Final answer:
Vascular tissue, consisting of xylem and phloem, is responsible for conducting water and nutrients throughout the plant. It functions differently from dermal tissue, which offers protection, and ground tissue, which handles photosynthesis and storage.
Step-by-step explanation:
The vascular tissue conducts water and nutrients within a plant. This tissue system includes the xylem and phloem. Xylem is responsible for the transport of water and dissolved minerals from the roots to the rest of the plant, while phloem distributes sugars and other organic nutrients from the leaves to various parts of the plant where they are needed. Unlike dermal tissue, which provides a protective outer covering, or ground tissue, which supports photosynthesis and stores water and sugars, vascular tissue serves as the plant's internal transport system.