FS561 – Physiology of Woody Plants  Fall 2009

OBJECTIVES AND REFERENCES FOR OCTOBER 8:  properties of water and water relations of cells

Reading: Chapter 3 of Taiz and Zeiger, Plant Physiology (a pdf of the chapter is linked to this page.  If you have any trouble accessing it please let Dan Johnson or Barbara Bond know)

Learning Objectives:

After attending the lecture and additional reading as necessary, you should be able to:

1. Describe the chemical properties of water and why those properties are so important to living things

2. Explain the components of water potential

3. Name the primary “driving forces” for mass flow, diffusion and osmosis; be able to evaluate the direction that water will flow by mass flow, diffusion or osmosis if you are given components of water potential

4. Explain how a pressure chamber is used to measure the plant water potential of cut stems.  Be able to explain the assumptions that are usually made in interpreting measurements with pressure chambers.

5. Interpret a pressure-volume curve and be able to identify key points (e.g., turgor loss point) from the curve.