Open AccessAlternative perspective on photosynthetic yield and enhancement
Author(s) -
John W. Warner,
R. Stephen Berry
Publication year - 1987
Publication title -
proceedings of the national academy of sciences of the united states of america
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 5.011
H-Index - 771
eISSN - 1091-6490
pISSN - 0027-8424
DOI - 10.1073/pnas.84.12.4103
Subject(s) - photosynthesis , photosystem , yield (engineering) , drop (telecommunication) , carbon dioxide , oxygen , chemistry , far red , photochemistry , wavelength , red light , botany , optics , photosystem ii , physics , biology , biochemistry , thermodynamics , telecommunications , organic chemistry , computer science
In the traditional Z scheme of photosynthesis the Emerson effects of red drop (decline in yield of photosynthesis in far-red light) and enhancement (of far-red yield by supplementary short-wavelength light) are taken to be evidence for the coupling in series of two photosystems that absorb unsymmetrically in the far-red region of the spectrum. An alternative explanation for red drop and enhancement is proposed here that does not invoke the series-coupling hypothesis. It is suggested that the Emerson effects may be due to the drop in intensity of radiation from sample absorption, which causes a photochemical loss when the reaction shuts off at depth in the medium. The effects of oxygen, carbon dioxide, and temperature on the yield may also be interpreted in terms of this model.