Respiration processes in leaf tissues occur constantly - both day and night. The opposite of breathing light phase Photosynthesis, during which oxygen is released, usually occurs only during the day, in the light. These processes are associated with gas exchange, which is regulated by the work of stomata. During photosynthesis, organic substances are created from external inorganic substances (carbon dioxide and water), while light energy is absorbed and oxygen is released. In the process of respiration, on the contrary, organic substances are consumed, energy is stored, which is necessary for life, oxygen is absorbed, and released carbon dioxide and water. The gas balance of a plant can be represented as follows: plants absorb more carbon dioxide than they emit, and emit more oxygen than they consume.
NB! Plants do not breathe carbon dioxide; they use carbon dioxide for photosynthesis. Plants breathe oxygen. They inhale oxygen and exhale carbon dioxide.
Animals, just like plants, breathe oxygen. However, unlike plants, animals are not capable of photosynthesis, meaning they are unable to produce oxygen. Thus, animals consume oxygen and release carbon dioxide.
A clear demonstration of the described facts are experiments conducted by the English scientist Joseph Priestley in 1771. The essence of the experiment was as follows: two mice were placed under caps, but a plant was also placed under one of the caps. The mouse that was under the hood without the plant died, while the mouse in the hood with the plant remained alive. The plant produces oxygen through photosynthesis, which the mouse needs to breathe.
The beauty of nature consists of plants, trees, flowers, grass. Without all this, it would simply be impossible to exist, because plants produce oxygen, which we need for breathing. But, no matter how ridiculous it may sound, plants also breathe. Let's figure out how plants breathe.
How does plant respiration occur?
The respiration of plants covers all its parts - stems, leaves, roots, fruits, flowers. Just like humans and animals, plants breathe oxygen, absorbing it along with carbon dioxide from the air. During respiration, plants spend carbohydrates that are formed during photosynthesis. Photosynthesis, on the other hand, is a process during which organic substances are formed; it is inherent only green plants. Organic matter formed from water, nutrients supplied by roots, from solar energy or light, as well as carbon dioxide, which is absorbed from the air. This photosynthetic activity occurs in natural conditions only during daylight hours; during the remaining time, all accumulated products leave the leaves and other parts of the plant. The products of the photosynthesis process are carbohydrates (starch and sugar) and proteins. Photosynthesis is influenced by temperature, air, water and other factors.
Respiration is considered the opposite process of photosynthesis. Its peculiarity is its continuity throughout the day. I wonder what plants use to breathe? The main respiratory substance is sugar; if it is deficient, it undergoes breakdown. organic acids, fats, proteins. Breathing affects the growth process in the most direct way. The chemical energy that is released during respiration serves as the source of the process of formation of new plant organs. If the breathing process in the root system is disrupted, this can threaten the plant’s death. All this confirms the unity of photosynthesis and respiration in the plant organism.
Answering the question of what plants breathe, we can say with certainty that respiration is a complex biochemical process, as a result of which plants absorb carbon dioxide using stomata on the leaves, and through them they release oxygen.
It can occur due to completely different systems suitable for given living conditions. These can be stomata and lentils - special organs that are capable of receiving and assimilating oxygen directly from the surrounding air and serving for gas exchange between all organs and environment. Plants also breathe through their roots, absorbing vital gas in wetlands. In large-leaved plants, as well as in tropical species The process of gas absorption involves the entire living surface at once, in all parts, and those plants that grow in water.
Breathing process
It is known that in the process of respiration itself two main substances are formed: carbon dioxide released into the atmosphere, and ordinary water accumulated by the plant itself. All the energy that accompanies such a reaction of the decomposition of organic components into simpler ones goes towards the formation and maintenance of the normal level of vital activity of the plant, further growth and active development of its branches, roots and fruits.
Do not confuse respiration with the complex process of photosynthesis. These phenomena are absolutely opposite. If the first occurs with the direct absorption of oxygen by all existing elements of the plant and the active release of energy and carbon dioxide, then the second, on the contrary, uses the energy of the sun, gas and water to create particularly complex substances, such as, for example, sugar and oxygen gas.
Features of the respiratory process
In the soil, plants breathe through their roots, which releases not gas, but carbon dioxide. It's interesting that bulbous plants conduct a more active process of oxygen absorption than plants with roots, but this does not mean that, for example, decorative indoor bulbous plants will absorb all the oxygen in the room. They not only breathe, but also “exhale.”
