To What Extent Does Gender Influence Leaf Morphology
Introduction
Leaves are the most significant photosynthetic tissue for the majority plants and play a crucial role in response to biotic and abiotic disturbances. Leaf shape is seen as one of the most variable and distinct plant traits, and variation of leaf morphology can exist among species, populations and individuals, and within individuals. Because leaves are critical to plant growth and survival, it is assumed that the variation in leaf shape represents an adaptive consequence caused by natural selection. Although previous research shows leaf shape variation is possibly related to plant thermoregulation (Parkhurst & Loucks, 1972; Taylor et al., 1975; Givnish et al., 1984; Schuepp, 1993), herbivore preference (Brown & Lawton, 1991), water balance (Schuepp, 1993; Jones, 1995), and resistance to cold (Campitelli & Stinchcombe, 2013), the current knowledge is still limited …show more content…
Plants with traits adapted to the local environment can have selective advantages to survive and reproduce, so these adaptive traits can quickly spread in their populations. By using genomic sequencing, candidate genes underlying the adaptive features can be identified.
Question 2: Does gender influence leaf morphology?
If gender-related differences in leaf morphology exist, sexual selection can be a possible answer for it. As pollen donors, male plants with a broadly spaced floral display can be favored by providing a larger number of axillary meristems that can be deployed for flowering, thus as a trade-off leaf size of male individuals is smaller than females (Scott & Aarssen, 2012). If the leaf traits vary by gender, this may also provide some additional information to locate genes controlling certain traits of leaf shape.
Question 3: Do changes of leaf shape relate to interior anatomical structures of a lamina such as pigments
Leaves are the most significant photosynthetic tissue for the majority plants and play a crucial role in response to biotic and abiotic disturbances. Leaf shape is seen as one of the most variable and distinct plant traits, and variation of leaf morphology can exist among species, populations and individuals, and within individuals. Because leaves are critical to plant growth and survival, it is assumed that the variation in leaf shape represents an adaptive consequence caused by natural selection. Although previous research shows leaf shape variation is possibly related to plant thermoregulation (Parkhurst & Loucks, 1972; Taylor et al., 1975; Givnish et al., 1984; Schuepp, 1993), herbivore preference (Brown & Lawton, 1991), water balance (Schuepp, 1993; Jones, 1995), and resistance to cold (Campitelli & Stinchcombe, 2013), the current knowledge is still limited …show more content…
Plants with traits adapted to the local environment can have selective advantages to survive and reproduce, so these adaptive traits can quickly spread in their populations. By using genomic sequencing, candidate genes underlying the adaptive features can be identified.
Question 2: Does gender influence leaf morphology?
If gender-related differences in leaf morphology exist, sexual selection can be a possible answer for it. As pollen donors, male plants with a broadly spaced floral display can be favored by providing a larger number of axillary meristems that can be deployed for flowering, thus as a trade-off leaf size of male individuals is smaller than females (Scott & Aarssen, 2012). If the leaf traits vary by gender, this may also provide some additional information to locate genes controlling certain traits of leaf shape.
Question 3: Do changes of leaf shape relate to interior anatomical structures of a lamina such as pigments