7.

3 Gaseous Exchange in Plants (pg

24-26)
Stomata are the pores which allow gaseous
exchange in plants.
They are found on the epidermis of leaves and
young stems of flowering plants.

Structure of Stomata
Each stoma consists of a stomatal pore surrounded
by 2 guard cell.
Each guard cell has large vacuole, cytoplasm
containing chloroplasts and a nucleus.
It has a thinner outer cellulose cell wall and a
thicker, less elastic inner wall.
Cellulose microfibrils radially orientated in the cell
wall and the end of two guard cells are joined.
Subsidiary cells- epidermal cell surrounding the
guard cell
The change in turgor pressure of guard cell causes
Functions :
the opening and closing of the stomatal pore.
1. Allow gaseous exchange during photosynthesis
and respiration
2. Allow evaporation of water vapour during

Adaptation of guard cell

Contain chloroplast for photosynthesis to occur to produce glucose
Cellulose microfibril radially arranged around
the cell wall to expand and stretch the guard cell
**CAM plant open their stomata at night but close
in the daytime

Main factor causing stomata opening and closing

Changing in the turgidity of guard cell
1) Stomata open (day)
)High light intensity
)Low CO2 level in mesophyll cells
)High humidity
2) Stomata closed (night)
)Low light intensity
)High CO2 level in mesophyll cells
)High temperature
)High water stress (drought)

(a) Stoma open (DAY)

1. Blue light is absorbed and activate an ATP-powered
proton-pump (-ATPase) in the plasma membrane of
guard cell

2. Guard cell carry out light dependent reaction of

photosysthesis and produce ATP.
3. ATPs are used to drive the proton pump to pump
out of the guard cell
4. The guard cell become negatively charged
5. diffuse into the cell from subsidiary cells
6. then enter to balance the charge
7. Accumulation of and malate ions causes the water
potential in the guard cell to become more negative
8. Water from neighbouring subsidiary cells enters the
guard cells by osmosis
9. Guard cell become turgid and expand

(b) Stomata Closing (NIGHT)

Abscisic acid (ABA) hormone secrete by plants cell

when transpiration rate is high & soil water is low

Occurs around mid day or plants begin to wilt
Accumulation of in the cytosol inhibit the proton
pump. The are increase in the cytosol.
Guard cells does not photosynthesise and no
production of ATP, next the proton pump stop and
are not pumped out of the guard cells
Potassium ions diffuse out of the guard cells into the
subsidiary cells
The loss of ions from the guard cells increases the
water potential in the cells
Water flows out of the guard cells into subsidiary
cells by osmosis
The guard cell become flaccid and stomatal pore