Read Stomatal Rhythms in C3 and CAM Plants
A concise NSEB read for stomatal rhythms in c₃ and cam plants. Learn the key idea, then apply it in the linked practice.
Photosynthesis uses light energy to make food in green plant cells; transport tissues move water and sugar where they are needed.
Track what enters, leaves and moves inside
H₂O rises from roots in xylem · sugar travels from the leaf in phloem
CO₂ enters through stomata; water arrives from roots; oxygen leaves the leaf. Sugar moves from the source leaf to use or storage sites.
Core idea
Most C₃ plants open stomata in daylight for CO₂ uptake and close them in darkness. CAM plants open stomata at night and close them by day, reducing water loss in dry habitats. When a table gives opening schedules, compare the light and dark rows before assigning the photosynthetic strategy.
Stomatal Physiology
Light and darkness reveal different stomatal schedules. Plant M has stomata open in light and closed in darkness, the normal pattern of a C₃ plant. Plant N shows the reverse: stomata open in darkness and closed in light, characteristic of CAM plants, which take up at night to conserve water.
OlympIQ exam lens
- ✓Most C₃ plants open stomata in daylight for CO₂ uptake and close them in darkness.
Use the information in the question and the stated assumptions before choosing an answer.
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