![](bg8.png)
environment (see Fig. 8(b)). Plants grown in the
wide-open space tend to produce larger leaves length
with higher variability (in Fig. 9(b)). This isn’t the
case for plants grow in crowded condition. As
illustrated in Fig. 9(a), majority of the plants
continue to produce offspring with small leaf length,
a trait reflects receiving lesser sunlight.
5 FUTURE WORK
The above modeling framework shows the potential
of developing a simulated educational program to
educate students about shade-avoidance responses in
plants. Several improvements will be implemented
to bring the simulated response closer to nature. For
example, one improvement is to define the leaf area
equation and make light interception proportion to
leaf area. Another idea is to transfer this program
into graphic user interface (GUI), allowing students
play with the parameters to create different
experimental scenarios, learn, and observe the
simulated results (i.e. plants’ responses).
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
This research was supported through NSF Grant No.
0923752 to Weinig (PI), McClung, Welch, Das &
Maloof (co-PIs).
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