CHAPTER 7 ADAPTATIONS OF PLANTS IN DIFFERENT HABITATS

CHAPTER 7
ADAPTATIONS OF PLANTS IN

DIFFERENT HABITATS

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ADAPTATION 7.1 ADAPTATIONS OF PLANTS
D : is the adjustment of
HALOPHYTES HYDROPHYTES
an organisms to the  Plants that live in swampy habitats at the Plants that live in aquatic habitats,
environment
S : animal and plants have river mouth, the meeting point of fresh either on the water surface or
unique structures and water and seawater submerged in the water
shapes to adapt to Ex : Lotus and Elodea sp.
the environment to  This swampy area is rich in salt content
ensure the survival of  Ex : Mangrove tree
the species.
Classifications of Plants
Based On Habitats

MESOPHYTES XEROPHYTES
 Plants that live in a habitat that is Plants that live in a habitat that is hot
and dry with a minimum presence of
not too dry nor too wet with an water, that is a place with very high
adequate supply of water
temperatures such as the desert
 Most plants are mesophytes Ex : Cactus and date palm
Ex : Mango tree, hibiscus plant and

rubber tree

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ADAPTIVE FEATURES OF HYDROPHYTES, HALOPHYTES AND XEROPHYTES

ADAPTIVE FEATURES OF HALOPHYTES
(are plants that can live in a habitat with high concentration of salt and low oxygen content)

LEAVES
P1 : Exposed to high intensity of light
C1 : leaves with thick cuticle and sunken stomata
F1 : reduce the rate of transpiration
C2 : succulent leaves
F2 : can store water

P2 : high concentration of salt PREPARED BY CIKGU HUSRITA MRSM TRANSKIAN
C3 : have a special structure known as hydatode
F3 : to eliminate excess salt
C4 : old leaves can store salt
F4 : fall off when the concentration of salt stored

is too high

ROOTS ROOTS
P3 : soft and muddy soils
P4 : faced a strong wind P5 : low oxygen content
C5 : the root system that branches widely and exist in various C6 : the root system of mangrove produces

shapes and size hundreds of breathing roots that grow
F5 : prevents plants from being uprooted due to strong wind vertically upwards above the surface of the
soil, called pneumatophores
ROOTS C7 : there are many pores on this root which called
P6 : mangrove roots has a higher salt lenticels
content than sea water F6 : to enable the exchange of gases with the
C8 : cell sap of the roots does not lose atmosphere
water by osmosis
F7 : mangrove trees receive water and Lenticels
mineral salts from the seawater Pneumatophore roots
Branches widely root system entering their roots
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SEED Viviparity seed

P7 : reproduction
C9 : have viviparity seed (seed that are germinate

before fall from tree)
F8 : easily to germinate

ADAPTIVE FEATURES OF HYDROPHYTES
(are plants that can adapt to their wet habitat, whether by floating on the water surface or sinking

in the water)

ROOTS LEAVES
C1 : have fibrous roots C3 : the leaves which are broad, thin and flat
F1 : provide a large surface area and trap air bubbles F3 : to absorb maximum sunlight for photosynthesis
C4 : stomata are distributed on the upper epidermis of the
to enable the hydrophytes to be more stable and lighter
F2 : plants able to float or stay upright in the water as well as leaves
the buoyant force exerted by the surrounding water C5 : the upper epidermis of the leaves is also covered by a waxy,
C2 : lotus which is floating on water surface, the roots not
waterproof cuticle
anchored to the bottom of the lake F5 : to ensure the stomata always open

STEM
C6 : consist of light tissues with plenty of air spaces between

the cells, this tissues are known as aerenchyma tissues
F6 : to make the plant light

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SUBMERGED PLANTS Hydrilla sp.
Elodea sp.
Elodea sp. and Hydrillia sp.

C1 : these plants have leaves that are thin and small
F1 : to increase the total surface area per volume and

increase the diffusion rate of water, mineral salts
and dissolved gases directly into the plants
through the epidermis
C2 : do not have stomata and waxy cuticle on the
leaves
C3 : the stems are small and hollow
F : to help the plants float upright in water and help
to reduce water flow resistance

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ADAPTIVE FEATURES OF XEROPHYTES
(are plants that live in the desert, an area that receives very little rainfall)

ROOTS LEAVES
C1 : grow widely and can penetrate deep C1 : the cactus has small leaves and thick waxy cuticles on its stems and leaves
C2 : leaves modified into thorns
into the soil F1 : Reduces the total surface area exposed to the sun thus reducing water loss
F1 : to absorb water and mineral salts F2 : the thorns can also help the cactus to get water supply by collecting dew
F2 : store water in roots F3 : dew will drop on the ground and is absorbed by the roots
F3 : thorns can also prevent the plant from being eaten by animals
STEM C3 : stomata in the cactus are embedded
C1 : have chloroplast F4 : reduce water evaporation from the leaves
F1 : able to carry out photosynthesis
C2 : succulent stem
F2 : able to store water

PREPARED BY CIKGU HUSRITA MRSM TRANSKIAN

PREPARED BY CIKGU HUSRITA MRSM TRANSKIAN