XEROPHYTES
An adaptation that xerophytes have that helps them survive is the roots that they possess.
The roots on a xerophyte are well enhanced, as they can either be deep into the soil or only just a little but in the soil. The roots of a xerophyte are mostly well developed because then it can absorb as much water as the plant possibly can, which they need to do since there is such a scarce about of water in a xerophytic habitat. Another adaptation the Xerophytic plants have are the colour that they possess, their colour is just usually a faded green colour, dark green or silver. This is because Xerophytes don’t have a high amount of chloroplasts in their leaves and in their stem cells, they have a low amount this is because they do not need a a lot of chloroplasts in their leaves this is due to the amount of saturation that they are exposed to with the sunlight. The chlorophyll in the chloroplasts is the reasons that the colour of the xerophyte is green. If the plant had a lot more chloroplasts then the colour of the plant would be lighter than it is. If the xerophyte is silver it has a extra advantage as the silver colour reflects sunlight, which is the cause of heat, and because of this it can prevent water loss due to evaporation. This is an advantage because xerophytes are always under risk of evaporation because they do need a little bit of water to survive. Xerophytes have many adaptations and another one that it possesses is the waxy cuticle of a plant, most Xerophytes possess a waxy cuticle on their stems and these waxy cuticles are usually thick. This adaptation is an advantage because it helps prevent water loss for the Xerophyte, which decreases chances of evaporation, this helps the plant conserve water to keep the plant alive. One adaptation that xerophytes have that helps them survive is the roots that they possess. The roots on a xerophyte are well enhanced, as they can either be deep into the soil or only just a little but in the soil. The roots of a xerophyte are mostly well developed because then it can absorb as much water as the plant possibly can, which they need to do since there is such a scarce about of water in a xerophytic habitat. Another adaptation the Xerophytic plants have are the colour that they possess, their colour is just usually a faded green colour, dark green or silver. This is because Xerophytes don’t have a high amount of chloroplasts in their leaves and in their stem cells, they have a low amount this is because they do not need a a lot of chloroplasts in their leaves this is due to the amount of saturation that they are exposed to with the sunlight. The chlorophyll in the chloroplasts is the reasons that the colour of the xerophyte is green. If the plant had a lot more chloroplasts then the colour of the plant would be lighter than it is. If the xerophyte is silver it has a extra advantage as the silver colour reflects sunlight, which is the cause of heat, and because of this it can prevent water loss due to evaporation. This is an advantage because xerophytes are always under risk of evaporation because they do need a little bit of water to survive. Xerophytes have many adaptations and another one that it possesses is the waxy cuticle of a plant, most Xerophytes possess a waxy cuticle on their stems and these waxy cuticles are usually thick. This adaptation is an advantage because it helps prevent water loss for the Xerophyte, which decreases chances of evaporation, this helps the plant conserve water to keep the plant alive.
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Xerophytes are a plant group that because of the way they have been adapted they are able to live in habitats that have very little water. These kind of plants tend to live in places like the desert, mountain ranges, etc. Xerophytes either live in areas where there is little amount of water, that hydrophytes and mesophytes would not be able to survive, or the xerophytes live in the areas that have very rapid evaporation rates, meaning there would not be heaps of water for the plant.
This plant group can live in habitats of extreme heat, this is because heat encourages evaporation, which in turn reduces the supply of water for the plants. Another habitat that a xerophyte can live in to speed up evaporation is a high wind area. Even the arctic or extremely cold areas can have xerophytes in them, even though there is high levels of water, if it is extremely cold, the water could be frozen and when the water is frozen, the water can not be absorbed by the plant. Xerophytes are always respiring during the day and night and their photosynthesis process takes place at both day and night. Through out the life of a Xerophyte plant, it will be competing with other organisms, they will be competing for nutrients and water so that they can survive in their habitat, because their water is very scarce. |