Plants and water
In plants, roots draw water up via osmosis, and stems 'pull' water up via capillary action.
Although the earth has an abundance of water, most of it does not occur in a form that is readily usable by plants. Sea water, for example, is useless for the majority of plants. A phenomenon known as the hydrological cycle converts water into more accessible states, and determines the kind of vegetation in a given area and its relative abundance. It also plays a major role in habitat formation. In Malaysia, different hydrological conditions have given rise to habitats as varied as mangroves, peatswamps, montane forests and limestone hills.
- Information in the full article includes
- A life-giving force
- Rainfall and plant habitats
- Soil moisture and plant habitats