LEAF MORPHOLOGY CORRELATES WITH WATER AND LIGHT AVAILABILITY

Author (s) : Dr.K.Karthika, T.Bhuvana

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Abstract :
In the course of evolution, leaves are a sensitive organ that may show phenotypic flexibility in response to abiotic stress. It is still unknown, nevertheless, whether or not leaf morphological plasticity exists and how it is governed in various settings. To investigate the differences in leaf shape under various gradients of water and light availability, we conducted a simulated experiment. We selected pinnate-veined simple leaves of Quercus acutissima and compound leaves of Robinia pseudoacacia as the study objects after taking into account various leaf kinds and venation. We looked at morphological factors such as leaf size, shape, and venation pattern, all of which are simple to quantify in the field. Due to the influence of the environment and/or allometry, significant changes were seen across a wide range of parameters. For the morphological changes of the leaves along the gradients, there were generally continuous tendencies. With a lack of resources, the size of the leaf shrank. To improve resource acquisition and conservation, some lamina areas have been modified, including the lengthening of the leaf. The venation pattern of the major and minor veins was optimized via trade-offs between investments in support and functional structures. Leaflets, which are not only independent units but also a component of the compound leaf, played a part in some ways, much like leaf teeth. We propose that coexisting species' ability to adapt to similar settings and create niche differentiation may be significantly influenced by more or less the same trends in morphological variations.

Keywords : leaves, water, light.

Conference Date : 13/11/2020

Pages : 284

Paper ID : 20284