Adaptations in Plants and Their Survival Strategies

Plants develop some special features to adapt themselves to their surroundings. This is known as adaptation. Plant adaptation is a unique feature that allows it to live and grow in its habitat or place where it lives. The  examples of plant adaptations are reduced leaf size, cuticle covering on leaves, etc. 

Once you move these plants from their natural habitat, they will often find it hard to survive and eventually die. For example- the habitat of a cactus plant is a desert area, if we grow it in a rainfall area it will not survive and ultimately dies.

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What is a Habitat?

Habitat refers to the place where an organism lives and grows in its natural environment. The habitat provides air, shelter, food, and many more things that an organism needs. A habitat can be small as a garden or big as a forest. Habitat and Adaptation are interconnected with each other as adaptation develops in response to a change in the habitat of the organism. The  examples of habitats of plants are aquatic, desert, grassland, etc. There are three types of plant adaptations- 

• Structural adaptation

• Behavioral adaptation

• Physiological adaptation.

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Adaptation in Aquatic Plants

As water covers around 71 per cent of the Earth's surface, aquatic habitats cover a larger area than terrestrial ecosystems. Aquatic plants may grow in both saltwater (oceans and seas) and freshwater (ponds and lakes). Aquatic plants are divided into three categories: floating, fixed, and underwater.

Floating Plants

• Plants are light and spongy. That's why the plants can float on the surface of the water.

• The upper portion of the leaves is covered with wax to repel water.

• The roots of these plants are not fixed.

• Examples- Wolffia, Pistia, etc.

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Fixed Plants

The roots of fixed plants are attached to the bottom of a water body. They have long stems that allow them to reach the water surface. Their large leaves float in the water. The leaves also contain a waxy layer that keeps them dry and prevents them from decaying. For example- Lotus and Lillies.

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Underwater Plants

Underwater plants are attached to the bottom of the water and remain completely submerged. Plants obtain their nutrients from water through their leaves. In leaves, there are no stomata. For Example- pondweed, Hydrilla.

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Adaptations in Terrestrial Plants

Plants that are grown on land are known as terrestrial plants. There are different types of terrestrial plants depending on the type of soil and climatic conditions they grow in.

Coniferous Tree

Plants on mountains and hills have adapted to survive in cold conditions. The majority of the plants are tall and straight. They are cone-shaped to allow snow to easily slide from their surface. The leaves of most plants resemble needles. The needle shape helps to shed snow easily and prevents excessive water loss. The leaves have waxy coverings. For example- Pine, Fir, etc.

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Mangroves

The soil in marshy places is sticky and clayey. Plants find it difficult to develop in such conditions because air cannot reach the roots. As a result, the roots of these plants emerge from the earth to take in oxygen from the air. Such roots are called prop roots or breathing roots. Mangroves are trees that grow in marshy regions. For example-  Kendelia.

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Evergreen Tree

Evergreen trees can be found in places where there is a lot of rain. Throughout the year, they have plenty of sunlight and water.  The leaves are broad and abundant to collect sunlight to carry out photosynthesis. For example- Rubber trees, Mango, etc.

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Deciduous Tree

Deciduous trees grow in climates that are moderate and wet. Deciduous trees lose their leaves before the winter, allowing them to store water and moisture and survive in the cold. The trees and plants seal the open region as the leaves fall to keep the moisture in. For example- Teak, Gulmohar.

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Desert 

A desert is an area where water is scarce. Water is stored in the stems and leaves of plants. Desert plants have long root systems that reach deep into the earth to receive water. The majority of plants have no leaves. The absence of leaves helps in the reduction of water loss. The leaves of the cactus are reduced to spines. Water loss is reduced by a waxy layer on stems and leaves. Examples of desert plants- Cactus, Joshua tree.

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Insectivorous Plants

Some plants grow in soil that is poor in minerals. Such plants obtain their nutrition by eating insects. These are known as insectivorous plants. These plants are insect trappers as they have special features that open automatically when an insect sits on them. For example- Venus flytrap, Pitcher plant.

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Plants Belonging to the Grass Family

Plants such as cereals , maize,etc. are plants that belong to the grass family. These plants are useful to us in many ways, such as:

• They provide food to humans and animals.

• Fodder for animals is obtained from these plants.

• Bamboo is used to make baskets, mats, etc. 

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Solved Examples

1. In which type of habitat does Kendelia grow?

Ans. Kendelia is a mangrove tree. Mangroves are trees that grow in marshy regions. The soil in marshy places is sticky and clayey. Plants find it difficult to develop in such conditions because air cannot reach the roots. 

2. Which trees never lose their leaves?

Ans. Evergreen trees never lose their leaves. This depends upon the type of their leaves. Water is kept from evaporating by a waxy covering on the needles. These waxy, rolled-up needles resist cold and stay wet, keeping them green all winter.

Fun-Facts

• Paper was first made by the people of Egypt from a grass known as Papyrus. Paper got its name from this grass.

• An extensive area covered by grass is known as prairies.

• Mesquite trees have roots that can grow deep into the soil as far as 150 to 200 feet.

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Summary

In this article, we have learnt about adaptations in plants. Plants belong to different habitats that acquire different adaptations. This article explains about different adaptations of plants in aquatic, desert, mangrove, conifers, and grassland areas. It includes various modifications of plants such as insectivorous plants that obtain their nutrition by trapping insects. It explains grassland and its uses which are beneficial for humans as well as for animals.

Learning By Doing

Match the different categories of plants they belong to from the given table.