Smaller leaves: adapting to drier conditions

Lawren Sack, UCLA professor of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, and collaborators, including Ph.D. candidate and lead author Christine Scoffoni, used three-dimensional computer models to simulate water transport within the veins of different sized leaves. They found that the distinct vein systems of smaller leaves are structurally and physiologically better adapted for plants to live in dry soil, contributing to survival during periods of drought.