Physiological Adaptations of Tropical Plants

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Law93

Law93

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Anyone got any examples of physiological adaptations for tropical plants? This is part of my science project, but I can't seem to find any examples of tropical plants that got this adaptation.....wondering if anyone can help. Links to where you go the info would be much appreciated đź‘Ť
 
What about Spanish Moss? It's a tropic and subtropic plant, and it's evolved to be an epiphyte, meaning it needs no soil for roots because the conditions give it enough moisture directly.
 
So the physiological adaptation is that Spanish Moss has no roots? With that, I'm guessing it absorbs moisture from the atmosphere?
 
Relative to other trees, tropical palm trees have very few branches and leaves...a useful strategy for surviving 150 mph winds.
 
Kylehnat
Relative to other trees, tropical palm trees have very few branches and leaves...a useful strategy for surviving 150 mph winds.
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Wouldn't that be more of a structural adaptation? I'm trying to find a tropical plant with a physiological adaptation.
 
Keep in mind that a physiological adaptation is quite different from an evolutionary adaptation. The former is a change that an organism can make within its lifetime according to its environment.
 
What about a plant that has waxy leaves? Would that count as physiological because the plant coats itself with whatever it makes. Or would that be more of a structural? If it would count as physiological, any plant names that come to mind?
 
As Jordan says, unless your definition of physiological is pretty loose, some of these answers are barking up the wrong tree. So to speak.

I would categorize a physiological adaptation as something like a rabbit's fur turning white in winter, back to brown in summer. Something from a plant, not necessarily tropical, is grass turning brown and going dormant during drought. If it rains, it turns green again, quickly, as it has enough water to keep the leaves alive and support photosynthesis. That's an adaptation it's capable of doing based on its needs as the environmental conditions change.
 
wfooshee
Something from a plant, not necessarily tropical, is grass turning brown and going dormant during drought. If it rains, it turns green again, quickly, as it has enough water to keep the leaves alive and support photosynthesis. That's an adaptation it's capable of doing based on its needs as the environmental conditions change.
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That's more of a consequence than an adaptation.

The most obvious physiologically adaptive plant I can think of is a cactus. The adaptation has to do with how they swell or whatever to retain more water to survive in arid environments.

I hope you can take it from there.
 
Well, it's looking like you're going to have to do your own homework.
 

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