Plants do not overheat under sunlight due to transpiration and radiative cooling
Is it true that plants do not overheat under sunlight due to transpiration and radiative cooling?
Yes. Plants prevent overheating under sunlight through physiological processes such as transpirational cooling via stomata and radiative or thermal energy dissipation.
Verdict: SUPPORTED · 6 sources for, 0 against · Last checked
The retrieved papers consistently support the premise that plants rely on transpiration (via stomatal conductance) and thermal/radiative cooling mechanisms to regulate leaf temperature and prevent overheating under sunlight. No papers refute this mechanism, though several note that water stress or elevated CO2 can constrain these cooling processes.
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BC, P., SE, B., DF, K., A, S., LLD, A., LMT, A., BW, B., JS, G., KL, K., ME, M., HF, C., CE, D., CA, G., TG, W., GJ, A., & KR, H. (2024). Intensive leaf cooling promotes tree survival during a record heatwave.. doi.org. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2408583121
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R, Z. G., M, D., & S, K. (2026). Absorption of Energy in Excess, Photoinhibition, Transpiration, and Foliar Heat Emission Feedback Loops During Global Warming.. doi.org. https://doi.org/10.3390/cells15010075
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W, H. B., E, G., R, F., AR, M., NJ, H., P, G., K, H., G, C., S, Q., SJ, D., E, Y., JL, D., & S, F. (2025). Elevated CO<sub>2</sub> Increases the Canopy Temperature of Mature Quercus robur (Pedunculate Oak).. doi.org. https://doi.org/10.1111/gcb.70565
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Trojak, M. & Skowron, E. (2023). Growth Light Quality Influences the Temperature of the Leaf Surface via Regulation of the Rate of NPQ Thermal Dissipation and Stomatal Conductance. doi.org. https://doi.org/10.20944/preprints202310.1103.v1
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SY, H., HR, K., Y, S., HS, L., H, K., DH, K., DH, S., JH, K., HE, J., S, C., MS, K., L, L., J, M., W, L., DH, K., & YM, S. (2026). Hydrogel Thermostat Inspired by Photoprotective Foliage Using Latent and Radiative Heat Control.. doi.org. https://doi.org/10.1002/adma.202516537
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R, F., WC, A., ML, C., JAM, D., & MR, N. (2026). Chloroplast-Thylakoid Organisation Is More Important than Carotenoid Accumulation for Optimum Photosynthetic Quantum Yield and Carbon Gain in Variegated <i>Epipremnum aureum</i>.. doi.org. https://doi.org/10.3390/cells15060514
What does the evidence say?
The retrieved papers consistently support the premise that plants rely on transpiration (via stomatal conductance) and thermal/radiative cooling mechanisms to regulate leaf temperature and prevent overheating under sunlight. No papers refute this mechanism, though several note that water stress or elevated CO2 can constrain these cooling processes.
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