BIO F5 C2

LEAF STRUCTURE
& RESPONSE
Prepared by: Ruksana Ashruf
 2.1 STRUCTURE OF A LEAF
EXTERNAL STRUCTURE

LAMINA
- Flat, thin, smooth & green part
- Flat-shaped : provides a wide surface to expose
chloroplast-containing cells to max sunlight
- Thin : allow gasses involved in photosynthesis to diffuse
efficiently in leaf

PETIOLE
- Leaf stalk, connects lamina to stem of plant
- Stretched out into lamina producing a network of
middle veins to support the lamina

@RuksanaAshruf
 2.1 STRUCTURE OF A LEAF
INTERNAL STRUCTURE

CUTICLE
- Waxy, waterproof, transparent
- Covers lower & upper parts of the leaf epidermis
- Reduces excessive water loss thru transpiration
- Transparent : allows sunlight to pass through

UPPER EPIDERMIS
- On upper surface of leaf (under cuticle)
- No chlroplasts
- Transparent : allows sunlight to pass through

LOWER EPIDERMIS  Most leaves grow w/o overlapping

(Leaf mosaic)
- On lower surface of leaf
 allow leaves to receive optimum
- Consists of stomata
sunlight for photosynthesis
- Each stomata is guarded by a pair of guard cells

@RuksanaAshruf
 2.1 STRUCTURE OF A LEAF
INTERNAL STRUCTURE

PALISADE MESOPHYLL (PM)

- Arranged vertically & closely-packed to receive max light
- Contain many chloroplasts  site for photosynthesis

SPONGY MESOPHYLL (SM)

- Irregular-shaped : increase internal surface area for gas
exchange
- Loosely-arranged, many intercellular air spaces
- Ease CO2 & H2O absorption thru leaves to PM cells
during photosynthesis
- < chloroplasts than PM
VASCULAR BUNDLE
- XYLEM : transports H2O & mineral salts absorbed from roots to leaves
- PHLOEM: transports organic subst produced during photosynthesis
from leaves to other parts
@RuksanaAshruf
 STOMATA

2.2 Main Organ for Gaseous Exchange

Stomata  - Pores located on the lower epidermis of leaf

- Each stoma is guarded by a pair of gurad cells (controls opening & closing
of stoma)
- Guard cells contain chloroplasts to conduct photosynthesis

Necessity of gaseous exchange in plants

 Obtain O2 for cellular respiration

 Obtain CO2 for photosynthesis

@RuksanaAshruf
 2.2 Main Organ for Gaseous Exchange

THE MECHANISM OF STOMATAL OPENING & CLOSING

 Depends on the conditions of the guard cells whether turgid or flaccid

GUARD CELL’S CONDITION DEPENDS ON

 K+ uptake by cells
– Accumulation or Elimination of K+ changes the solute potential
– ↑ or ↓ H2O potential
– H2O diffused out or into guard cells via osmosis
– Determines whether turgid or flaccid
 Sucrose concentration in the sap of the guard cells
– Day / Light : Photosynthesis & sucrose production
– Night / no light : Sugar converts into starch

@RuksanaAshruf
OPENING & CLOSING
OF STOMA

@RuksanaAshruf
 K+ Uptake by Guard Cells
 OPENING OF STOMA
• K+ enter guard cells
• Solute potential ↑
• H2O potential ↓
• H20 molecules from
epidermal cells diffuse into
guard cells via osmosis
• Turgid & curve outwards
• Stoma opens
 CLOSING OF STOMA
• K+ move out from guard cells
• Solute potential ↓
• H2O potential ↑
• H20 molecules diffuse out
from guard cells to the
epidermal cells via osmosis
• Flaccid
• Stoma closes
@RuksanaAshruf
 Sucrose Concentration in
Guard Cell Sap
 OPENING OF STOMA
• In presence of light,
photosynthesis occurs
• Sucrose conc ↑
• H2O potential ↓
• H2O molecules from
epidermal cells diffuse into
guard cells via osmosis
• Turgid & curve outwards
• Stoma opens
 CLOSING OF STOMA
• In absence of light, no
photosynthesis
• Sucrose conc ↓
• H2O potential ↑
• H2O molecules diffuse out
from guard cells to epidermal
cells via osmosis
• Flaccid
• Stoma closes
@RuksanaAshruf
 Effect of H2O Deficiency in Plants
on Stomatal Opening & Closing

