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DAVID M. UATES
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FIQ. 7. Lezf temperature as a function of the internal diffusion resistance for a leaf of
characterietic dimension 5 om, in air at 35°C in still air for venous amounts of absorbed
radiation znd relative humidities.
determined as well as environmentally influenced. Much remains to be
done hcre in order to understand these basic metabolic events. In fact,
a considerable amount of understanding of plants in the ecosystem may
hinge cn understanding these enzyme controlled metabolic proceeses.
c. C O M P E T I T I O N
PreciRely how does competition for environmental factors affect the
distribation and densities of species and individuals within a plant
commufiity ?
Now that the mechanism by which environment is coupled to the
plant, e.g. energy exchange, is understood and now that the potential
consequences of energy flow in terms of leaf temperature, t'ranspiration,
photosynthesis, respiration, growth, etc. are realized, it is possible to
discuss such matters as competition and the arrangement of species
and individuals within the plant community. It is often quite clear that
certain plant individuals within a community are limited by some