Angiosperms rose to ecological dominance through innovations that enhanced photosynthetic capacity and water-use efficiency. We propose that a pivotal, yet underappreciated, contributor was the hydroactive stomatal mechanism, an abscisic acid-mediated, metabolically driven control of guard-cell turgor. Unlike passive hydraulic responses to changes in water status, hydroactive regulation enables rapid, multisignal integration and minute-scale adjustment of stomatal aperture, synchronising carbon gain with hydraulic safety under fluctuating light, CO2, and evaporative demand. We argue that this water-status control module complemented other stomatal signalling pathways responsive to light, CO2, and metabolism, improving physiological coordination in dynamic environments. This perspective reframes stomata as decision-making nodes linking leaf anatomical evolution, physiological plasticity, and angiosperm diversification and offers a foundation for engineering climate-resilient crops under climate change.

In vascular plants, the long-distance water transport between organs occurs under tension. Because it is difficult to study a system under negative pressure without measurement artefacts, the field of...

Apply to become a postdoctoral scholar! This postdoctoral scholar program will help create the next generation of leaders in climate science and policy. It endeavors...

Position Details School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences Location: University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham UK Fixed salary of £49,747 additional allowances may be applicable depe...

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Our study highlights the importance of assessing thermal thresholds using consistent exposure duration and plant material type when comparing studies, as well as their relationship to functional re...

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), a peer reviewed journal of the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) - an authoritative source of high-impact, original research that broadly spans...

Leaf water loss after stomatal closure is key to understanding the effects of prolonged drought on vegetation. It is therefore important to accurately quantify such water losses to improve physiolog...

We are pleased to announce the 35th European Dendroecological Fieldweek, taking place from August 29 to September 5. This event will be held in the town of Son (Spain) at the heart of the Catalan Pyre...

Temperatures above a critical threshold can increase leaf minimum conductance after cooling, evidencing a “thermal leaky legacy effect” that can reduce pla