Effect of temperature on water transport through plants.

Low temperatures cause a decrease in the absorption and movement of water in plants (1, 2, 3, 9, 10). This reduction is less in species native to cool environments than in species which normally grow in warm ones (10). This has been attributed to the combined effects of decreased permeability of the root membranes and the increased viscosity of the water. Kramer (9) observed that water flow through root systems increased as temperature was increased to 35 C, the highest temperature studied. Application of kinetic theory to similar biological systems has been made with success (8). This approach can reveal much concerning factors that limit the rate of biological processes that are not now well known.