Respiration In

Plants
 Energy requirement in plants
• The energy requirement for living
processes of plants is lower compared to
animals. Why?

Because plants are less active

than animals. Plants do not move
about like animal do.
 The Intake Of Oxygen
By Plants For Respiration

• Plants do not have specialised breathing

mechanisms for gaseous exchange.

• Gaseous exchange between plants cells

and the environment occurs by diffusion
through stomata and lenticels.
stomata
lenticels
 Gaseous exchange in the light
• When the leaf is photosynthesising,

 CO2 concentration ↑ in the air spaces

of the spongy layer. (what will happen?)

 O2 diffuses from the atmosphere through

stomata into the leaf for cell respiration.
 Gaseous exchange in the dark
• Respiration alone is taking place.

 < O2 in the air spaces than atm. O2

diffuses inward though lenticels.
Stomata are normally closed at night.

 CO2 will diffuse outwards.

Aerobic & Anaerobic Respiration
in Plants.

C6H12O6 + 6O2  6CO2 + 6H2O + Energy

2880 kJ / m
Aerobic @ Anaerobic ?

C6H12O6  2C2H5OH + 2CO2 + Energy

210 kJ / m
Aerobic respiration in plants
 Anaerobic respiration in plants

• Yeast respires anaerobically to produce alcohol

(alcoholic fermentation).
• During flooding, plants can survive for several
days completely submerged in water.
• Young rice plants are planted in fields that are
muddy and flooded.
• During initial stages of germination, embryo is
completely enclosed within an airtight seed
coat.
 Respiration & Photosynthesis

• Respiration is the reverse of photosynthesis.

 Compare & Contrast
Respiration & Photosynthesis

Respiration Photosynthesis

Similarities
• Both take place in living cells.
• Both are metabolic process.
 Differences

Respiration Photosynthesis
A process of A process of
catabolism (breaking anabolism
down of organic (synthesis of organic
materials) materials)
Occurs in cells
Occurs in all living
containing
cells
chlorophyll.
Take place in the
Takes place only in
presence / absence
the presence of light
of light
 Respiration Photosynthesis

Uses glucose and Uses carbon dioxide

oxygen and water

Produces carbon Produces glucose

dioxide and water and oxygen
 Respiration Photosynthesis

Chemical energy is Solar energy is

converted into heat converted into
and energy ATP. chemical energy

Cell loses weight Cell gains weight

CO2 concentrations in air around plants throughout the day
 Day
CO2 O2
 night
O2 CO2
 Compensation point

Light intensity

O2
CO2

All the CO2 produced during respiration is

reused during photosynthesis
 The Compensation Point

The light intensity at which the

rate of carbon dioxide production
during respiration is equal to
that of carbon dioxide
consumption during
photosynthesis.
If the rate of photosynthesis and the rate of
respiration remained at compensation point:

• The plant would not be able to store

food.

• There would be no growth and

development in green plants.

• No oxygen released into the

atmosphere to sustain living things.