Plants

5 Key excerpts on "Plants"

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  eBook - PDF

  Fundamentals of Botany

  • Davis, Z(Authors)
  • 2018(Publication Date)
  • Agri Horti Press

    (Publisher)

  2 Fundamentals of Botany It was alluded to in the opening definition that Botany is a science. Just what makes Botany, or anything else a science? It is important to acquire a grasp of the fundamentals of science itself to fully appreciate both how botanical knowledge was gained as well as how it can be used. It is usually quickly disinteresting to acquire facts simply for the sake of knowing. Humans do not just appreciate mountains because they are there , they climb them because they are there! Biology is defined as the study of life, and Botany is that discipline within Biology concerned with the study of living organisms called Plants and with certain other living things that are not Plants (but are not animals either). DEFINING ‘PLANT’ Like many words in common usage that apply to biological entities or concepts, the term plant is more difficult to define than might be at first obvious. Although botanists describe a Kingdom Plantae, the boundaries defining members of Plantae are more exclusive than our common concept of a “plant”. We are tempted to regard plant as meaning a multicellular, eukaryotic organism that generally does not have sensory organs or voluntary motion and has, when complete, a root, stem, and leaves. However, botanically only vascular Plants have a root, stem, and leaves, and even some vascular Plants, such as certain carnivorous Plants and duckweed, fall afoul of that definition. But to be fair, the vascular Plants are the Plants we tend to encounter every day and that most people would readily regard as “Plants”. A more significant point of departure between Plantae and Plants occurs among the seaweeds. Technically, only a relatively minor group of seaweeds (the chlorophytes or green algae) are members of the Kingdom Plantae.

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  eBook - PDF

  Using the Biological Literature

  A Practical Guide, Fourth Edition

  • Diane Schmidt(Author)
  • 2014(Publication Date)
  • CRC Press

    (Publisher)

  213 CHAPTER 10 Plant Biology Botany is “the scientific study of Plants, including their anatomy, morphology, physi-ology, biochemistry, taxonomy, cytology, genetics, evolution, and geographical dis-tribution” ( Oxford Dictionary of Biology , 4th ed., 2000). In this chapter, the terms botany and plant biology will be used interchangeably. In practice, botany may carry the connotation of taxonomic studies, while plant biology is often the preferred “modern” term for the entire field. The study of botany has a long and distinguished history. This fact, coupled with the complexity of the subject as it has grown from descriptive botany to the molecu-lar plant sciences, is reflected in its literature, producing a complicated and often confusing array of resources. For the purposes of this book, plant biology encom-passes the literature of botany and the plant kingdom, including fungi. This chapter does not include agriculture, forestry, horticulture, or any of the applied areas of plant science, except biotechnology and medicinal Plants. The field of plant biology overlaps significantly with other areas of biology, so also check Chapter 3, “General Sources”; Chapter 5, “Biochemistry and Biophysics”; Chapter 7, “Genetics, Biotechnology, and Developmental Biology”; and Chapter 8, “Microbiology and Immunology” for more useful resources. ABSTRACTS AND INDEXES Current Awareness Bibliography of Systematic Mycology. v. 1–, 1947–. Kew, UK: CAB International. Biannual. Price varies. ISSN 0006-1573. Lists papers and books on all aspects of the taxonomy of fungi compiled from world literature. Each issue has an author and classified index and book reviews of interest to botanists. Freely available online as part of Index Fungorum at http:// www.indexfungorum.org/BSM/bsm.asp. Current Awareness in Biological Sciences . v. 1–, 1972–. New York: Elsevier. Monthly. $232.00. ISSN 0306-4484. 214 USING THE BIOLOGICAL LITERATURE Competitor to Biological Abstracts but not as comprehensive.

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  eBook - PDF

  Introduction to Crop Husbandry

  (Including Grassland)

  • J. A. R. Lockhart, A. J. L. Wiseman(Authors)
  • 2014(Publication Date)
  • Pergamon

    (Publisher)

