C3 and C4 plants can be distinguished based up the type of carbon containing molecule they make. C4 plants get their name because the first carbon containing molecule they make during the process of photosynthesis is a four-carbon compound while C3 plants make a three-carbon compound. The reason C4 plants make a four-carbon compound is that it helps the plant minimize the cost of photorespiration. Photorespiration is when plants are forcefully close their stomata due to conditions like extremely dry weather so that they don’t lose large quantities of water. Since the stomata are closed, no gas exchange occurs. When plants close their stomata but still continue the process of photosynthesis, there is an excess buildup of O2 in the mesophyll
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Dynamic light causes sunflecks which are light patches experienced by plants found in the understorey of bigger plants. Increase in these sunflecks can lead to a greater amount of carbon uptake resulting in an ecological advantage. There are several constraints on C4 plants photosynthesis when compared to C3 plants. C4 plants have lower quantum yield at low light intensities because it needs energy to drive the C4 pump. Quantum yield is the uptake of certain number of CO2 molecules per photon absorbed. The C4 plants also lack the ability to function photosynthesis at high rates during periods of low-light. C4 plants also seem to have a sensitive photoinhibition which is a reduction in the photosynthetic activity induced by light since light is not a constant source in C4 plants in an understorey. In C4 plants, CO2 is fixed in mesophyll cells and then, using ATP, it is pumped and concentrated into specialized bundle sheath cells. During low-light periods, CO2 from the bundle sheath cells leaks back to mesophyll cells and into the atmosphere leading to energy loss. One of the constraints of C4 plants is that CO2 leakage increases during low periods of lights leading to a smaller amount of CO2 fixation and greater energy loss. Brief periods of steady irradiance increases the …show more content…
Dynamic light reduced the overall CO2 and biomass accumulation due to the reduction in photosynthetic activity during the low intensity light. Alternating periods of low and high intensity light adversely affect photosynthesis in many ways. C4 plants photosystem II compared to C3 plants seem to be more sensitive to fluctuating light because C3 plants were not significantly affected by light like C4 plants were and thus C4 plants tend to function inefficiently in fluctuating light. C4 plants inefficiency to fluctuating light was concluded by decrease in overall biomass compared to C3 plants and also the greater loss of CO2 back into the atmosphere during low light periods of C4 plants. Also, enzymes playing role in photosynthetic carbon reduction cycle need high intensity light in order to work efficiently and deactivate during low light periods. Longer periods of low light have adverse effects on plants because plants are unable to get photons from the light energy to continue the carbon reduction cycle and hence why leads to an overall decrease in CO2 fixation. Studies have shown that deactivation of this cycle is faster in C4 plants than it is in C3 plants. Thus, alternating periods or high and low intensity light adversely affect
Dynamic light causes sunflecks which are light patches experienced by plants found in the understorey of bigger plants. Increase in these sunflecks can lead to a greater amount of carbon uptake resulting in an ecological advantage. There are several constraints on C4 plants photosynthesis when compared to C3 plants. C4 plants have lower quantum yield at low light intensities because it needs energy to drive the C4 pump. Quantum yield is the uptake of certain number of CO2 molecules per photon absorbed. The C4 plants also lack the ability to function photosynthesis at high rates during periods of low-light. C4 plants also seem to have a sensitive photoinhibition which is a reduction in the photosynthetic activity induced by light since light is not a constant source in C4 plants in an understorey. In C4 plants, CO2 is fixed in mesophyll cells and then, using ATP, it is pumped and concentrated into specialized bundle sheath cells. During low-light periods, CO2 from the bundle sheath cells leaks back to mesophyll cells and into the atmosphere leading to energy loss. One of the constraints of C4 plants is that CO2 leakage increases during low periods of lights leading to a smaller amount of CO2 fixation and greater energy loss. Brief periods of steady irradiance increases the …show more content…
Dynamic light reduced the overall CO2 and biomass accumulation due to the reduction in photosynthetic activity during the low intensity light. Alternating periods of low and high intensity light adversely affect photosynthesis in many ways. C4 plants photosystem II compared to C3 plants seem to be more sensitive to fluctuating light because C3 plants were not significantly affected by light like C4 plants were and thus C4 plants tend to function inefficiently in fluctuating light. C4 plants inefficiency to fluctuating light was concluded by decrease in overall biomass compared to C3 plants and also the greater loss of CO2 back into the atmosphere during low light periods of C4 plants. Also, enzymes playing role in photosynthetic carbon reduction cycle need high intensity light in order to work efficiently and deactivate during low light periods. Longer periods of low light have adverse effects on plants because plants are unable to get photons from the light energy to continue the carbon reduction cycle and hence why leads to an overall decrease in CO2 fixation. Studies have shown that deactivation of this cycle is faster in C4 plants than it is in C3 plants. Thus, alternating periods or high and low intensity light adversely affect