Question

Taller trees have a canopy arrangement of leaves where the upper leaves tend to be smaller than the ones below them. How does this arrangement of leaves benefit the plant?

Answer 1

Smaller leaves gives the branch more space to grow more leaves, which in turns gives it more surface area. With more surface area due to a larger number of leaves, it can perform the process of photosynthesis more quickly and efficiently than if the leaves were to be bigger.