Chapter 21, Problem 8A

Summary Introduction

To write: The adaptations that expect to find in a aquatic plant.

Introduction: Plants are vital to our survival. The oxygen we breathe, the food we eat, and many of the things that make our lives comfortable, such as clothing, furniture, and our homes, come from or are parts of plants.

Explanation of Solution

There are numerous and various variations to it. Many aquatic flowing plants have leaves which lie flat on the water for maximum collection of sunlight. Most aquatic plant stems have wide, air-filled areas to improve buoyancy. Most marine plant fruits float on water, increasing dispersal as fruits, and having the area to float free. Because of their marine environment, the plants are not at risk of water loss through the stomata and thus do not pose any risk of dehydration.

Conclusion

Due to their non-submerged state, the leaves have evolved in floating aquatic plants to have stomata located on the top surface. Gas exchange happens mainly across the top surface of the leaf due to the location of the stomata, and the stomata are in permanently open condition.