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Mutations

Mutations

Mutations are changes in the sequence of DNA. These changes can occur spontaneously or they can be induced by exposure to environmental factors. Mutations can be characterized in a number of different ways: whether and how they alter the amino acid sequence of the protein, whether they occur over a small or large area of DNA, and whether they occur in somatic cells or germline cells.
Chromosomal Alterations Are Large-Scale Mutations
While point mutations are changes in a single nucleotide in...

Mutations

Mutations

Adaptations that Reduce Water Loss

Adaptations that Reduce Water Loss

Though evaporation from plant leaves drives transpiration, it also results in loss of water. Because water is critical for photosynthetic reactions and other cellular processes, evolutionary pressures on plants in different environments have driven the acquisition of adaptations that reduce water loss.

Light Acquisition

Light Acquisition

In order to produce glucose, plants need to capture sufficient light energy. Many modern plants have evolved leaves specialized for light acquisition. Leaves can be only millimeters in width or tens of meters wide, depending on the environment. Due to competition for sunlight, evolution has driven the evolution of increasingly larger leaves and taller plants, to avoid shading by their neighbors with contaminant elaboration of root architecture and mechanisms to transport water and nutrients.

Photoreceptors and Plant Responses to Light

Photoreceptors and Plant Responses to Light

Light plays a significant role in regulating the growth and development of plants. In addition to providing energy for photosynthesis, light provides other important cues to regulate a range of developmental and physiological responses in plants.

Regulation of Transpiration by Stomata

Regulation of Transpiration by Stomata

During photosynthesis, plants acquire the necessary carbon dioxide and release the produced oxygen back into the atmosphere. Openings in the epidermis of plant leaves is the site of this exchange of gasses. A single opening is called a stoma—derived from the Greek word for “mouth.” Stomata open and close in response to a variety of environmental cues.

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 2, 2026

Measurement of Leaf Hydraulic Conductance and Stomatal Conductance and Their Responses to Irradiance and Dehydration Using the Evaporative Flux Method (EFM)

Measurement of Leaf Hydraulic Conductance and Stomatal Conductance and Their Responses to Irradiance and Dehydration Using the Evaporative Flux Method (EFM)

Published on: December 31, 2012

Ultraviolet radiation as a limiting factor in leaf expansion and development.

Jason J Wargent¹, Jason P Moore, A Roland Ennos

¹Department of Biological Sciences, Lancaster University, Lancaster, UK. j.wargent@lancaster.ac.uk

Photochemistry and Photobiology

|September 4, 2008

Summary

Ultraviolet radiation significantly reduces lettuce leaf growth by impacting cell size and number. Increased cell-wall peroxidase activity is a key response to UV exposure, affecting plant development.

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Last Updated: Jul 2, 2026

Measurement of Leaf Hydraulic Conductance and Stomatal Conductance and Their Responses to Irradiance and Dehydration Using the Evaporative Flux Method (EFM)

Measurement of Leaf Hydraulic Conductance and Stomatal Conductance and Their Responses to Irradiance and Dehydration Using the Evaporative Flux Method (EFM)

Published on: December 31, 2012

Evaluation of Photosynthetic Behaviors by Simultaneous Measurements of Leaf Reflectance and Chlorophyll Fluorescence Analyses

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Published on: January 7, 2017

Area of Science:

Plant Biology
Environmental Science
Photobiology

Background:

Leaf growth reduction is a common plant response to ultraviolet (UV) radiation.
The specific mechanisms driving UV-induced growth inhibition are not well understood.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate the effects of UV radiation on lettuce leaf growth at multiple organizational levels.
To elucidate the physiological and cellular mechanisms underlying UV-B and UV-A impacts on leaf development.

Main Methods:

Lettuce plants were exposed to supplementary UV-B in controlled environments and varying UV transmissions under horticultural films in field conditions.
Evaluated leaf expansion rate, epidermal cell size and number, biomechanical properties, leaf-water relations, and cell-wall peroxidase activity.

Main Results:

UV-B significantly reduced leaf expansion and final leaf size, with UV-A also contributing to these reductions.
UV exposure decreased epidermal cell size and number in both controlled and field conditions.
Breaking strain of leaf tissue decreased, while cell-wall peroxidase activity increased under UV stress.

Conclusions:

UV radiation, particularly UV-B, directly inhibits lettuce leaf expansion and size.
Cellular changes, including reduced cell size and number, and increased cell-wall peroxidase activity, are key responses to UV stress.
UV-induced alterations in cell wall properties and enzyme activity contribute to reduced leaf growth.