Why do you think that a thick critical on the outer wall of epidermis in advantages for a plant living in the desert but disadvantage for plant living underwater

Hello Student,

A thick cuticle on the outer wall of the epidermis is advantageous for desert plants because it reduces water loss through transpiration, helping the plant conserve water in hot and dry conditions.

However, for underwater plants, a thick cuticle is disadvantages because they do not need to conserve water. instead, they absorb water, dissolve minerals, and gases directly through their outer surface. A thick cuticle would hinder this absorption and reduce the efficiency of gas exchange.

Hope this explanation help in your concept clarification, Best wishes for your study!