The majority of the world's people depend research work should be carried out at the local and regional level by locally trained on plants for their livelihood since they grow them for food, fuel, timber, fodder and people. many other uses. A good understanding Following the success of our earlier book of the practical factors which govern the (Techniques in Bioproductivity and Photo synthesis; Pergamon Press, 1985), which productivity of plants through the process of photosynthesis is therefore of paramount was translated into four major languages, importance, especially in the light of cur the editors and contributors have exten rent concern about global climate change sively revised the content and widened the and the response of both crops and natural scope of the text,· so it now bears a title ecosystems. in line with current concern over global The origins of this book lie in a series of climate change. · In particular, we have training courses sponsored by the United added chapters on remote sensing, con Nations Environment Programme (Project trolled-environment studies, chlorophyll No. FP/6108-88-0l (2855); 'Environment fluorescence, metabolite partitioning and changes and the productivity of tropical the use of mass isotopes, all of which grasslands'), with additional support from techniques are increasing in their applica many international and national agencies. tion and importance to this subject area.

The principal aim of Photosynthesis: Physiology and Metabolism is to provide final year undergraduates, graduate students and researchers with an up-to-date and comprehensive overview of photosynthetic carbon metabolism in plants, ranging from molecular to ecophysiological aspects. The book examines how CO2 is acquired by algae and by plants and is divided into three sections. The first section concentrates on the pathways (the Calvin-Benson-Bassham cycle and photorespiration, with particular emphasis on the enzyme ribulose bisphospate carboxylase/oxygenase, Rubisco) and the regulation of CO2 fixation. The second section deals with the fate of fixed carbon, in chapters on the synthesis of products, such as sucrose, starch, fructans and sugar alcohols, and with the regulation of cellular partitioning of carbon, including topics such as respiration and feedback regulation of photosynthesis by carbohydrates. The last section concentrates on the various problems that plants face in taking up CO2 from their environment, and how CO2 concentrating mechanisms operate in the algae and in plants with C4 photosynthesis and Crassulacean Acid Metabolism. The ecological significance of these mechanisms is also discussed.

An integrated guide to photosynthesis in an environmentally dynamic context, covering all aspects from basic concepts to methodologies.

Since the publication of the previous editions of the Handbook of Photosynthesis, many new ideas on photosynthesis have emerged in the past decade that have drawn the attention of experts and researchers on the subject as well as interest from individuals in other disciplines. Updated to include 37 original chapters and making extensive revisions to the chapters that have been retained, 90% of the material in this edition is entirely new. With contributions from over 100 authors from around the globe, this book covers the most recent important research findings. It details all photosynthetic factors and processes under normal and stressful conditions, explores the relationship between photosynthesis and other plant physiological processes, and relates photosynthesis to plant production and crop yields. The third edition also presents an extensive new section on the molecular aspects of photosynthesis, focusing on photosystems, photosynthetic enzymes, and genes. New chapters on photosynthesis in lower and monocellular plants as well as in higher plants are included in this section. The book also addresses growing concerns about excessive levels and high accumulation rates of carbon dioxide due to industrialization. It considers plant species with the most efficient photosynthetic pathways that can help improve the balance of oxygen and carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. Completely overhauled from its bestselling predecessors, the Handbook of Photosynthesis, Third Edition provides a nearly entirely new source on the subject that is both comprehensive and timely. It continues to fill the need for an authoritative and exhaustive resource by assembling a global team of experts to provide thorough coverage of the subject while focusing on finding solutions to relevant contemporary issues related to the field.

Photosynthesis in Action examines the molecular mechanisms, adaptations and improvements of photosynthesis. With a strong focus on the latest research and advances, the book also analyzes the impact the process has on the biosphere and the effect of global climate change. Fundamental topics such as harvesting light, the transport of electronics and fixing carbon are discussed. The book also reviews the latest research on how abiotic stresses affect these key processes as well as how to improve each of them. This title explains how the process is flexible in adaptations and how it can be engineered to be made more effective. End users will be able to see the significance and potential of the processes of photosynthesis. Edited by renowned experts with leading contributors, this is an essential read for students and researchers interested in photosynthesis, plant science, plant physiology and climate change. - Provides essential information on the complex sequence of photosynthetic energy transduction and carbon fixation - Covers fundamental concepts and the latest advances in research, as well as real-world case studies - Offers the mechanisms of the main steps of photosynthesis together with how to make improvements in these steps - Edited by renowned experts in the field - Presents a user-friendly layout, with templated elements throughout to highlight key learnings in each chapter

This volume provides a unique comparative treatment of annual and seasonal photosynthetic production in both terrestrial and aquatic environments.

This book shows some of the socio-economic impacts of climate change according to different estimates of the current or estimated global warming. A series of scientific and experimental research projects explore the impacts of climate change and browse the techniques to evaluate the related impacts. These 23 chapters provide a good overview of the different changes impacts that already have been detected in several regions of the world. They are part of an introduction to the researches being done around the globe in connection with this topic. However, climate change is not just an academic issue important only to scientists and environmentalists; it also has direct implications on various ecosystems and technologies.

In a world of increasing atmospheric CO2, there is intensified interest in the ecophysiology of photosynthesis and increasing attention is being given to carbon exchange and storage in natural ecosystems. We need to know how much photosynthesis of terrestrial and aquatic vegetation will change as global CO2 increases. Are there major ecosystems, such as the boreal forests, which may become important sinks of CO2 and slow down the effects of anthropogenic CO2 emissions on climate? Will the composition of the vegetation change as a result of CO2 increase? This volume reviews the progress which has been made in understanding photosynthesis in the past few decades at several levels of integration from the molecular level to canopy, ecosystem and global scales.