The MechSys team has developed a comprehensive computer model simulating how plants adapt to different environments. This model integrates three key systems that determine plant survival and growth: the biochemical network handling photosynthesis inside plant cells, the hydraulic network managing water movement from soil through the plant to the atmosphere, and the thermal mechanics controlling heat exchange between the plant and its environment.
For plants performing CAM photosynthesis (taking in carbon dioxide at night), the team also modeled the special malic acid cycle enabling this adaptation. By modeling these systems together, the researchers discovered that plant biochemistry, water transport, and heat exchange are much more tightly connected than previously appreciated.
Using fundamental physics and chemistry principles, the model is starting to reveal new insights about poorly understood aspects of CAM plants, including how malate accumulation affects water movement, why water-storing tissues are important for CAM photosynthesis, and why this efficient form of photosynthesis is mainly found in harsh environments.
Through computer simulations of plant evolution, the team demonstrated that both thin-leaved C3 plants and succulent CAM plants represent optimal solutions under specific conditions. In warmer, drier environments with low CO2 levels, CAM photosynthesis becomes more advantageous, matching real-world observations. Preliminary results help explain several puzzling aspects of CAM plants, including their strong connection to succulence, their presence in some aquatic plants, and the role of photorespiration in their metabolism.
These findings reveal which combinations of plant traits work together effectively under different conditions, crucial knowledge for engineering drought-resistant crops. The team is now refining their model with the help of artificial intelligence to facilitate quantitative predictions that can be validated experimentally.
