Experiment 8

Sun and Shade Plants

INTRODUCTION
Organisms like plants are adapted to live in a particular set of conditions. Sun and shade plants
have evolved to optimize the use of sunlight over a wide variety of habitats, thus both plants have
developed distinct photosynthetic and morphological characteristics (McDonald, 2003). In this
experiment, the photosynthetic rate and morphological differences of sun and shade were compared.
Photosynthesis is the process by which plants absorb light energy to oxidize water, thereby
releasing oxygen and to reduce carbon dioxide, thereby releasing carbohydrates (Taiz & Zeiger, 2002).
The overall chemical reaction of photosynthesis is:

The net rate of photosynthesis can be determined either by measuring O 2 production per unit time
or CO2 consumption per unit time (Toole & Toole, 2004). Between the two ways, O 2 production is easier
to measure (Kent, 2000). However, this method does not give the exact measure of photosynthetic rate
because respiration occurs in the cells all the time (Toole & Toole, 2004). Respiration is the reverse
process of photosynthesis, therefore, some of the oxygen produced by photosynthesis is used by the plants
for respiration (Kent, 2000). Photosynthetic rate of plants is measured above a light compensation point
which varies in plants (Kent, 2000). Light compensation point is defined as the light intensity at which the
photosynthetic rate is equal to the respiratory rate, therefore the net exchange of carbon dioxide and
oxygen is zero (Kent, 2000). Further increase in light intensity above the compensation point will cause a
proportional increase in photosynthetic rate until a point where further increase has no effect on
photosynthesis (Toole & Toole, 2004).
Sun plants photosynthesize efficiently at high light intensities (Kent, 2000). On the other hand,
shade plants photosynthesize in relatively low light intensities, thus having a lower compensation point
relative to sun plants (Kent, 2000). Therefore, sun and shade plants differ in photosynthetic rates due to
their difference in light compensation point.
The method used to measure the photosynthetic rate of sun and shade plants in this experiment is
called the Floating Leaf Disc Assay (FLDA). FLDA utilizes the rate at which the oxygen is produced as a
measure of the photosynthetic rate (Bonner, 2012). Normally, leaf discs float in water because gases are
infused in the spongy mesophyll layer of the leaves. When the air spaces of the mesophyll layer are
infused with liquid solution, the overall density of the leaf disc increases causing it to sink. The
infiltration solution used in this experiment is a baking soda solution which contains sodium bicarbonate.
The bicarbonate ions will serve as the source of carbon for photosynthesis to occur (Waldron et al., 2014).
As the solution with the leaf discs was illuminated with bright light, photosynthesis proceeds and oxygen
is released into the interior of the leaf changing the buoyancy and causing the leaf discs to float again.
Thus, the rate at which the discs rise is the indirect measurement of the net rate of photosynthesis
(Waldron et al., 2014). Theoretically, since the compensation point of shade plants are lower, the leaf

discs of the shade plant must float earlier than the sun plant as illuminated because it will exceed its
compensation point faster than the shade plant.
Moreover, due to differences in their environmental conditions, sun and shade plants developed
distinct morphological structures. Relative to shade plants, sun plants have thicker, heavier, smaller, and
light-colored leaves. (Goulet et.al., 1986) The varying thickness of their leaves is mainly due to the
increase in number of palisade cells and/or the presence of taller palisade cells. The spongy layer, on the
other hand, increases the path length of light in the leaves (Lambers, et.al., 1998). This characteristic of
sun leaves enables them to achieve maximum absorption of light energy. Moreover, in terms of weight,
leaves of sun plants are heavier compared to shade plants because of the presence of a thick waxy cuticle.
The size of sun leaves is relatively smaller than shade leaves because of the indentations which allow
more light to pass through.
In shade plants, the leaves contain a large proportion of spongy mesophyll which allows greater
absorption because of light scattering. Obligate shade plants have a specialized anatomical structure to
further maximize the absorption of light. Epidermal and hydrenchyma cells concentrate the light to the
mesophyll ( Lambers et.al., 1998). Due to the decreased thickness of the mesophyll of shade plants, they
contain fewer chloroplasts per unit area than in sun plants (Lambers et. al., 1998).
In vascular plants, the primary means of gas exchange is through the stomata. These are small
pores, on the surface of leaves, which opens and closes under the control of guard cells. Open stomata
pores allow the entry of carbon dioxide for glucose synthesis and the exit of water and oxygen. Aside
from the stomata behavior of plants, gas exchange rates may also vary based on the stomata density in
leaves. A higher stomata density allows more water to be released and more carbon dioxide to be taken
up. The behavioral control over waterloss and carbon dioxide uptake is directly proportional to the
stomata density in leaves. (Grant, 2004)
Leaves of Malvaviscus penduliflorus, representing the sun plants, and Aerva sanguinolenta,
representing the shade plants, were used in the experiment.

REFERENCES

Taiz, L. & Zeiger, E. (2002). Plant Physiology. 3rd ed. Sunderland: SInauer Associates, p. 111
Kent, M. (2000). Advanced Biology. OUP Oxford, pp. 94-95

Bonner, J.M. (2012). Studying Photosynthesis and Respiration in Hedera helix. Tested Studies for
Laboratory Teaching. 3(2012): 17. Retrieved from http://www.ableweb.org/volumes/vol33/v33reprint.php?ch=1

Toole, G. & Toole, S. (2004). Essential A2 Biology for OCR. UK: Nelson Thornes Ltd., pp. 31-32

Waldron, I., Robinson, L., Poethig, S. (2014). Investigation 5 in College Board Teacher Manual
for AP Biology Investigative Labs. Department of Biology, University of Pennsylvania. Retrieved
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Lambers, H. et.al. 1998. Plant Physiological Ecology, 1st Ed. New York: Springer
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Goulet, F and Bellefleur, P. 1986. Leaf morphology plasticity in response to

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