Naked Science Forum

Life Sciences => Plant Sciences, Zoology & Evolution => Topic started by: neilep on 04/01/2009 21:06:05

Title: What Is The Gas Inside This Seaweed Bubble ?
Post by: neilep on 04/01/2009 21:06:05

Hello There,

I'm Neil !

As a sheepy I of course serve to make a wonderful natural flotation device. I'm there, ready to save any damsel in distress...
..but check this seaweed out.

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Nice eh ?

It's got lots of bubbly things which I presume is there to make it float !

Is that right ?...and why does it need to float ? and what is the gas inside it that makes it float ?

I would ask my neighbour but I think he's still in orbit ! *le sigh*


Hope to hear from ewe soon.


mwah mwah mwah



Neil
Lover Of Chinese Seaweed (Which is in fact cabbage...did ewe know that ?)
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Title: What Is The Gas Inside This Seaweed Bubble ?
Post by: RD on 04/01/2009 21:31:32

The gas in the bubbles has to be gases produced by the plant, i.e. oxygen (photosynthesis) and carbon dioxide (respiration).
 So the gas in the bubbles will not have the high level of nitrogen which air has (78%).

Title: What Is The Gas Inside This Seaweed Bubble ?
Post by: neilep on 04/01/2009 21:57:48

Quote from: RD on 04/01/2009 21:31:32

The gas in the bubbles has to be gases produced by the plant, i.e. oxygen (photosynthesis) and carbon dioxide (respiration).
 So the gas in the bubbles will not have the high level of nitrogen which air has (78%).

Thanks RD

So, there must be a mechanism for the creation and storage of this gas made by the seaweed. Why does it need to float ?...doesn't it need to be planted somewhere ?

Title: What Is The Gas Inside This Seaweed Bubble ?
Post by: RD on 04/01/2009 22:33:54

The oxygen produced in photosynthesis is made in all plants, so a special gas creation mechanism is not required.
A gas-tight membrane would be necessary to store the gas in a bubble, normally plants have microscopic openings called stoma  (http://www.sciencephoto.com/images/imagePopUpDetails.html?pop=1&id=667450462&pviewid=&country=67&search=stoma&matchtype=FUZZY) which would let the oxygen (a plant waste product) escape. So special areas with few/no stoma would be required to create the gas-tight bubbles.

If the plant did not float it would sink to the bottom of the sea where it would receive lttle/no sunlight and die.

Some seaweeds are anchored with a root-like holdfast (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holdfast). Others are free floating.

Title: What Is The Gas Inside This Seaweed Bubble ?
Post by: lyner on 04/01/2009 22:53:12

It's a very 'cheap' way to compete with your neighbours, compared with growing a self supporting stem.