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Name: Iris
Status: student
Grade: 9-12
Location: NY
Country: N/A
Date: 12/30/2004
Question:
Hi,

I'm assigned an experiment to design on the subject of plant (edible) oils. My teacher wants us to relate this to biology. My question is: what do plants use for cold insulation? Do they use oils? If not, what prevents them from freezing in colder places?

Replies:
Plants avoid freezing either by a variety of mechanisms including particular proteins, changes in osmotic pressure, supercooling, etc.

For example:

http://www.esf.edu/efb/course/EFB530/lectures/stress.htm

http://www.plantphysiol.org/cgi/content/abstract/109/3/879

For edible oils:

http://agrifor.ac.uk/browse/cabi/1aecfd915009dc475947deb0fd730c30.html

Anthony Brach PhD.


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