Most angiosperms can be split
into three different categories depending on their ecological niches and the
availability of water in their habitats. Each group lives in drastically
different conditions to the others due to climate and availability of water. All three plant groups have
numerous adaptations, that allow them to live in their different environments. With each environment come limitations, but because of the plants adaptations, they are able to survive with these limitations.
Hydrophytes live in conditions where water is plentiful such as swamps, ponds, streams and lakes. Some hydrophytes have leaves on the surface of the water, others are completely submerged and some have roots in water-logger soil. The limitation hydrophytes face is the huge quantity of water they are exposed to. Therefore, hydrophytes have minimal adaptations specific to conserving water as they are often surrounded by it. Instead, their adaptations specialise in allowing them to survive in their aquatic environments and enabling the movement of water through the plant. Hydrophytes have adaptations that help eliminate competition with other plants so that lack of other resources don’t become limiting factors to processes such as photosynthesis.
Hydrophytes live in conditions where water is plentiful such as swamps, ponds, streams and lakes. Some hydrophytes have leaves on the surface of the water, others are completely submerged and some have roots in water-logger soil. The limitation hydrophytes face is the huge quantity of water they are exposed to. Therefore, hydrophytes have minimal adaptations specific to conserving water as they are often surrounded by it. Instead, their adaptations specialise in allowing them to survive in their aquatic environments and enabling the movement of water through the plant. Hydrophytes have adaptations that help eliminate competition with other plants so that lack of other resources don’t become limiting factors to processes such as photosynthesis.
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Mesophyte plants live in environments like those experienced in New Zealand; where there aren’t extreme climate conditions. As mesophytes aren’t exposed to extremely wet or dry conditions, water loss is only a major problem during the hotter time periods such as midday in summer. There isn’t much competition with other plants as far as water is concerned, as there are ample water supplies.
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| http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/1e/Flower_ Garden_at_Muckross_House.jpg |
Xerophytes live in dry, arid
conditions such as hot and cold deserts. The obvious limitation of this environment is the lack of water. Xerophytes are often exposed to extreme
heat, cold and wind, making water preservation one of their key focuses. They have adaptations that allow them to gather and store water, it is because of these adaptations that xerophytes are able to survive in their environments. There
is a large amount of competition over water as it is minimal. Consequently, most
xerophytes’ adaptations are specific to reducing water loss as well as protecting its
water supplies. As they don’t have a continuous source of water, many xerophytes
have a slow rate of growth and some even become dormant in times of extreme dryness.
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