Genome size as a predictor of guard cell length in Arabidopsis thaliana is independent of environmental conditions.
The recent discovery of a strong positive relationship between angiosperm genome size and stomatal guard cell length (GCL) opens the possibility of using plant fossil guard cell size as a proxy for changes in angiosperm genome size over periods of environmental change. The responses of GCL to environmental stimuli are currently unknown and may obscure this predictive relationship. Here, we investigated the effects of environmental variables (atmospheric CO2, drought, relative humidity, irradiance, ultraviolet radiation and pathogen attack) on GCL in the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana to quantify environmentally induced variation. GCL responded to all variables tested, but the changes incurred did not significantly impinge on the predictive capability of the relationship.
Lomax
Barry H
BH
Department of Animal and Plant Sciences, University of Sheffield, Sheffield S10 2TN, UK;Present address: The School of Biosciences, Division of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, The University of Nottingham, Nottingham NG7 2RD, UK;Jodrell Laboratory, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, Richmond, Surrey TW9 3AD, UK;Department of Biological Sciences, California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, CA 93407, USA.
Woodward
F Ian
FI
Department of Animal and Plant Sciences, University of Sheffield, Sheffield S10 2TN, UK;Present address: The School of Biosciences, Division of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, The University of Nottingham, Nottingham NG7 2RD, UK;Jodrell Laboratory, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, Richmond, Surrey TW9 3AD, UK;Department of Biological Sciences, California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, CA 93407, USA.
Leitch
Ilia J
IJ
Department of Animal and Plant Sciences, University of Sheffield, Sheffield S10 2TN, UK;Present address: The School of Biosciences, Division of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, The University of Nottingham, Nottingham NG7 2RD, UK;Jodrell Laboratory, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, Richmond, Surrey TW9 3AD, UK;Department of Biological Sciences, California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, CA 93407, USA.
Knight
Charles A
CA
Department of Animal and Plant Sciences, University of Sheffield, Sheffield S10 2TN, UK;Present address: The School of Biosciences, Division of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, The University of Nottingham, Nottingham NG7 2RD, UK;Jodrell Laboratory, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, Richmond, Surrey TW9 3AD, UK;Department of Biological Sciences, California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, CA 93407, USA.
Lake
Janice A
JA
Department of Animal and Plant Sciences, University of Sheffield, Sheffield S10 2TN, UK;Present address: The School of Biosciences, Division of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, The University of Nottingham, Nottingham NG7 2RD, UK;Jodrell Laboratory, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, Richmond, Surrey TW9 3AD, UK;Department of Biological Sciences, California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, CA 93407, USA.
D000220:Adaptation, Biological / Q000235:genetics*; D017360:Arabidopsis / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000235:genetics*; D004777:Environment; D018745:Genome, Plant; D016014:Linear Models; D054046:Plant Stomata / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000235:genetics