HYPOTHESIS:

The lower the stomatal density of a flowering plant (of a particular species), the lower the
rate of transpiration.

AIM
1) To investigate the stomatal density and distribution in three plants of different
species
2) To determine the rate of the transpiration rate in each of the three flowering plants

MATERIALS AND APPARATUS

1. One small shoot taken from each of three plants of different species
2. Water
3. Nail Varnish
4. Beaker
5. Gardening knife/ shears
6. Light microscope
7. Capillary tube
8. Transparent paper tape
9. Ruler
10. Three (3) identical capillary tubes
11. Three (3) pieces of caulk
12. Three (3) retort stands
13. Stop watch
14. Syringe

METHOD
Procedure 1: For investigation of the stomatal density
1) Collect a sample (shoot) of three different plant species, assigning each plant
species a letter (A to C). Each sample must have a reasonable number of leaves,
and length of stem.
2) Remove one leaf from each plant. Leaves should be of roughly the same surface
area.
3) Coat a portion of the leaf with nail varnish
4) Completely cover the leaf with paper tape
5) Remove the tape that is attached to nail varnish
6) Examine the nail varnished portion of the leaf, and count the number of stomata
in this area
7) Measure and record the area and number stomata noted.
8) Repeat steps 5-7 with the lower epidermis of each leaf.

Procedure 2: For investigation of transpiration rate

1) Fill three capillary tubes through the base using a syringe, ensuring that the top is
airtight.
2) Seal the base of each tube with caulk and secure on a retort stand
 3) Cut the base of the shoots of each sample obliquely
4) Insert into open end of capillary tube
5) Measure and record the length of the column of water in each tube
6) Leave to stand, recording the time until a large difference in water level can be
seen in at least one tube.
7) Measure and record the length of the column of liquid in each capillary tube.

VARIABLES:

Independent: Species of flowering plant used: Each species will have its own normal
stomatal density and distribution.

Dependent: Change in volume of water in the capillary and stomatal density.

Controlled: Length and diameter of capillary tube, external environmental

conditions, e.g. light intensity, temperature.

EXPECTED RESULTS:
It is expected that the plant species with the highest stomatal density will have higher
rates of transpiration.

TREATMENT OF DATA:

Plant Species Stomatal Density (per cm2) Water Level in Column per
unit time (cm/min)
Plant species A P X
Plant species B Q Y
Plant species C R Z

LIMITATIONS:

The method does not test the rate of transpiration directly, but rather looks at a rate
produced by the disappearance of one product.

SOURCES OF ERROR:

Random error may have occurred during timing, causing minor discrepancies thus not
making the time intervals exactly consistent.
Parallax error may have occurred whilst reading the measurements of the distances that
oil travelled up the tube.
CONCLUSION:
If it is found that increasing stomatal density correlates positively with the water level in
the column per unit time (indicative of the respiration rate), then it can be said that the
hypothesis is proven true. Otherwise, it is null and void.