User:Ulargo/sandbox

Flood tolerance
When a shoot is submerged in floodwater there is a strong reduction of diffusion of gases which limits oxygen and carbon dioxide availability. To handle the poor gas exchange while submerged, Glyceria fluitans forms a gas film around the leaves. The gas film allows to increase the gas exchange since the diffusion of gas within the film is rapid. Glyceria fluitans has two kind of leaves: floating leaves and aerial leaves. Floating leaves form a gas film only on the adaxial side, instead aerial leaves form it on both sides. The formation of a gas film is caused from the superhydrophobicity of the leaves, which is provoked from the special structure of the leaves. Indeed they have a plicate shape with ridges and grooves, furthermore on the microscale they have convex papillose epidermal cells forming papillae and some three-dimensional epicuticular waxes. A gas film vanishes typically after 2-6 days of submergence because the leaves become hydrophilic. About the beneficial trait of the gas film development it can be say that Glyceria fluitans through it enhances the gas exchange and therefore the photosynthesis under flood conditions, but it is seen as a short term strategie.