What are Plant Adaptations?
Plants thrive under certain conditions in their natural habitats. However, in some areas, natural conditions are not suitable for plants to grow. Hence, plants adapt to different environments which helps them survive in the surrounding conditions.
Plant adaptations can be in the form of the development of special features which enables them to live in that habitat. These adaptations evolve over the years and are transferred from parents to offspring. Thus, the same adaptations can make plants’ survival difficult once they are moved to a different habitat.
How do Plants Adapt to Different Environments?
Plant adaptations can be of the following 3 types:
- Behavioral adaptations
- Structural adaptations
- Physiological adaptations
Behavioral adaptations:
Behavioral adaptations Are changes in the way a plant responds to its environment. This type of plant adaptation helps plants survive unfavorable conditions. For example, a plant shows tropism to have access to the maximum sunlight which allows it to repair efficiently. Migration is another example of behavioral adaptation.
Structural adaptations
Structural adaptation is a type of plant adaptation to make the physical features of a plant more suitable to its environment. All structural adaptations include the spine, Thorn, succulent stem, etc.
Physiological adaptations
The third type of plant adaptation is physiological adaptation. Change of Physiology means the change in the internal processes of the plant which helps it in its survival. For example, some plants produce toxins and poisons for their self-defense against various Pathogens and predators.
Why are plant adaptations necessary?
Plants unlike animals cannot move or communicate their needs however, they do, just like animals, need food and protection from adverse environmental conditions to grow and thrive. To fulfill these requirements plants undergo certain adaptations which help them in their survival. Without these adaptations, plants would not be able to grow in places where with extremely unfavorable environmental conditions the population would be confined to limited favorable habitats.
Some Examples of plant adaptations:
Plants can adapt to their environment in many ways in response to external conditions. It means a plant adapts specifically to the environment in which it lives, according to its nutrient supply, water conditions, sunlight availability, predators or pests present, etc.
Plant adaptations in the desert:
How do plants adapt to their environment in deserts? Plants may adapt here according to their need. Some may adapt by being closer to the ground to avoid strong wind that blows in the deserts. Being lower and closer to the ground they may also avoid extreme cold. To conserve water, food, and energy plant undergo many adaptations. This helps desert plants reproduce effectively in their harsh habitat.
Deserts plants have;
- Thick fleshy leaves and succulent stems to store water.
- Thick waxy cuticle to lower the rate of evaporation and transpiration
- Deep or no stomata to prevent transpiration
- Stems modified for photosynthesis.
- Two types of root systems. One to collect moisture (shallow root system) and the other to get underground water far away ( deep tap roots)
- Spikes or thorns for defense
- Toxic sap (e.g. euphorbia plant)
- Pigment-less flowers
- Small or scaly leaves
- A large number of seeds (cacti) or reproduction without seeds
- Pollination is mostly at night
Plant adaptations in the aquatic environment:
Living in water might seem a blessing but having excessive water can be harmful for plants as well. Plants living in aquatic environments have undergone many adaptations in order to survive in this troublesome habitat. Aquatic plants have;
- Large and soft leaves for maximum transpiration
- A large number of stomata promote maximum water loss
- Floating leaves capture sunlight on the surface of the water.
- Leaves have large air spaces called aerenchyma to allow maximum oxygen exchange (enough to reach the roots of the plant)
- These air spaces also help plants stay upright (seaweed)
Plant Adaptations in tropical rainforests:
There are a few challenges that plants have to deal with in rainforests to survive. As for the rule “survival of the fittest”, plants have to compete with many other species and organisms in a harsh environment. For example, in a rainforest, plants are present in different layers i.e. layers of grasses, shrubs, and trees. Tree canopy can be a great challenge for underlying dwarf plants.
Plants adapt to rainforests by having;
1. Thin and smooth barks
2. Veins have modifications like hooks to hold on to or climb on tall trees to reach sunlight above.
3. Leaves are modified to shed water more quickly (drip tips). This saves them from various fungal and pathogenic attacks which are caused due to humidity
4. Leaves of shorter plants are larger to catch maximum sunlight.
5. Tall and thin trunks make it easier for sunlight to reach them.
6. Buttress roots (large roots having ridges) give extra support to plants.
