Pull, push and evaporate: The role of surfaces in plant water transport

Abstract

Water is of fundamental significance for plant life. One fundamental aspect is that water represents an important environmental factor. Rain, fog and mist affect irradiation absorbed by a plant and the environmental temperature. Water is therefore a climate-related parameter. It also acts as a factor which influences the immediate surroundings of a plant. For example, plants which live in swamp or flooded habitats are especially adapted to these conditions by possessing aerating tissues (aerenchyma) in order to maintain aerobic conditions around the roots. Fog or mist can impede gaseous exchange by covering the stomatal pores. © 2009 Springer Science+Business Media B.V.