  1 Plants WHAT THEY ARE; WHAT THEY DO; AND HOW THEY LIVE Plants are living organisms consisting of innumerable tiny cells. They differ from animals in many ways but the most important difference is that Plants can build up valuable organic substances from simple materials. The most important part of this building process, which is called photosynthesis, is the production of car-bohydrates such as sugars, starches and cellulose. Photosynthesis In photosynthesis a special green substance called chlorophyll uses light energy (normally sunlight) to change carbon dioxide and water into sugars (carbohydrates) in the green parts of the plant. The daily amount of photosynthesis is limited by the duration and intensity of sunlight. The amount of carbon dioxide available is also a limiting factor. Shortage of water and low tem-peratures can also reduce photosynthesis. The cells which contain chlorophyll also have yellow pigments such as carotene. Crop Plants can only build up chlorophyll in the light and so any leaves which develop in the dark are yellow and cannot produce carbohydrates. Oxygen is released during photosynthesis and the process may be set out as follows: This process not only provides the basis for all our food but it also supplies the oxygen which animals and Plants need for respiration. The simple carbohydrates, such as glucose, may build up to form starch for storage purposes, or to cellulose for building cell walls. Fats and oils are formed from carbohydrates. Protein material, which is an essential part of all living cells, is made from carbohydrates and nitrogen com-pounds. Most Plants consist of roots, stems, leaves and reproductive parts and need soil in which to grow. The roots spread through the spaces between the particles in the soil and anchor the plant. In a plant such as wheat the root system may total many miles. The leaves, with their broad surfaces, are the main parts of the plant where photosynthesis occurs (see Fig. 1).

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  eBook - PDF

  Plant Production NQF2 SB

  TVET FIRST

  • W Burger(Author)
  • 2013(Publication Date)
  • Macmillan

    (Publisher)

  Plant anatomy and physiology Overview In this module you will … ● identify the macroscopic and microscopic parts of a plant ● explain the role of each part of the plant ● define physiology, morphology, photosynthesis and respiration ● explain photosynthesis and respiration in general terms ● discuss the plant environment in terms of climate, season, aspect, light, temperature and water ● explain the inter-relationship between climate, season, aspect, light, temperature and water 2 Topic 1, Module 1 Module 1 Unit 1: 3 Unit 1: Macroscopic and microscopic parts of the plant Macroscopic and microscopic parts of the plant Introduction All living things are made up of a number of chemical elements: carbon (C), hydrogen (H), oxygen (O), potassium (K), phosphorus (P), iodine (I), sulphur (S), nitrogen (N), calcium (Ca), iron (Fe), magnesium (Mg), sodium (Na) and chlorine (Cl). These elements are combined together in compounds. Organisms are made up of tiny cells. These cells are microscopic (very small) in size. There are many different types of cells. For instance, within a single leaf of a plant, there are several kinds of cells. The cells of Plants and animals are different. A group of cells that performs a similar function is called a tissue. A group of tissues make up an organ. A group of organs that performs the same function makes up an organ system. An example of an organ system is the vascular system in a plant, which consists of tubes that conduct minerals and water to the leaves, and carry food made in the leaves to the stem and roots. Did you know? Figure 1: A variety of cells Classifying organisms Organisms are classified into five kingdoms. These are: bacteria, algae, fungi, Plants and animals. Many of these organisms cannot be seen without a microscope. Some of these microscopic organisms are composed of a single cell (unicellular), while others have many cells (multi-cellular). Some contain chlorophyll and make their own food, while others do not.

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  eBook - PDF

  Biology Workbook For Dummies

  • Rene Fester Kratz(Author)
  • 2022(Publication Date)
  • For Dummies

    (Publisher)

  5 Going Green with Plant Biology IN THIS PART . . . Take a close look at plant body structure. Learn how different types of Plants reproduce. Explore how Plants regulate their water balance. CHAPTER 18 Studying Plant Structures 321 Studying Plant Structures A plant’s structure suits its lifestyle. After all, it has flat leaves for gathering sunlight, roots for drawing water up from the soil, and flowers and fruits for reproduction. Plants begin their lives from seeds or spores, grow to maturity, and then reproduce asexually or sexually to create new generations. In this chapter, I present the fundamental structures of Plants and introduce you to their reproductive strategies. Peering at the Parts and Types of Plants Like animals, Plants are made of cells and tissues, and those tissues form organs, such as leaves and flowers, that are specialized for different functions. Plants have two basic organ systems: » The shoot system, located above ground, helps Plants capture energy from the sun for photosynthesis (see Chapter 4). » The root system, located below ground, absorbs water and minerals from the soil. Chapter 18 IN THIS CHAPTER » Understanding plant parts and their functions » Breaking down the tissues of herbaceous and woody Plants » Following the steps of plant reproduction 322 PART 5 Going Green with Plant Biology The structure of each type of plant organ is tailored to match its function (see Figure 18-1): » Leaves capture light and exchange gases with the atmosphere while minimizing water loss. • Many leaves are flattened, so they have maximum surface area for light capture. • Tiny holes called stomata in the surfaces of leaves open and close to allow Plants to absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and release oxygen. (You can see a stoma in the leaf cross-section in Figure 18-1.) • Guard cells surround the stomata, ready to close them if water loss from the leaves becomes too great.

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