Although the photosynthetic efficiency appeared to be similar in these two groups of plants (data not shown), the total CO2 fixed by the plants in the unprotective environment was higher because of their larger leaf area (Figure 3A). The CO 2 as simulation in the unprotected plants was about two-fold fold higher than that in plants growing under the protective environment. However, tender plants tend to adapt after 6 d of exposure to the unprotectiveenvironmentassuggestedbytheir similarCO2 assimilation rates.