Interesting video showing how plants breathe
I recently read an interesting article describing how plants use their Stomata for breathing. There was also a video published on the Science X youtube channel showing this breathing process. Stomata open and close as the plants take in carbon dioxide and water and release oxygen. It was an interesting read.
Stomata are small openings found on the surface of plant leaves and stems They are also sometimes called the mouths of the plant. They are responsible for gas exchange, allowing plants to take in carbon dioxide from the air and release oxygen during photosynthesis. Not just carbon dioxide but they also take in atmospheric water during the process. Stomata also regulate water loss from plants, as they open and close in response to various environmental conditions such as light, temperature, and humidity. It is also believed that the climate change we have is also disturbing the time stomata stay open and close.
We might have read this during our 10th standard biology textbooks. I remember the term Stomata but only recently I revived my memory as to what it does inside a plant. Stomata are typically found on the underside of leaves and are surrounded by specialized cells called guard cells. The guard cells control the opening and closing of the stomata through changes in turgor pressure, which is the pressure exerted by the water within the cells. When the guard cells are turgid (filled with water), the stomata are open, and when the guard cells are flaccid (not filled with water), the stomata are closed.
Stomata play a crucial role in plant growth and survival, and their function can be affected by various factors, including changes in the local climate, the presence of pests or diseases, and the availability of water and nutrients. With the help of microscopic observation, scientists have found out how exactly the opening and closing of Stomata happens and that is what is described in that video. There were things that were not clear to the scientists. We did not know how plants sense the availability of Carbon dioxide. This is crucial because only based on this the plants will have to keep their Stomata open. If they keep it open for a more extended period of time, they end up losing water.
They have recently found out the chemicals and proteins that are responsible for this and they act as the guards who tell them when to open and close the gates the availability of carbon dioxide and the levels are also sensed by these protein elements. More details are available in this article. It is also believed that this understanding will create a pathway to understanding more about plant life and it may even help in bringing back the ecological balance.
This can be a great innovation but who knows based on how we observe photosynthesis, we might as well come up with a way to harness energy for our day-to-day needs with the help of some artificial photosynthesis. Humans might as well learn how to convert Sun's energy into our own energy needed for our day-to-day activities.
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