Plant Death?

[Condraz23]

How to plants die? I realise that animals eventually die of cellular apoptosis and tissue atrophy. Plants seem to be able to regenerate themselves and never have complicated organ systems.

So, how do plants die of old age? What stops a plant from living forever?

[honee_v]

plants dont live forever, some of them live for only a year then die out.. so these plants r called annuals... in case of biennials, these plants need about two years to complete their life cycle.. after that *poof* .. (dont worry by that tym they'v already left out seeds to grow as new ones)

perennials.. now these plants are tough they can grow from season to season... but they too age.. called senescence (programmed or unprogrammed)... and (programmed) senescence is usually mediated by hormones such as ethylene, abscisic acid, etc.



^_^

[SU_reptile]

When death started to exist? I mean, what happened with plants, that death of a unit appeared?

We were asked such a question on systematic botany. I think it's interesting point of view.

[honee_v]

some plants 'chose' to become annuals while others perennials... tho both of them came up with apt strategies to survive and propagate from generation to generation... perennials lyk trees can increase size or structure, become resilient, and live through seasons while producing progenies... but annuals have decided so to speak to become as such, 'killing' themselves each yr in return for some advantages...

annual strategy leads to increased genetic diversity, to greater population growth in some niches, and to higher rate of progeny survival lyk giving/routing readily available nutrients from the adult plant to its seed. So Death becomes 'inevitable' --> to leave space, to fertilize soil, and to insulate the seeds esp before bad weather hits... all of which to ensure offspring survival... and thus avoid extinction...


^_^