At plants, like animals, they carry out different reactions in their bodies. Many people may believe that the vegetable only makes the photosynthesis, forgetting about processes like breathing and sweating.
→ Cellular respiration
Cellular respiration is a process that occurs in different living beings, therefore, it also happens in plants. As the name suggests, cell respiration takes place in cells.
In humans, we have lung respiration, in which oxygen enters our nostrils and is carried to the lungs, where it passes into the blood. At that point, oxygen becomes available to the cells that will carry out cellular respiration. In plants, oxygen will enter through structures called stomata.
Cellular respiration is a complex event, but in a nutshell, we can say that a reaction between glucose and oxygen occurs in it, generating, in the end, carbon dioxide, water and energy. This process is, therefore, the main source of energy supply for the cell.
→ vegetable transpiration
Plants also undergo the process known as transpiration. In this case, the plant loses water in the form of steam. Perspiration is done by any part of the plant that is above the ground, however, it is a process that occurs in greater quantity in the leaves. This is due to the fact that the leaf has a large amount of stomata, which are structures responsible for gas exchange in plants. It is estimated that 90% of transpired water is lost from these locations.
Perspiration is linked to the uptake of carbon dioxide, which is essential for photosynthesis. However, in excess, this process can trigger damage to the plant, such as slowing its growth and even leading to death. To prevent excessive water loss, many plants rely on important adaptations, such as the waxy cuticle.
ATTENTION: Sometimes you can see drops of water on the edges and apex of the leaves. This loss of water is not perspiration, as this substance, in this case, is in a liquid state. We call this phenomenon guttation, and it is through it that the elimination of water occurs by special structures called hydathodes.
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