Transportation in Animals and Plants

Transportation in Animals and Plants- Transportation is a vital process in living organisms. It involves the movement of essential substances like food, water, oxygen, and waste products within the body of animals and plants. This chapter explores how transportation occurs in animals (through the circulatory system) and in plants (through vascular tissues).

---

1. Transportation in Animals

In animals, transportation is carried out by the circulatory system, which ensures that nutrients, oxygen, and waste products are moved to and from different parts of the body.

1.1 Circulatory System

• The circulatory system is a network of organs and vessels responsible for the flow of blood, nutrients, and gases in the body.
• It consists of:
  • Heart: The muscular organ that pumps blood.
  • Blood: The fluid that carries substances.
  • Blood Vessels: Tubes (arteries, veins, and capillaries) through which blood flows.

1.2 Blood

• Blood is a red-colored fluid that circulates in the body.
• Components of Blood:
  1. Red Blood Cells (RBCs): Contain hemoglobin, a red pigment that binds with oxygen and transports it to all body parts.
  2. White Blood Cells (WBCs): Fight infections and protect the body from diseases.
  3. Platelets: Help in blood clotting to prevent excessive bleeding when injured.
  4. Plasma: The liquid part of blood (yellowish) that carries nutrients, hormones, and waste products.
• Functions of Blood:
  • Transports oxygen from lungs to body tissues.
  • Carries carbon dioxide from tissues to lungs for exhalation.
  • Distributes nutrients from the digestive system to all cells.
  • Removes waste products like urea to the kidneys.

1.3 Blood Vessels

• Arteries:
  • Carry oxygen-rich blood away from the heart (except pulmonary artery).
  • Thick, elastic walls to withstand high pressure.
• Veins:
  • Carry oxygen-poor blood back to the heart (except pulmonary vein).
  • Thinner walls with valves to prevent backflow of blood.
• Capillaries:
  • Tiny, thin-walled vessels connecting arteries and veins.
  • Allow exchange of oxygen, nutrients, and waste between blood and tissues.

1.4 Heart

• The heart is a muscular pump located slightly tilted to the left in the chest.
• Structure:
  • Divided into four chambers: two atria (upper) and two ventricles (lower).
  • Right side: Handles oxygen-poor blood.
  • Left side: Handles oxygen-rich blood.
• Working:
  • Blood enters the right atrium from the body → moves to right ventricle → pumped to lungs for oxygenation.
  • Oxygenated blood from lungs enters left atrium → moves to left ventricle → pumped to the body.
• Heartbeat: The rhythmic contraction and relaxation of the heart. It produces a “lub-dub” sound, heard using a stethoscope.
• Pulse: The throbbing felt in arteries due to blood flow. It matches the heartbeat rate (about 72 beats per minute in humans at rest).

1.5 Circulation of Blood

• Blood circulates in two pathways:
  1. Pulmonary Circulation: Blood flows between the heart and lungs for oxygenation.
  2. Systemic Circulation: Blood flows between the heart and the rest of the body to supply oxygen and nutrients.

1.6 Excretion in Animals

• Waste products like urea (from protein breakdown) are removed from the body through the process of excretion.
• Kidneys: Filter blood to remove waste and form urine.
• Urinary System: Includes kidneys, ureters, bladder, and urethra. Urine is stored in the bladder and expelled through the urethra.
• Sweat: Another excretory product containing water, salts, and urea, released through skin pores.

1.7 Transportation in Simple Animals

• In small organisms like sponges and hydra, transportation occurs through diffusion (no specialized system).
• In insects, an open circulatory system with a fluid called hemolymph transports substances.

---

2. Transportation in Plants

Plants lack a circulatory system like animals but have specialized tissues to transport water, minerals, and food.

2.1 Vascular Tissues

• Plants have two types of vascular tissues:
  1. Xylem:
     • Transports water and minerals from roots to leaves.
     • Made of dead cells forming hollow tubes.
  2. Phloem:
     • Transports food (glucose) from leaves to other parts of the plant.
     • Made of living cells.

2.2 Transport of Water and Minerals

• Roots: Absorb water and minerals from the soil through root hairs.
• Process:
  • Water enters root hairs by osmosis (movement of water from high to low concentration).
  • Minerals enter by active transport (using energy).
  • Xylem vessels carry water and minerals upwards to stems and leaves.
• Transpiration:
  • Loss of water vapor from leaves through tiny pores called stomata.
  • Creates a suction force (transpiration pull) that helps pull water up through the xylem.
  • Helps cool the plant and maintain water flow.

2.3 Transport of Food

• Leaves prepare food (glucose) during photosynthesis.
• Phloem transports this food to growing parts (roots, fruits, seeds) and storage organs (tubers, bulbs).
• This process is called translocation.

---

3. Comparison of Transportation in Animals and Plants

---

4. Key Processes and Their Importance

• Circulation in Animals: Ensures oxygen and nutrients reach every cell, and waste is removed efficiently.
• Transpiration in Plants: Maintains water movement, cools the plant, and aids mineral transport.
• Excretion: Removes harmful waste to keep organisms healthy.

---

5. Interesting Facts

• A human heart beats about 1,00,000 times a day!
• Plants lose a lot of water through transpiration—up to 99% of the water absorbed by roots.
• Blood donation is possible because plasma and cells can regenerate in the body.
• In earthworms, blood is pumped by five pairs of tube-like hearts.

---

6. Key Terms

• Hemoglobin: Oxygen-carrying pigment in RBCs.
• Stomata: Pores on leaves for gas exchange and transpiration.
• Diffusion: Movement of substances from high to low concentration.
• Pulse: Measure of heart rate felt in arteries.
• Translocation: Transport of food in plants.

---

7. Summary

• In animals, the circulatory system (heart, blood, and vessels) transports oxygen, nutrients, and waste. The heart pumps blood, and kidneys remove waste as urine.
• In plants, xylem moves water and minerals from roots to leaves, while phloem distributes food from leaves to other parts. Transpiration aids water movement.
• Both systems ensure survival by delivering essentials and removing waste, though they differ in structure and mechanism.

Download pdf notes and Sulutions of the Chapter: