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

Microbial Energy Conversion documents the proceedings of a seminar in Gottingen in October 1976. This book discusses the potential of microorganisms to use solar energy or convert biomass produced by solar energy in such a way that new microbial energy sources can supplement or partially replace conventional sources. This compilation reviews biomass production and elaborates on in detail the microbial processes that are involved in the conversion of the primary biomass—either freshly harvested or disposed of as waste—into energy sources that are similar to hydrogen, methane, propane, gasoline, Diesel oil, methanol, ethanol, or electricity. The microbial processes that contribute to the development of known energy resources, such as mining of low grade ores of copper, zinc, and uranium; reclamation of oil from oil shale; and recovery of conventional and heavy oil and gas, are also deliberated. This text likewise elaborates on the study of photosynthetic enzyme systems, hydrogenase, immobilization of enzymes and pigments on membranes, and construction of artificial photosynthetic units. This book is beneficial to students and researchers conducting work on microbial energy conversion.

This new volume aims to be the single source that discusses in a comprehensive and elaborate way the photosynthetic and respiratory mechanisms in plants under hostile situations and the proper mitigating strategies to continue uninterrupted photosynthesis and respiration under such situations. Photosynthesis and respiration are the two main physiological processes for sugar biosynthesis and mobilization for driving all other vital functions. This volume delivers a wealth of sound information on these processes for scientists, researchers, and academicians. With chapters from renowned scientists, researchers, and global leaders, this volume focuses on the effect of environmental stressors on photosynthetic pigments, photosystems, activities of photosynthetic enzymes and protein complexes, PSII photochemistry, carbon fixation pathways, photosynthetic efficiency, glycolytic and Krebs cycle pathways, and ATP production and electron transport chain of plants. The recovery of photosynthesis and respiration through application of phytohormones, signaling molecules, and other protective agents are also emphasized. Genetic engineering to enhance photosynthetic efficiency is highlighted as well.

A guide to environmental fluctuations that examines photosynthesis under both controlled and stressed conditions Photosynthesis, Productivity and Environmental Stress is a much-needed guide that explores the topics related to photosynthesis (both terrestrial and aquatic) and puts the focus on the basic effect of environmental fluctuations. The authors—noted experts on the topic—discuss photosynthesis under both controlled and stressed conditions and review new techniques for mitigating stressors including methods such as transgeneics, proteomics, genomics, ionomics, metabolomics, micromics, and more. In order to feed our burgeoning world population, it is vital that we must increase food production. Photosynthesis is directly related to plant growth and crop production and any fluctuation in the photosynthetic activity imposes great threat to crop productivity. Due to the environmental fluctuations plants are often exposed to the different environmental stresses that cause decreased photosynthetic rate and problems in the plant growth and development. This important book addresses this topic and: Covers topics related to terrestrial and aquatic photosynthesis Highlights the basic effect of environmental fluctuations Explores common stressors such as drought, salinity, alkalinity, temperature, UV-radiations, oxygen deficiency, and more Contains methods and techniques for improving photosynthetic efficiency for greater crop yield Written for biologists and environmentalists, Photosynthesis, Productivity and Environmental Stress offers an overview of the stressors affecting photosynthesis and includes possible solutions for improved crop production.

Photosynthesis is a process on which virtually all life on Earth depends. To answer the basic questions at all levels of complexity, from molecules to ecosystems, and to establish correlations and interactions between these levels, photosynthesis research - perhaps more than any other discipline in biology - requires a multidisciplinary approach. Congresses probably provide the only forums where progress throughout the whole field can be overviewed. The Congress proceedings give faithful pictures of recent advances in photosynthesis research and outline trends and perspectives in all areas, ranging from molecular events to aspects of photosynthesis on the global scale. The Proceedings Book, a set of 4 (or 5) volumes, is traditionally highly recognized and intensely quoted in the literature, and is found on the shelves of most senior scientists in the field and in all major libraries.

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.

To address the environmental, socioeconomic, and geopolitical issues associated with increasing global human energy consumption, technologies for utilizing renewable carbon-free or carbon-neutral energy sources must be identified and developed. Among renewable sources, solar energy is quite promising as it alone is sufficient to meet global human demands well into the foreseeable future. However, it is diffuse and diurnal. Thus effective strategies must be developed for its capture, conversion and storage. In this context, photosynthesis provides a paradigm for large-scale deployment. Photosynthesis occurs in plants, algae, and cyanobacteria and has evolved over 3 billion years. The process of photosynthesis currently produces more than 100 billion tons of dry biomass annually, which equates to a global energy storage rate of ~100 TW. Recently, detailed structural information on the natural photosynthetic systems has been acquired at the molecular level, providing a foundation for comprehensive functional studies of the photosynthetic process. Likewise, sophisticated spectroscopic techniques have revealed important mechanistic details. Such accomplishments have made it possible for scientists and engineers to construct artificial systems for solar energy transduction that are inspired by their biological counterparts. The book contains articles written by experts and world leaders in their respective fields and summarizes the exciting breakthroughs toward understanding the structures and mechanisms of the photosynthetic apparatus as well as efforts toward developing revolutionary new energy conversion technologies. The topics/chapters will be organized in terms of the natural sequence of events occurring in the process of photosynthesis, while keeping a higher-order organization of structure and mechanism as well as the notion that biology can inspire human technologies. For example, the topic of light harvesting, will be followed by charge separation at reaction centers, followed by charge stabilization, followed by chemical reactions, followed by protection mechanisms, followed by other more specialized topics and finally ending with artificial systems and looking forward. As shown in the table of contents (TOC), the book includes and integrates topics on the structures and mechanisms of photosynthesis, and provides relevant information on applications to bioenergy and solar energy transduction.

This book discusses the photosynthesis for ecosystem models, in particular the strengths and limitations of four methods used for predicting photosynthesis. The methods usage depends upon the purpose of the prediction to be made, as well as improvements in associated techniques that seem to revolutionize the methodology. Therefore comparisons between methods are valuable justifying this state of the art review for all photosynthetic scientists.

Quite naturally, photosynthesis has achieved massive amounts of attention in recent years. Aside from being the most spectacular physiological process in plant growth, it is actually the key to our dealing with the potentially cataclysmic accumulation of carbon dioxide in the earth’s atmosphere. Unfortunately, while information is plentiful, all this attention has resulted in a scattered database on photosynthesis, with no contemporary starting point...at least until now. With the second edition of the Handbook of Photosynthesis, Mohammad Pessarakli once again fills the need for an authoritative and balanced resource by assembling a team of experts from across the globe. Together, they have created a comprehensive reference that in a single volume includes important background information, as well as the most recent research findings on photosynthesis. Completely Revised with Several New Chapters The handbook, a completely updated reworking of the critically acclaimed first edition, details all of the photosynthetic factors and processes under both normal and stressful conditions, covering lower and higher plants as well as related biochemistry and plant molecular biology. Divided into fourteen sections for ease of reference, with nearly 8000 bibliographic citations, the handbook contains authoritative contributions from over 80 scientists. It includes approximately 500 drawings, photographs, tables, and equations— all designed to reinforce and clarify important text material.

The first advanced-level, single-volume treatment which spans molecular and applied studies.