Respiration as a factor in the ionic equilibria between plant tissues and external solutions

Abstract

The conductivity of water containing slices of tissue from carrot root rises at first and then falls to a steady value, maintained as long as the tissue is alive. The rate of production of CO2 by the system follows a similar course. After the conductivity has attained a steady value, a change in the rate of production of CO2 caused by a change in the supply of O to the respiring tissue is accompanied by a similar change in conductivity. A theoretical consideration shows that variation in rate of respiration will be accompanied by changes in pH value of the tissue, which will result in a change in the ionisation of indiffusible substances such as proteins, with a consequent change in the distribution of the diffusible ions, such as K and Cl, between the tissue and surrounding solution. The final result of this chain of events will be a similarity between the changes of rate of production of C02 and conductivity of external solution.