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PMID: 27099373 Published · ppublish English Journal Article Review Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

Why small fluxes matter: the case and approaches for improving measurements of photosynthesis and (photo)respiration.

Journal of experimental botany ·Vol. 67 ·No. 10 ·2016-00-00 ·Pages 3027-39

Hanson DT, Stutz SS, Boyer JS

Abstract

Since its inception, the Farquhar et al. (1980) model of photosynthesis has been a mainstay for relating biochemistry to environmental conditions from chloroplast to global levels in terrestrial plants. Many variables could be assigned from basic enzyme kinetics, but the model also required measurements of maximum rates of photosynthetic electron transport (J max ), carbon assimilation (Vcmax ), conductance of CO2 into (g s ) and through (g m ) the leaf, and the rate of respiration during the day (R d ). This review focuses on improving the accuracy of these measurements, especially fluxes from photorespiratory CO2, CO2 in the transpiration stream, and through the leaf epidermis and cuticle. These fluxes, though small, affect the accuracy of all methods of estimating mesophyll conductance and several other photosynthetic parameters because they all require knowledge of CO2 concentrations in the intercellular spaces. This review highlights modified methods that may help to reduce some of the uncertainties. The approaches are increasingly important when leaves are stressed or when fluxes are inferred at scales larger than the leaf.

Keywords
Diffusion internal leaf CO2 mesophyll conductance photosynthesis respiration stomatal conductance xylem CO2.
MeSH Terms
Carbon Dioxide/analysis,metabolism Chloroplasts/chemistry,metabolism Photosynthesis/physiology Plant Leaves/chemistry,physiology Plant Transpiration/physiology
Chemicals
Carbon Dioxide
Authors & Affiliations
3 authors, click to expand affiliations / ORCID
Hanson David T ORCID
Department of Biology, MSC03-2020, 1 University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM 87131, USA dthanson@unm.edu.
Stutz Samantha S
Department of Biology, MSC03-2020, 1 University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM 87131, USA.
Boyer John S
Interdisciplinary Plant Group, 1-31 Agriculture Building, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65211, USA.
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Article Info
Journal
Journal of experimental botany
Abbr.
J Exp Bot
ISSN
1460-2431
DOI
10.1093/jxb/erw139
Email
dthanson@unm.edu
Published
2016-00-00
Epub
2016-00-19
Pages
3027-39
Language
English
Region
England
NLM ID
9882906
PMCID
PMC4867897
Subset
IM
Grants
NCRR NIH HHS · P20 RR018754 · United States
Corrections
CommentIn
PMID: 28661503
External Links
PubMed source DOI: 10.1093/jxb/erw139 PMC Full Text View journal details
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