Noob question on leaves opening closing

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AqEnthusiast

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Dec 19, 2011
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We can see plants opening leaves to receive light for photosynthesis and then closing after sometime. . I want to understand below:


* does it open leaves on receiving light or it is a kind of its auto response to open after few hours?


* once these leaves get closed could it be that it is not "advisable" to provide light ? Does it stress the leaves much to provide light after they are closed ?


I know it could be like why worry just do it - but as we all look for good healthy plants want to understand this properly. . Can you please let me know about this. .




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Josh Holloway--Be mine!!!
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My plants do not close it's leaves. What kind of plant??
 

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Josh Holloway--Be mine!!!
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OK, never seen this, but maybe just not paying attention to it.
 

Byron Amazonas

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I've not noticed this either, but then I probably don't have plants that respond in this manner. My various swords (Helanthium and Echinodorus species) do not seem to adjust.

I see your link to the info on the plant forum explained this. I have to use this opportunity to mention that this is certainly significant in fishes, and while I did previously understand that plants also have this circadian rhythm as do fish and all animals for that matter, I had never known how plants might express this.

Light impacts the physiology of fish and plants, and the circadian rhythm establishes according to the normal day/night cycle. They rhythm can be altered, such as by varying the photoperiod (both fish and plants respond) though I am not sure how long it takes for an adjusted cycle to alter the existing circadian rhythm. To perhaps understand this more easily, it is what causes jet lag in humans, or the odd changes that occur every spring and every autumn when the clocks change by an hour. You can see how finely balanced this is. This is why it is very important to use a timer on tank lights, and both for the fish and plants. A regular cycle will mean healthier fish and plants.

With fish, this is not just a matter of eyesight. With one exception, the species of pencilfish in the genus Nannostomus all have a pattern of one or more horizontal lines. At night, these lines actually break up, forming what one might call dashes rather than a solid line. This is the nocturnal pattern for these species, and it has been observed to occur at dusk even in blind fish. This tells us that the circadian rhythm depends on light sensitivity other than just through the eyes. And in fact, the cells of fish are highly sensitive to light. I was in a discussion in another thread recently about the effects of bright substrates, and this is just one factor there. It is clearly irrational to dismiss all this as not mattering; to the fish, it clearly does matter. And this is also why one must provide a period of total darkness--no moon lights, no ambient room light--each 24-hour period. Biologically, all plants and fish require this period of rest.

Byron.
 
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