Stomatal responses of differently CO2-acclimated plants to natural and experimental CO2 gradients.
Kammer PM, Wermelinger DL, Klossner JM, Steiner JS, Schöb C
Climate Adaptation
Every vegetable in your garden is quietly reducing the number of tiny pores on its leaves as atmospheric CO₂ climbs—and this study confirms that response is a universal plant behavior, which helps scientists predict whether your tomatoes will need more or less water as the climate continues to change.
Plants have thousands of tiny pores on their leaves that open to absorb carbon dioxide and close to conserve water. Researchers found that as CO₂ in the air increases, plants consistently make fewer of these pores—a pattern that holds true whether the plant grew up in a high-CO₂ or low-CO₂ environment. However, heat, dry air, and other local conditions can override this rule, so plants in different climates may still behave differently.
Key Findings
Stomatal frequency decreased with rising CO₂ (30 vs. 42 Pa) in all tested C₃ plants, regardless of their CO₂ acclimation history
Plants grown at reduced CO₂ (~30 Pa) developed smaller stomatal apertures than those at ambient CO₂ (~40 Pa), and also produced less above-ground biomass
No significant difference in stomatal frequency was found between plants naturally acclimated at 2,970 m altitude versus 540 m, suggesting local environmental factors (temperature, humidity) can mask the CO₂ signal
chevron_right Technical Summary
Plants universally reduce the number of leaf pores (stomata) as CO₂ levels rise, regardless of whether they evolved in high or low CO₂ environments. However, local stressors like heat and low humidity can override this pattern, complicating predictions about how vegetation will respond to a CO₂-rich future.
Abstract Preview
Stomata, the microscopic pores in the epidermis of plant leaves, facilitate gas exchange between the leaf interior and the external environment and thus play a pivotal role in the global carbon, wa...
open_in_new Read full abstractAbstract copyright held by the original publisher.
Was this useful?
Chloroplast Genome Editing Eliminates Gluten Immunogenicity in Triticum aestivum
It could mean that people with celiac disease — roughly 1 in 100 worldwide — may one day safely eat bread made from real wheat, without sacrificing the taste...