What are stomata and what's their function?

Stomata are tiny openings, mostly found on the underside of leaves, crucial for regulating the exchange of carbon dioxide and oxygen between the plant and its environment.

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Specialized guard cells, shaped like crescent moons, control the opening and closing of stomata. There are two guard cells for each stomatal pore.

When stomata are open, carbon dioxide enters the leaf for photosynthesis, producing glucose. Oxygen, a byproduct of photosynthesis, is released through the stomata into the atmosphere.

At night, photosynthesis decreases due to lack of sunlight, and stomata close to conserve water by reducing transpiration. This is vital for plant survival, especially in arid environments. When the sun rises, guard cells open stomata, and photosynthesis resumes.