– Guard cells become turgid when plants – Guard cells become flaccid when
obtains sufficient H2O plants lack H2O
– Inner C.W of the guard cells is thick and – Thin and > elastic outer C.W
< elastic as compared to the outer C.W – causes guard cells to lose
– causes guard cells to curve turgidity
outwards – stoma to close
– stoma open @RuksanaAshruf
2.3 Main Organ for Transpiration
TRANSPIRATION
 process of H2O loss in the form of water vapor thru evaporation from plants to
atm

PURPOSE OF TRANSPIRATION
 Helps in absorption & transport of H2O & mineral ions from roots to other parts
of plants
 H2O absorbs heat energy from leaves, evaporates (cooling effect)
 Helps to prevent plants from wilting by maintaining cell turgidity
 Helps to supply H2O to all plant cells for metabolic processes

@RuksanaAshruf
Environmental Factors that Affect
the Rate of Transpiration
 Light intensity ↑, rate of transpiration↑
 Rate of transpiration ↑ until it becomes constant
 Due to limiting factors
– Relative air humidity
– Temp
– Air movement

 Air humidity ↑, rate of transpiration ↓

 Higher air humidity, slower water vapor escapes from stomata

@RuksanaAshruf
Environmental Factors that Affect
the Rate of Transpiration
 Temp ↑, kinetic energy of H2O molecules ↑,
rate of transpiration ↑

 Air movement carries away H2O molecules that have been

diffused out from leaves
 Faster air movement, faster rate of transpiration

@RuksanaAshruf
 Effect of Air Movement on
Rate of Transpiration

POTOMETER

 Measure rate of water uptake by a leafy twig/shoot

 Movement of air bubble is due to transpirational pull
– Air bubble movement indicates transpiration
 Rate of H2O uptake by shoot = rate of H2O evaporated to atm
 Air movement helps to remove water vapor from leaf surface
2.4 Main Organ for Photosynthesis
GREEK
Photo – light
Synthesis – produce
NECESSITY OF PHOTOSYNTHESIS IN PLANTS
• Plants convert energy from sunlight into chem energy (glucose)
• Glucose provides energy for plants
• Plants are a source of food for humans & animals
• Plants remove CO2 & produce O2 for other living organisms
– O2 is a by-product
– All green parts (leaf, young stem) carry out photosynthesis

@RuksanaAshruf
2.4 Main Organ for Photosynthesis
ADAPTATION OF THE INTERNAL STRUCTURE OF A LEAF TO PHOTOSYNTHESIS

1. UPPER EPIDERMIS
 Waterproof – prevents excessive H2O loss
 Transparent – allows light to penetrate & reach
the chloroplasts
2. LOWER EPIDERMIS (STOMATA)
 Stomata – opens & allows gaseous exchange
in the presence of light
 Guard cells – controls the opening &
closing of stomata

@RuksanaAshruf
2.4 Main Organ for Photosynthesis
ADAPTATION OF THE INTERNAL STRUCTURE OF A LEAF TO PHOTOSYNTHESIS

3. PALISADE MESOPHYLL
 Packed with chloroplasts
– max absorption of sunlight for
photosynthesis
 Packed in an upright arrangement
– can receive max amt of sunlight
4. SPONGY MESOPHYLL
 Lesser chlorplasts than PM
 Irregular shaped & loosely arranged
– ↑ internal surface area for
gaseous exchange
@RuksanaAshruf
2.4 Main Organ for Photosynthesis
ADAPTATION OF THE INTERNAL STRUCTURE OF A LEAF TO PHOTOSYNTHESIS

5. VASCULAR BUNDLES
 XYLEM – transports H2O & mineral salts
absorbed from root to leaf
 PHLOEM – transports sucrose produced via
photosynthesis from leaf to all parts of plants

OTHER FEATURES
 Flat & broad leaves with a large surface area to
capture > sunlight
 Thin leaves – faster gaseous diffusion to
reach or leave the cells

@RuksanaAshruf
 2.4 Main Organ for Photosynthesis
CHLOROPLAST  photosynthesis site, contains chloroplyll

a) THYLAKOID
 Disc-shaped sacs containing chlorophyll
 Photosynthetic pigments in its membrane
that traps sunlight
 Site for light-dependent reaction
b) GRANUM
 Disc-shaped stack of thylakoids
 Arrangement ↑ surface area for optimal
photosynthesis

