Date of Award:
5-1-2004
Document Type:
Thesis
Degree Name:
Master of Science (MS)
Department:
Biology
Committee Chair(s)
Keith Mott
Committee
Keith Mott
Committee
Daryll DeWald
Committee
David Peak
Abstract
This research studies the spatial and temporal dynamics of stomatal patchiness in order to investigate the possibility that plants solve their problem of adjusting stomatal aperture in order to maximize CO2 uptake while minimizing H2O loss through an emergent, distributed computation. An extensive study is done on qualitative and quantitative characteristics of stomatal patchiness, and improved imaging techniques are developed to more fully capture the dynamics. In doing so, soliton-like structures were discovered. Sequences of chlorophyll fluorescence images of Xanthium strumarium leaves were then compared to image sequences of cellular computer simulations that solve problems via emergent, distributed computation. Statistical analyses revealed that the spatial and temporal correlations of the patchy dynamics for the two types of images were indistinguishable.
Recommended Citation
West, Jevin, "Investigation Into the Spatial and Temporal Dynamics of Stomatal Networks to Determine Whether Plants Perform Emergent, Distributed Computation" (2004). Biology. 698.
https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/etd_biology/698
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