I would really love some references for this!
2007-12-10 14:08:04 · 3 answers · asked by pazdon 1 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Botany
Mangrove swamp trees have aerial breathing roots that protrude above the saturated silt.
2007-12-10 14:52:00 · answer #1 · answered by n_udoh 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Stagnant or standing water can keep the plant's roots from getting enough oxygen. Roots need oxygen to carry on cellular respiration to get energy to use.
I agree with the previous answerer that some plants have aerial roots that stick up into the air to get oxygen. Mangroves have these aerial roots and cypress trees have cypress "knees" for this purpose.
See cypress knees here:
http://images.google.com/images?client=firefox-a&rls=org.mozilla%3Aen-US%3Aofficial&hl=en&q=cypress+knees&btnG=Search+Images&gbv=2
2007-12-10 23:25:15 · answer #2 · answered by ecolink 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Stagnant water may have lost all the dissolved air/oxygen which the tree needs
Aerial roots on mangroves. for one.
2007-12-11 00:00:36 · answer #3 · answered by Terryc 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