Stomata question

[Corey Braastad]

In article <3ip64c$hqk at newsbf02.news.aol.com>, noneatname at aol.com (NoNeatName) writes:
>I recently did a lab in my High School advanced placement bio. class. 
>Basically, I did a survey on the structure of a rhododendron leaf.  I
>noticed under the compound scope that there was a higher concentration of
>stomata on the underside of the leaf than on the top.  Why would this be? 
>Any help would be greatly appreciated.  Thanks in advance.
>
>Justin
>noneatname at aol.com

    Think of the surface area of a leaf, carefully utilized area would strongly
selected for in a plant, sepecially one which grows in shady areas.  Only the top
side of a leaf is exposed to the most intense sunlight, therefore it would more
valuable for stomata to not "get in the way" of photosynthetic complexes, which
are not present in the stomata.  A higher concentration of stomata on the 
underside of a leaf makes pretty good sense if thought about in this manner.  
Hope my $.02 is helpful in your thinking...good luck!

Corey Braastad
UMass at Dartmouth
Molecular Biology and Genetics
s14509cb at umassd.edu
molecule at cis.massd.edu