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Availability of Carbon Dioxide for Photosynthesis at High Altitudes: Theoretical Considerations
Author(s) -
Gale J.
Publication year - 1972
Publication title -
ecology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.144
H-Index - 294
eISSN - 1939-9170
pISSN - 0012-9658
DOI - 10.2307/1934239
Subject(s) - carbon dioxide , altitude (triangle) , environmental science , atmospheric sciences , photosynthesis , partial pressure , effects of high altitude on humans , atmospheric pressure , diffusion , ecology , carbon dioxide in earth's atmosphere , environmental chemistry , oxygen , chemistry , botany , biology , meteorology , geography , geology , mathematics , thermodynamics , physics , geometry , organic chemistry
Contrary to current opinion, the reduction of the availability of carbon dioxide for phytosynthesis with increasing altitude, due to reduced barometric pressure, is only very small. The increased rate of diffusion of CO 2 in air with altitude compensates for the effect of its lower partial pressure. The relation between CO 2 availability and barometric pressure depends also on the characteristics of the plant's CO 2 —uptake mechanism and on the prevailing air temperature.