Question

WRITE ABOUT A THEME: ORGANIZATION Natural selection has led to changes in the architecture of plants that enable them to photosynthesize more efficiently in the ecological niches they occupy. In a short essay (100–150 words), explain how shoot architecture enhances photosynthesis.

Short answer

Higher light absorption in the canopy promotes plant photosynthesis at high light levels (summer) but not at low light levels (winter). Internode length and leaf-forms have an impact on the vertical dispersion of light in the canopy.

A plant with a broader canopy structure due to long internodes and long narrow leaves increases plant photosynthesis.

Step-by-step solution

Natural selection

The process where organisms living in a particular environment adapt and change according to the environmental changes is called natural selection. It is a crucial mechanism for the process of evolution.

It is because of natural selection and adaptation to the surrounding environment organisms can evolve. For natural selection to occur, organisms must satisfy four conditions, heredity, reproduction, variation in characteristics among members, variation in fitness among organisms.

Shoot architecture

The shoot architecture in plants is determined by the arrangement and activities of axillary, apical, secondary, and inflorescence meristem. Shoot architecture is also determined by the differential development of stems, leaves, and branches.

Effect of shoot architecture on photosynthesis

Absorption of light is an essential element for photosynthesis and determining the plant's yield that depends on the structure of a single plant or the overall canopy.

Leaf shape and size are crucial characteristics of leaf morphology that influence shadowing and canopy light absorption. Shoot architecture indicates the structure of leaves, stems, and veins of the leaves.

Changes in leaf arrangement and size can change light availability, particularly in the lower canopy, and alter leaf photosynthetic activity by adjusting light-harvesting efficiency.

Thus, reduced leaf crowding, for example, can improve light absorption and photosynthetic production in the forest.