Introduction

Introduction to Supporting Tissues

For big living things to grow and stand on land, they must have strong parts inside or outside their bodies. Supporting tissues are the strong parts that help plants and animals stay firm and carry their own weight.

Animals have bones inside their bodies called endoskeletons or hard shells outside their bodies called exoskeletons. These work just like the hard wood we see in the stems and trunks of big trees.

These strong structures also act like a shield to keep the organism safe from enemies that want to eat it.

For plants, the very hard shell covering seeds stops animals from chewing or breaking them easily.

This hard shell also acts like a wall to stop small pests like fungi or germs from entering the seed.

Plants need supporting tissues for many important reasons:

They help give plants a specific shape.

They provide strength to the plant.

They offer rigidity, helping the plant stand upright.

They protect the plant against external forces, such as wind and water.