The fact that these costs are minimal in very short plants suggests
that such plants may develop the lowest leaf respiration rates in shaded environments.
This is because the photosynthetic light response of individual leaves would be most
important as a determinant of shade tolerance in plants of the shortest stature. As
shown quantitatively above, the height-dependent scaling of support costs may also limit
maximum plant height, perhaps in concert with the effects of other height-dependent
factors, such as reduced leaf water potential and/ or increased susceptibility to drought.