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Crassulacean acid metabolism
Concepts tested here
- CAM plants
All Questions
2011 AIPMT-PRE 1 question
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CAM helps the plants inCAM (crassulacean acid metabolism) is found in succulent plants of dry habitats, such as $Opuntia$, $Bryophyllum$ and pineapple.
These plants open their stomata at night, when it is cool, and fix $CO_2$ into organic acids (malic acid) that are stored in the vacuoles.
During the day the stomata remain closed; the stored acid is decarboxylated and the released $CO_2$ is fixed by the Calvin cycle.
Keeping the stomata closed during the hot day greatly reduces loss of water by transpiration.
Hence CAM helps the plants in conserving water.