@RuksanaAshruf
 2.4 Main Organ for Photosynthesis

c) STROMA
 Colorless, gel-like fluid surrounding granum
 Site for light-Independent reaction
d) LAMELLAE
 Skeleton of chloroplast
 Keep granum at a distance from each other &
prevent overlapping
- Ensure efficiency of the chlorohyll to capture
sunlight

@RuksanaAshruf
Stages Of Photosynthesis

Light reaction Light-INdependent

@RuksanaAshruf
 Light-Dependent Reaction

 Photosynthetic pigments (chlorophyll) on thylakoids surface absorbs light energy

 Light energy excites electrons in chlorophyll pigments to a higher energy level
 Excited electrons from chlorophyll go thru a series of electron carriers
 This process is catalysed by enzyme to generate ATP
 These electrons are accepted by the last electron acceptor (NADP +)
 Photolysis of H2O occurs in the presence of light energy & chlorophyll
 Produces H+ & OH- ions
 H+ ions combine with NADP+ & forms NADPH (reducing agent)
 NADPH is needed for light-INdependent reaction
 OH- ions lose electrons & forms H2O & O2
 O2 released to atm for cellular respiration
 ATP & NADPH  make sugars in light-Independent reaction
@RuksanaAshruf
 Light-INdependent Reaction

 CARBON FIXATION: 5-carbon organic compounds fix CO2 gases to form 6-

carbon org comp (enzyme catalysed reaction)
 NADPH & ATP from light-dependent reaction reduces organic comp to glucose
monomers
 Glucose monomers undergo condensation to form starch molecules
 Starch granules are stored in stroma

OVERALL PHOTOSYNTHESIS CHEMICAL REACTION

*ATP – Adenosine triphosphate

*NADP+ - Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (oxidant)
*NADPH - Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate hydrogen (reductant)
@RuksanaAshruf
COMPARISON
Environmental Factors that Affect the
Rate Of Photosynthesis

CO2 CONCERTRATION
• CO2 is used as a raw material for glucose production
• As CO2 conc ↑, photosynthesis rate also ↑ if there are no other
limiting factors, i.e; light intensity & temp
• At P, photosynthesis rate is CONSTANT
• CO2 conc ↑ after P but photosynthesis rate remains unchanged
 light intensity became the limiting factor

@RuksanaAshruf
Environmental Factors that Affect the
Rate Of Photosynthesis

LIGHT INTENSITY
• Graph I : Photosynthesis rate ↑ until it reaches a max / light saturation point (P)
• If CO2 conc & temp are constant / controlled at certain levels
• After P, the increase in light intensity no longer ↑ photosynthesis rate
• Light intensity is limited by temp & CO2 conc
• Graph II: when CO2 conc ↑ from 0.03% to 0.13%, photosynthesis rate ↑

@RuksanaAshruf
Environmental Factors that Affect the
Rate Of Photosynthesis

TEMPERATURE
• An ↑ of 10 ℃ in surrounding temp will double the
photosynthesis rate
• Reactions in photosynthesis are enzyme-catalysed
• Surrounding temp changes affect enzyme act &
photosynthesis rate
• Diff plant species, diff optimum temp
• Generally, 25 - 30℃ is the optimum temp
• Very high temp denatures enzymes & photosynthesis
stops

@RuksanaAshruf
Effect Of Diff Light Intensities & Light Colors
On Rate Of Photosynthesis
 Light spectrum consists of 7 colors (rainbow)
 Each color has a diff wavelength
 Rate of photosynthesis is highest in RED & BLUE light
 RED : absorbed by chlorophyll
 BLUE : absorbed by carotenoid pigments before transferred to chlorophyll
 R&B lights have enough energy to excite electron in light-dependent reaction

@RuksanaAshruf
 2.5 Compensation Point

COMPENSATION POINT (CP)

 Level of light intensity when RATE OF PHOTOSYNTHESIS = RATE OF RESPIRATION
– Glucose produced in photosynthesis is used for plants’s respiration

 Light intensity ↑ beyond CP:

– Rate of photosynthesis FASTER than rate of respiration
 Ensure growth & production of flowers, fruits, seeds
– CO2 needs to be absorbed from atm to compensate the rate of its usage in photosynthesis
– Excessive O2 is released into atm
– Glucose production rate > Glucose usage rate
 Excess glucose stored as starch
@RuksanaAshruf
PHOTOSYNTHESIS vs RESPRATION

@RuksanaAshruf
THANK
YOU!