This is true the higher the number on the rictor scale the more energy being released
A mutation in a plant that could cause negative outcomes could be the plant has less leaves, or isn't hardy enough, like other plants. It would die. A plant from an area like Chernobyl, that has been affected by radiation could poison other animals, or pass that gene along, and ultimately kill that strand of plant.
A concentration gradient of a substance across a membrane represents potential energy because it drives diffusion