Plant Adaptations External Features

What is an adaptation?

• A feature that helps a plant grow.

• A feature that helps a living thing survive.

• A feature that helps a living thing walk.

• A feature that that helps only animals survive.

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NGSS.MS-LS4-4

Choose ALL the correct plant adaptations

• Behavioral

• Structural

• Psychological

• Physiological

Most plants are:

• Halophytes

• Hydrophytes

• Mesophytes

• Xerophytes

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Mesophytes face the following conditions:

• Moderate to warm, humid environments

• Aquatic or semi-aquatic environments

• Destert and semi-arid environments

• Saline environments

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Because mesophytes face moderate conditions, they have:

• A cuticle on the upper surface of the leaf only

• Stomata that are open during the day

• Low surface area to volume ratio

• Vacuoles that store salt

Xerophytes face desert conditions and thus have the following adaptations

• Waxy cuticles designed to repel water

• Pneumatophores or 'breathing roots' that protrude form the surface of the ground

• Stomata that are present in high numbers

• An outer surface covered in fine hairs

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NGSS.MS-LS2-1

Plants that live in saline environments are called:

• Halophytes

• Hydrophytes

• Xerophytes

• All of the above

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NGSS.MS-LS4-4

Plant leaves of different species have features that allow them to survive in their particular environment. It's reasonable to suggest that

• water lilies have more stomata on the bottom of their leaves as water loss is negligible.

• gum trees' hanging leaves reduces water loss

• leaves with stomata in pits are usually found in rain forests

• Plants with short life cycles are suited to areas with good rainfall

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NGSS.MS-LS1-5

NGSS.MS-LS4-4

Why might some plants that grow on the shady rain forest floor have large leaves?

• to stay safe from predators
• to attract different animals
• to survive harsh winters with heavy snowfall
• to take in as much sunlight as possible

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NGSS.MS-LS1-5

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A plant adaptation commonly found in dry, hot climates is

• a thin waxy cuticle

• small numerous stomata

• plants with stomata that open during the night

• ability to lose leaves during the wettest part of the year