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Ch. 32 Plant Nutrition and Transport
Taylor - Campbell Biology: Concepts & Connections 10th Edition
Taylor, Simon, Dickey, Hogan10th EditionCampbell Biology: Concepts & ConnectionsISBN: 9780136538783Not the one you use?Change textbook
All textbooksTaylor, Simon, Dickey, Hogan 10th EditionCh. 32 Plant Nutrition and TransportProblem 1
Chapter 32, Problem 1

Fill in the blanks in this concept map to help you tie together key concepts concerning transport in plants.
Concept map illustrating transport in plants, focusing on water and sugar movement.

Verified step by step guidance
1
Step 1: Identify the source and destination of water and minerals in plants. Water and minerals are absorbed from the soil by the roots (a) and transported to the leaves.
Step 2: Determine the pathway through which water and minerals move. Water and minerals move through the xylem (b), which is specialized vascular tissue in plants.
Step 3: Understand the driving force for water and mineral transport. This movement is driven by transpiration (e), which creates a negative pressure in the xylem, pulling water upward.
Step 4: Identify the source and destination of sugar transport in plants. Sugars are produced in the leaves (c) during photosynthesis and transported to storage organs or roots (f).
Step 5: Determine the mechanism driving sugar transport. Sugar transport occurs through the phloem (d) and is driven by pressure flow, also known as the bulk flow mechanism.

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Key Concepts

Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.

Water and Mineral Transport

In plants, water and minerals are primarily absorbed by the roots from the soil and transported upward through specialized tissues called xylem. This movement is essential for maintaining plant hydration, nutrient uptake, and overall physiological functions. The process is driven by transpiration, where water evaporates from leaves, creating a negative pressure that pulls water upward.
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Sugar Transport

Sugar transport in plants occurs mainly through the phloem, which distributes the products of photosynthesis from the leaves to other parts of the plant. This process is vital for providing energy to non-photosynthetic tissues and is driven by a mechanism known as pressure flow, where differences in osmotic pressure facilitate the movement of sugars.
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Pressure Flow Mechanism

The pressure flow mechanism describes how sugars are actively transported into the phloem, creating a high osmotic pressure that draws water in from the xylem. This pressure difference drives the flow of the sugar solution from source regions (like leaves) to sink regions (like roots or fruits), ensuring that energy is efficiently distributed throughout the plant.
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Related Practice
Textbook Question

Plants require the smallest amount of which of the following nutrients?

a. Oxygen

b. Phosphorus

c. Carbon

d. Iron

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Textbook Question

Which of the following activities of soil bacteria does not contribute to creating usable nitrogen supplies for plant use?

a. The fixation of atmospheric nitrogen

b. The conversion of ammonium ions to nitrate ions

c. The decomposition of dead animals

d. The assembly of amino acids into proteins

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Textbook Question

By trapping insects, carnivorous plants obtain ___________, which they need ___________ . (Choose the best answer.)

a. Water ... because they live in dry soil

b. Nitrogen ... to make sugar

c. Phosphorus ... to make protein

d. Nitrogen ... to make protein

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