Genome size and DNA base composition (Research in Context)

Genome size is known to affect various plant traits such as stomatal size and seed mass but these associations are not well understood for species with very large genomes, which are largely represented by geophytic plants. Veselý et al.  survey genome size across 219 geophytes and find that it is associated with species’ ecology and phenology, and analysis also shows an association with changes in DNA base composition. They suggest that although production of larger cells appears to be an advantageous strategy for fast development in seasonal habitats, the drought sensitivity of large stomata may restrict the occurrence of geophytes with very large genomes to regions not subject to water stress.