Plants have a metabolic(新陈代谢的)signal that adjusts
their biological clock in the evening to ensure they store enough
energy to survive the night,a new study reveals.The research-
involving scientists from the University of York-suggests this
signal might provide important information to the plant about the
amount of sugar available at dusk and therefore how to adjust
metabolism to last the night.
Plants make use of sunlight to make their own sugars from
photosynthesis(光合作用)during the day and store them to pro
vide energy during the night.The ability to predict sunrise and
estimate the length of the night,and adjust metabolism accord-
ingly,is vital for plant survival and to maximize growth.This