Why plants receiving less light grow smaller leaves? Wouldn’t they need larger leaves to absorb more light?

Question

Why plants receiving less light grow smaller leaves? Wouldn’t they need larger leaves to absorb more light?

In: Biology

Answer 1

They would indeed need larger leaves to absorb more light. But because they do not get as much light they do not have the resources to build larger leaves. I is generally a better tactic to try to find somewhere with more light and grow huge leaves there instead of growing leaves where there is no light.