65.5k views
3 votes
Use you knowledge of lipids to explain why desert plants need the waxy coating on their leaves to survive?

User Godwin
by
5.7k points

2 Answers

4 votes

they need the way coating because there isnt a lot of rainfall so the plants need to preserve the moisture they have in order to survive

User Shohan Ahmed Sijan
by
6.0k points
3 votes

Fats and lipids are hydrophobic which makes them water repelling compounds. Therefore, presence of a waxy coating on the outer skin of the desert plant prevents loss of water via evaporation from the skin of the plants. This helps the plant store water and increases its survival period.

User Ezvine
by
5.4k points