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Adaptations of the Leaf

Animals aren̵7;t the only living things to adapt for their survival ̵2; plants do plenty of this, too, and the adaptations of their leaves play a large part. Because leaves perform a number of functions for plants, they're adapted in various ways depending on the plant species̵7; needs. Leaves primarily contribute toward photosynthesis and gas exchange, but leaf adaptations may also occur, for instance, when a plant needs to protect itself against predators.

Photosynthesis
- Plants absorb sunlight and carbon dioxide through their leaves, turning this resource into carbohydrates. Leaves are adapted in multiple ways to help plants achieve photosynthesis as efficiently as possible. For a start, larger leaves aid plants because the bigger surface area can catch more of the sunlight the plant requires. When the leaf is also slim, the carbon dioxide taken in by the plant is better able to reach the cells required. Effective carbon dioxide diffusion is also achieved via the stomata ̵1; or pores -- in the leaf.
Desert Plants
- For plants that live in the desert, such as cacti, reducing water loss and retaining moisture is a daily difficulty. The leaves of these plants have developed to aid in this. For example, the stomata of desert plants are either especially small or buried inside plant tissue. This reduces the amount of water that can transpire through the stomata and also prevents the desert's dry winds from affecting the stomata. Another adaptation seen in desert plants is the presence of small leaves, which reduce the amount of water evaporation that can take place due to the decreased surface area.
Gas Exchange
- Plants need to absorb gases such as carbon dioxide into their leaves and release oxygen. Their leaves are adapted to allow a quick and effective gas-exchange process. The stomata are important here; the more stomata there are on a leaf, the better the rate of gas exchange. Diffusion of carbon dioxide into the plant is helped, too, by the shape of a leaf. If the leaf is flat, the concentration difference is high, which results in quicker diffusion of carbon dioxide.
Dealing with Rainfall
- Plants that live in rain forests experience higher levels of rainfall than those that have a different habitat. The problem with this rainfall is that prolonged exposure to large amounts of water can result in bacterial and fungus growths when coupled with the rainforest̵7;s humid conditions. The leaves of these plants have adapted through the appearance of drip tips at their ends. These allow the plant to rid itself of excess water as the moisture runs off the end of the leaf.
Defense
- Plants are surrounded by herbivorous predators and need to protect themselves. The leaves of some plants do this job. For example, a cactus plant̵7;s leaves feature spines that can be painful when an animal tries to eat them.

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