Circadian Regulation of Stomatal Aperture in Arabidopsis Under Elevated CO2
Lindqvist E, Patel R, Moreno C
Climate Adaptation
Understanding how plants adjust their water and gas exchange under rising CO2 could help predict how crops and garden plants will behave in coming decades — affecting how much water they need and how efficiently they grow.
Plants have tiny pores on their leaves that open and close to breathe in carbon dioxide and release water vapor. Scientists found that when CO2 levels are as high as we expect them to be later this century, those pores open about two hours earlier in the morning than usual. A specific protein in the plant's internal clock is responsible for this change, meaning plants may naturally adapt their daily rhythms to cope with a higher-CO2 world.
Key Findings
Stomatal opening peaks 2.3 hours earlier under elevated CO2 conditions of 800ppm
The circadian clock transcription factor TOC1 mediates the phase shift in stomatal rhythm
Plants show an intrinsic adaptive mechanism for adjusting gas exchange patterns under future atmospheric CO2 concentrations
chevron_right Technical Summary
Under high CO2 levels expected in future climates, plants open their leaf pores (stomata) earlier in the day than usual. A molecular clock protein called TOC1 drives this shift, suggesting plants have a built-in mechanism to adjust their breathing patterns as the atmosphere changes.
Abstract Preview
We show that stomatal opening follows a modified circadian rhythm under 800ppm CO2, with peak aperture shifting 2.3 hours earlier. The transcription factor TOC1 mediates this shift, providing a mec...
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