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Ch. 37 - Plant Sensory Systems, Signals, and Responses
All textbooksFreeman 8th EditionCh. 37 - Plant Sensory Systems, Signals, and ResponsesProblem 15
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Chapter 36, Problem 15

Leaflets of Mimosa pudica (common names: sensitive plant, touch-me-not) have a remarkable ability to close up in response to being touched or physically moved. How fast can the leaflets close? How does this occur? And more importantly, what benefit could this unusual response provide to the plant? Researchers have hypothesized that rapid leaf movements in Mimosa serve as a defense mechanism (e.g., closing leaflets may deter plant-eating insects). Propose an experiment to test this hypothesis.

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Hello everyone and welcome to today's video. So many climbing plants have tendrils that respond by coiling and rasping upon touching a hard object. What is the purpose of this behavior among the tendrils, if you forgot, one should recall from previous videos what these tendrils are. And there are these specialized stems that provides support for the growing plants and these climbing plans. The way that they work is that they wrap around these hard objects in order to grow. So since the tendrils are basically the stems that provides support for these plants that grew up around hard objects in order to grow, the main purpose for why they're wrapping around is basically to get support for the plant while growing. That is going to be the final answer to a question. And I really hope this video helps you.
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Textbook Question

Leaflets of Mimosa pudica (common names: sensitive plant, touch-me-not) have a remarkable ability to close up in response to being touched or physically moved. How fast can the leaflets close? How does this occur? And more importantly, what benefit could this unusual response provide to the plant? Which of the following terms best describes the leaflet movement? a. thigmonastic movements b. thigmotropism c. thigmomorphogenesis d. apical dominance

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Textbook Question

Leaflets of Mimosa pudica (common names: sensitive plant, touch-me-not) have a remarkable ability to close up in response to being touched or physically moved. How fast can the leaflets close? How does this occur? And more importantly, what benefit could this unusual response provide to the plant? The mechanism of leaflet closure is similar to what happens during the shrinking of guard cells and closing of stomata (see Figure 37.22). When in the open position, special cells on the upper surface of Mimosa leaflets are filled with water and are under pressure. Explain how osmosis and flow of ions into and out of these special cells may be involved in leaflet closure and reopening.

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Textbook Question

Leaflets of Mimosa pudica (common names: sensitive plant, touch-me-not) have a remarkable ability to close up in response to being touched or physically moved. How fast can the leaflets close? How does this occur? And more importantly, what benefit could this unusual response provide to the plant? If just the leaflets located toward the end of a leaf are touched, the adjacent leaflets close in fairly rapid succession until all leaflets on a leaf close up. Explain how electrical signaling may be involved in this response.

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Textbook Question

Leaflets of Mimosa pudica (common names: sensitive plant, touch-me-not) have a remarkable ability to close up in response to being touched or physically moved. How fast can the leaflets close? How does this occur? And more importantly, what benefit could this unusual response provide to the plant? Mimosa leaflets also close on their own at dusk and reopen at dawn (this cycle develops as a circadian rhythm). What receptor molecule mentioned in this chapter is likely involved in regulating this process?

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