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I'm trying to figure out certain ways in which plant life could adapt to a fictional world I've created. Since the climate was too cold for life to evolve naturally, there was a terraforming process required to take place beforehand.

The plants in question would be "imported" from a planet that has nearly identical conditions compared to Earth. Beforehand, The Colonizers would perform any measures to help the plants adapt before exposing the specimens to new, different conditions.

The Plant would have to adapt their photosynthesis process to the following new environment:

  • G-Type Main Sequence Star

  • Semi Major Axis of the new world: 2.7 AU (Up from Earth which was 1 AU)

  • Surface Gravity: 0.8g (down from earth which is 1g)

  • Composition of the Atmosphere

    Nitrogen ($N_2$): 68% Oxygen ($O_2$): 21% Carbon Dioxide ($CO_2$): 6% (60,000 ppm) Water Vapor ($H_2O$): 3.5% Methane ($CH_4$): 1.5% Noble Gasses such as Argon: 0.5%

  • Other modifications to the atmosphere may have been made to ensure an average surface temperature identical to Earth, in case the 60000 ppm of $CO_2$ won't do the job.

  • Day/night cycle: Same as Earth

  • Amount of natural solar energy reaching this world's surface: 15% (compared to Earth having 100%)

  • Plant Example Specimen: Spruce Tree (Picea Rubens)

  • Possible Solution: An increased surface Area is a common adaption in organisms to improve on doing certain tasks: For example the alveoli in the lungs...

Attempting to form a thesis: Since there will be less solar energy compared to Earth, a possible adaption would be to grow over a larger area. To capture a more "earth-like" amount of solar energy for a more earth-like quality and quantity of photosynthesis?

Of course, other adaptions like A smaller amount of reflected Light might also help.

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    $\begingroup$ Have you taken a look at already-existing Earth plants? Many survive on a similar amount of light or even less. No fir trees as far as I know. $\endgroup$
    – Escaped dental patient.
    Commented Jun 27 at 6:44
  • $\begingroup$ Yes, i know of plants that prefer places which are less sunlit. Like mosses, fern species and so on, if that is what you mean. But still, i think a plant would have to and would be able to adapt due to this environmental change. $\endgroup$
    – Ben
    Commented Jun 27 at 11:50
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    $\begingroup$ There are plenty of plants that would survive in the low light levels that you suggest. Have a look here: smartgardenguide.com/light-requirements-for-indoor-plants which environmental change do you think would cause the problems other than light levels? $\endgroup$
    – Slarty
    Commented Jun 27 at 22:07
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    $\begingroup$ they could just have a more efficent photo-absorbing molecule. plants have rather inefficent energy absorbtion. other photosythetic organsims have hogher efficency. $\endgroup$
    – John
    Commented Jun 30 at 20:20
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    $\begingroup$ you might want to research "lampenflora", the plethora of plants that can grow undergorund, with zero sunlight, on the light from artificial sources alone. if a single low-watt lightbulb in a coal-mine can give enough energy to support several square meters of moss and micro-ferns, then surely they can survive on limited natural sunlight. $\endgroup$
    – Going Durden
    Commented Jul 12 at 9:55

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In your imaginary world, the spruce trees could adjust to the decreased solar energy by expanding their leaf surface area to optimize light absorption, much like how alveoli in lungs optimize gas exchange. Furthermore, the trees may develop a darker pigmentation to absorb more light and efficiently utilize the higher CO2 concentration, thereby enhancing photosynthesis despite the lower energy input. These adaptations would enable them to thrive in the new environment with a G-type star, 2.7 AU distance, 0.8g gravity, and an atmosphere with 68% nitrogen, 21% oxygen, 6% CO2, and 15% of Earth's solar energy.

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