Related Concept Videos
01:25Cell Signaling in Plants
Plant cells communicate to coordinate their cycle of growth, flowering and fruiting, and activities in roots, shoots, and leaves in response to the changing environmental conditions. Plant signaling is distinct from animal signaling. Plants primarily utilize enzyme-linked receptors, whereas the largest class of cell-surface receptors in animals are G-protein coupled receptors (GPCRs). Unlike animals, receptor tyrosine kinases are rare in plants. Instead, plants have a diverse class of...
02:12Short-distance Transport of Resources
Short-distance transport refers to transport that occurs over a distance of just 2-3 cells, crossing the plasma membrane in the process. Small uncharged molecules, such as oxygen, carbon dioxide, and water, can diffuse across the plasma membrane on their own. In contrast, ions and larger molecules require the assistance of transport proteins due to their charge or size. Transport across membranes also occurs within individual cells, playing a variety of essential roles for the plant as a whole.
02:00Photoreceptors 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.
02:38Asexual Reproduction
Asexual reproduction allows plants to reproduce without growing flowers, attracting pollinators, or dispersing seeds. Offspring are genetically identical to the parent and produced without the fusion of male and female gametes.
01:18Plant Tissues
Plants are multicellular eukaryotes with tissue systems made of various cell types that carry out specific functions. Different tissues work together to perform a unique function and form an organ. Organs working together form organ systems. Vascular plants have two distinct organ systems: a shoot system and a root system. The shoot system consists of two portions: the vegetative (non-reproductive) parts of the plant, such as the leaves and the stems, and the reproductive parts of the plant,...
02:02Responses to Salt Stress
Salt stress—which can be triggered by high salt concentrations in a plant’s environment—can significantly affect plant growth and crop production by influencing photosynthesis and the absorption of water and nutrients.
You might also read
Related Articles
Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.
Sort by
Same author
High-Throughput iNaturalist Image Analysis Reveals Flower Color Divergence in <i>Monarda fistulosa</i>.
The American naturalist·2026
Same author
A lectin receptor-like kinase controls self-pollen recognition in <i>Phlox</i>.
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·2026
Same author
Variation in Response to Water Availability Across <i>Phlox</i> Species.
Plant-environment interactions (Hoboken, N.J.)·2025
Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 13, 2026
08:02
Robotic Sensing and Stimuli Provision for Guided Plant Growth
Published on: July 1, 2019
Reinforcement in plants.
1The University of Texas at Austin, 1 University Station, Austin, TX 78712, USA. robin.hopkins@austin.utexas.edu
The New Phytologist
|March 16, 2013
Summary
Reinforcement, a process strengthening reproductive isolation (RI), aids plant speciation. Evidence from case studies and experimental evolution supports reinforcement in plants, though more comparative research is needed.
Area of Science:
- Evolutionary biology
- Speciation research
- Plant reproductive isolation
Background:
- Diverging populations evolve into species through reproductive isolation (RI).
- Reinforcement strengthens RI by selecting against costly mating between incipient species.
- While studied in animals, reinforcement in plants is also increasingly recognized.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review evidence for reinforcement in plant speciation.
- To highlight the role of reinforcement in preventing genomic homogenization.
- To assess the contribution of different research strategies to understanding plant reinforcement.
Main Methods:
- Review of case studies on plant speciation.
- Discussion of experimental evolution studies.
Main Results:
- Case studies, including *Phlox drummondii*, provide evidence for reinforcement in plants.
- Experimental evolution and comparative studies also support the occurrence of reinforcement.
- Evidence suggests reinforcement can occur, but its overall importance in plant speciation requires further investigation.
Conclusions:
- Reinforcement is a plausible mechanism contributing to plant speciation.
- Further large-scale comparative studies are crucial to determine the prevalence of reinforcement in plants.