We take an integrative approach to synthesize the ecology, physiology, and anatomy of plants in a comparative framework. We define our questions in the natural, changing environment and follow the answers to the molecular or ultra-structural level. A unifying theme of our studies is the question of how plants survive and thrive in their natural environment and what mechanisms are responsible for the acclimation and adaptation of plants to extreme environmental conditions. We identify the physiological and structural traits (and hopefully the associated genes) that protect plants, and particularly their ability to collect solar energy, perform photosynthesis, and distribute sugars throughout the plant. We compare these characteristics among plant species with contrasting growth patterns and acclimation strategies.
