Recent Stereological Methods for the Measurement of Leaf Anatomical Characteristics: Estimation of Volume Density, Volume and Surface Area

Abstract

Recent design-based stereological methods for the measurement of the proportion of mesophyll in the leaf, the proportion of intercellular spaces in the mesophyll, the leaf volume, the mesophyll volume, and the exposed leaf surface area of mesophyll are described in an easy-to-follow manner. Two leaf types are considered: grass leaf and bifacial leaf. The presented methods are discussed and compared with alternative methods.