UCSB Science Line
Sponge Spicules Nerve Cells Galaxy Abalone Shell Nickel Succinate X-ray Lens Lupine
UCSB Science Line
Home
How it Works
Ask a Question
Search Topics
Webcasts
Our Scientists
Science Links
Contact Information
May transpiration in plants occur during night?
Question Date: 2008-11-26
Answer 1:

Plants that live in extremely hot and arid climates often keep their stomata closed during the day, to reduce the amount of water that is lost in transpiration, and open it during the cooler and more humid nighttime. This system is called Crassulacean acid metabolism (CAM), or CAM photosynthesis, and the plants that use it are referred to as CAM plants. These plants fix CO2 at night, avoiding water loss by not opening their stomata during the day, and release the CO2 during the day. CAM plants include succulents, cacti, bromeliads, orchids, and others.

In contrast to CAM photosynthesis, most plants on Earth (making up 95% of the Earth's plant biomass) undergo C3 carbon fixation, living in areas with moderate sunlight, moderate temperature, and plenty of ground water. They lose approximately 97% of the water taken up by their roots to transpiration -- the cost of having stomata open during the day, something the arid-dwelling CAM plants cannot afford to do.

Hope this helps!

Answer 2:

Hi, thanks for the question! As you may know, plants have pores or openings on their leaves and stems called stomata. This name comes from Greek for "mouth". These pores allow carbon dioxide to enter the leaves and oxygen water to escape. Plants can respond to light and heat and humidity and even the wind by altering how open the pores are. The pore size is regulated by specialized cells called "guard cells" which become more of less swollen as the conditions require.In hot, dry areas, such as the desert, plants have evolved ways to avoid losing a lot of water during the day. They perform "Crassulacean Acid Metabolism" or CAM, photosynthesis. In these plants, the stomata are closed during the day and open during night to allow for CO2 and water transfer. Hope this answers your question!



Click Here to return to the search form.

University of California, Santa Barbara Materials Research Laboratory National Science Foundation
This program is co-sponsored by the National Science Foundation and UCSB School-University Partnerships
Copyright © 2020 The Regents of the University of California,
All Rights Reserved.
UCSB Terms of Use