The very intensity of respiration of living plants, of course, is not comparable to respiration and directly depends on age and current needs. So, especially young, fast shoots for the growth of all cells and the further formation of flowers, of course, require more oxygen than faded and yellowed plants that are preparing to go into a peculiar state. hibernation, slowing down all biological processes. It is important to note that the respiration of flowers is much more intense than the respiration of the leaves of the same plant, which, in turn, are more active in this process compared to ordinary stems and fruits.
It has been experimentally proven that breathing directly depends on the level of prevailing temperatures and increases with the rise of the thermometer. Light also helps increase the level of carbohydrates, those compounds that become active participants in the oxygen absorption system. Higher plants endowed with the special ability of an oxygen-free, anaerobic process that occurs with the use of the entire internal potential of a living being, using decay reactions organic compounds.
Video on the topic
People either don’t notice some things in nature or consider them so ordinary that they don’t even think about how they could work. For example, rarely does anyone remember school course how plants breathe. And if they remember, then only the basic terms and provisions. At the same time, few people think about what all this really looks like in practice.
Plants receive the necessary oxygen mainly through their leaves. In each of them, despite a fairly strong protective shell, there are small openings for gas exchange, called stomata.
Leaf cells contain chloroplasts, which allow them to open and close. Respiratory cells are located on the bottom of the leaf.
The common belief that you can sleep well in a room with a lot of plants is not true. After all, plants actively consume oxygen and release carbon dioxide at night.
The respiratory system is not as complex as the human one, but it is no less important. Plants can also breathe through cracks in the bark and stems. When oxygen enters the cell, it begins to move through the intercellular spaces and then dissolves in the water that nourishes the cell walls. This is how it penetrates into the cells themselves.
There are also exceptions, for example water lilies and other aquatic ones. They have air cavities in the underwater part of the stem, which form the basis respiratory system such plants.
What is the main role of plant respiration?
First of all, and this is the main point, respiration promotes plant growth and serves as a source of formation of new organs in green spaces. If breathing is impaired, this can easily lead to the death of the plant.
If you like to grow flowers, regularly wipe them with a damp cloth to remove dust and also spray them with water. This will help them breathe properly and grow longer.
During respiration, plants spend carbohydrates that are formed during photosynthesis. The process of photosynthesis occurs during daylight hours, because only under the influence sunlight may stand out necessary for plants substances. At night all these nutrients distributed throughout all tissues.
Breathing is the opposite process, when a living organism begins to spend rather than accumulate.
Video on the topic
In one of the discussions in the TsvetNovtorga group ( https://vk.com/cvetnovtorg) questions arose about plant respiration. After all, most people think that plants only release oxygen and absorb carbon dioxide, and there are no other situations. However, everything is not so simple and there are other situations. Especially for our readers, we will tell you about respiration in plants and what unusual can be in such a seemingly simple thing.
Photosynthesis is the process of converting water and carbon dioxide under the influence of sun rays into sugar and starch. In this case, plants release oxygen. This phenomenon is well known and understandable to everyone. And plants also simply breathe, just like humans. This is called photorespiration - the light-stimulated release of carbon dioxide and the absorption of oxygen in plants. Photorespiration was first documented by the German biochemist Otto Warburg in 1920.
Accordingly, most plants produce oxygen during the day and absorb carbon dioxide while there is light, and at night they absorb oxygen and release carbon dioxide when there is no light. However, desert plants have a completely different behavior called CAM photosynthesis. In this case, plants produce oxygen and absorb carbon dioxide at night, and absorb oxygen and release carbon dioxide during the day. Photosynthesis occurs during the day. This method protects plants from excessive water loss and increases their resistance to drought. Plants that use CAM photosynthesis include aloe, pineapple, cacti, and crassula (money tree).
Therefore, you should not plant the above-mentioned plants at home to increase oxygen in the apartment. All these plants come from arid regions and are very reluctant to part with water and release little oxygen. Conditioning plants are much better suited for these purposes: anthurium, begonia, lavender, myrtle, ivy, rosemary and chlorophytum. Each of these plants absorbs harmful bacteria and releases a lot of oxygen.