If I construct a huge glass box and cover a fully grown tree - then fill the entire thing in water, what would happen to the tree
If I construct a huge glass box and cover a fully grown tree - then fill the entire thing in water, what would happen to the tree
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The tree would drown.
Trees require evaporation through the leaves to draw nutrient enriched water from the roots through the trunk to the leaves. Which then evaporates and causes the process to be continued. They also require Carbon for the photosynthesis process, which trees absorb via the leaves in the form of Carbon Dioxide.Some quick diagrams
Source: https://www.evolvingsciences.com/Transpiration Stream.html
Source: https://opentextbc.ca/biology/chapter/5-1-overview-of-photosynthesis/
Second one is a little simpler, but the source link is to a site with open access educational materials. Pretty cool
What would happen then if you took a tree which only has leaves at the top and submerged it to just under the leaves? Does the bark need to be exposed to air as well or would it just rot out like timber does?
It would die. The roots need to do gas exchange too. Ideal soil composition is generally 45% mineral, ~25% water, ~25% air, and 5% organic matter.
Tree bark also does gas exchange.
Depends on the tree and type of water I assume
https://youtube.com/watch?v=twjPo2Luk5A
Mangrove trees live submerged in saltwater for example. This video also goes over some of the adaptations it has to do that (ex. Special roots to allow it to stand upright in soft unstable ground)
This is a mangrove, right?
Also aren’t there those alligator forests in America with lots of flooded trees.
Bayou is the word but those trees are usually only covered the first few feet by water unless it's flooding.
Alligator Forest is the new word, calling it.
I mean everyone knew exactly what he was talking about... and clearly not everyone knows what a bayou is, making "alligator forrest" the more universal term
So I know it’s not a tree, but how does algae survive underwater?
Algae can get by with dissolved gases in the water
Basically the same way, but instead of absorbing gasses through the air, it's through the water. They don't have stomata (air holes) that are found on plant leaves that exist on land and I believe they can absorb carbon directly through their cell walls.