Leaf Structural Properties that Influence Photosynthesis: Interactions Between Gradients of Light, CO2, and Photosynthetic Capacity

光合作用是指植物将太阳能转化为化学能的过程。这个过程支持着地球上所有的生命。详细了解光合作用在叶片中是如何发生的，对于理解陆地植物的太阳能转换是必要的。“影响光合作用的叶片结构特性：光梯度、二氧化碳和光合能力之间的相互作用”项目将研究叶片解剖与整个叶片光合性能的关系。总体目标是研究导致不同类型植物光合性能优化的机制。我们选择了具有特定叶片解剖特征的物种，并计划在叶片解剖、光线穿透叶片和二氧化碳浓度内部梯度之间建立相关性。光和二氧化碳的内部浓度必须优化，以使整个叶片的光合性能达到最大。实验结果应该允许我们建立一个基线，以便更机械地理解为什么有些植物比其他植物更多产。显微镜，二氧化碳交换测量和一种新的光纤微探针技术将被用来实现这个项目的目标。由此产生的信息可用于解决与了解植物生产力和提高作物产量的生理基础有关的问题，以及植物如何应对由大气温室气体浓度增加引起的全球气候变化。

Photosynthesis os the process whereby plants convert solar energy into chemical energy. This process supports all life on this planet. A detailed knowledge of how photosynthesis occurs in leaves is necessary for understanding solar energy conversion in land plants. The project "Leaf Structural Properties that Influence Photosynthesis: Interactions Between gradients of light, CO2, and Photosynthetic Capacity" will examine how leaf anatomy is related to the photosynthetic performance of the whole leaf. The overall goal is to examine the mechanisms that lead to optimization of photosynthetic performance in different types of plants. Species have been selected that have specific leaf anatomical features and we plan to make correlations between leaf anatomy, penetration of light into the leaf, and internal gradients in carbon dioxide concentration. Internal concentrations of both light and CO2 must be optimized for maximum photosynthetic performance of the whole leaf. Experimental results should allow us to establish a baseline for a more mechanistic understanding of why some plants are more productive than others. Microscopy, CO2 exchange measurements and a new fiber optic microprobe technique will be used to accomplish the objectives of this project. The resulting information may be applied to problems that relate to understanding the physiological basis for plant productivity and increasing crop yield, and how plants may respond to global climate change resulting from increases in atmospheric concentrations of greenhouse gases.