A study of the responses of stomata to perturbations of environment

Abstract

An understanding of the processes governing gas exchange at vegetative surfaces is important in ecology, agriculture, meteorology and water resource management and this exchange is moderated by the behaviour of the stomata in the epidermes of the aerial parts of the plants. Much of the study of stomatal behaviour has been under steady state conditions. However natural environments fluctuate. This work aims at an elucidation of dynamic stomatal behaviour - the response of stomata to perturbations of the environment. Observations of oscillations of stomatal aperture and of plant functioning associated with stomatal aperture have given added impetus to the study as oscillatory behaviour is a special case of dynamic behaviour.