THE EFFECT OF LIGHT INTENSITY DURING PLANT GROWTH ON THE SIZE OF STOMATA IN DICOT LEAVES
THE EFFECT OF LIGHT INTENSITY DURING PLANT GROWTH ON THE SIZE OF STOMATA IN DICOT LEAVES
Christina Durgan
Nicole Romero
Vanessa Chilunda
Biology 101, Thursday 1:15pm
Claire Burkum
5 December, 2013
1. The hypothesis of this study is that the size of the stomata on the dicot leaves exposed to higher light intensity will be smaller compared to the size of the stomata on the dicot leaves exposed to lower light intensity. This is because at higher light intensity there is an increase in environmental temperature, which results to higher rates of transpiration; hence, in order to reduce water loss from the leaves, the stomata of the dicot leaves exposed to higher light intensity will have smaller stomata size.
Figure 1. Mean stomatal width (±StDev) for dicot leaves exposed to higher and lower light intensities (n=15) (t=-2.92, p=0.007, d.f.=27).
3. We found that there was a significant difference in the mean stomatal width, whereby there was higher stomatal width on the dicot leaves exposed to higher light intensity compared to those to lower light intensity (Figure 1) (t=-2.92, p=0.007, d.f.=27).
4. We tested the hypothesis that the size of the stomata on the dicot leaves exposed to higher light intensity will be smaller compared to the size of the stomata on the dicot leaves exposed to lower light intensity. This was because at higher light intensity there is an increase in environmental temperature, which results to higher rates of transpiration; hence, in order to reduce water loss from the leaves, the stomata of the dicot leaves exposed to higher light intensity will have smaller stomata size (Figure 1, p=0.007). This supports our hypothesis; hence showing that amount of light intensity does have an effect on the size of the stomata.
5. In the dicot leaves, the stomata are widely spread across the leaves; whereas, in the monocot leaves, the stomata are arranged parallel and linear to each other. In the monocots, the leaf venation is parallel; hence leading to
Christina Durgan
Nicole Romero
Vanessa Chilunda
Biology 101, Thursday 1:15pm
Claire Burkum
5 December, 2013
1. The hypothesis of this study is that the size of the stomata on the dicot leaves exposed to higher light intensity will be smaller compared to the size of the stomata on the dicot leaves exposed to lower light intensity. This is because at higher light intensity there is an increase in environmental temperature, which results to higher rates of transpiration; hence, in order to reduce water loss from the leaves, the stomata of the dicot leaves exposed to higher light intensity will have smaller stomata size.
Figure 1. Mean stomatal width (±StDev) for dicot leaves exposed to higher and lower light intensities (n=15) (t=-2.92, p=0.007, d.f.=27).
3. We found that there was a significant difference in the mean stomatal width, whereby there was higher stomatal width on the dicot leaves exposed to higher light intensity compared to those to lower light intensity (Figure 1) (t=-2.92, p=0.007, d.f.=27).
4. We tested the hypothesis that the size of the stomata on the dicot leaves exposed to higher light intensity will be smaller compared to the size of the stomata on the dicot leaves exposed to lower light intensity. This was because at higher light intensity there is an increase in environmental temperature, which results to higher rates of transpiration; hence, in order to reduce water loss from the leaves, the stomata of the dicot leaves exposed to higher light intensity will have smaller stomata size (Figure 1, p=0.007). This supports our hypothesis; hence showing that amount of light intensity does have an effect on the size of the stomata.
5. In the dicot leaves, the stomata are widely spread across the leaves; whereas, in the monocot leaves, the stomata are arranged parallel and linear to each other. In the monocots, the leaf venation is parallel; hence leading to