain one and a half times as much. Thus, the inadequate evaporation of moisture by plants in particularly hot regions or droughts leads to excessive production of minerals that they do not really need.

The importance of evaporation in the life of crops

This is especially relevant for agricultural crops. Among other things, this phenomenon also reduces the nutritional and flavor value of these, as the excess of ash substances negatively affects these parameters. Accordingly, the increased evaporation of water by the plant also contributes to the severe depletion of soils, since many mineral substances leave it.

Why do we tell all this? Just not everyone understands that everything in nature is interconnected. It is no accident in the hot regions, soil is required to fertilize much more often. In addition, in such climatic zones it is much more sensitive to the introduction of mineral fertilizers, which should also be taken into account when developing professional farming techniques for the cultivation of certain crops.

Influence on taste and nutritional qualities of plants

However, plant breeders have noticed since ancient times that in dry years, when plants have to be irrigated constantly, their nutritional value drops sharply when compared with more successful years in terms of precipitation. Thus, evaporation in the life of plants plays a much greater role than it is possible to think from the side.

Not surprisingly, in particularly hot years, when the amount of moisture in the soil is sharply reduced, and the evaporation ability is reduced to a minimum, the growth and development of plants practically stop. Under these conditions, they can no longer cool themselves, and therefore they often dry up banally.

conclusions

Even in mild cases of a short drought, it is because of this that severe burns quickly appear on the leaves. This is especially pronounced in regions where there are dry winds, that is, hot and very dry winds.

Unless measures are taken, such climate phenomena can easily destroy even a whole field with cultural crops. Only thoughtful plowing, timely irrigation and the destruction of weeds can help save the crop. However, people know about this for a very long time.

We hope that now you are convinced that evaporation in plants is a vital process, without which they can not physically exist.