Abstract
Although adaptations in the photosynthetic process occur across the hierarchy of botanical organization, evolutionary change by natural selection acts only on the organism, within the framework of the population. However, selective pressure for specific organism traits can be generated at higher levels of organization and complexity due to emerging constraints on resource acquisition (Chapter 1, Fig. 1.1). It is also important to understand that upscale adaptations may provide the selective pressure for downscale adaptations that will be complementary. As demonstrated in the preceding chapters, evidence for adaptations in photosynthesis continue to emerge at higher levels of the structural/spatial hierarchy, and may often be accompanied by corresponding metabolic changes at the cell and chloroplast level. However, these metabolic, biochemical traits may be more highly conserved compared with those governing diversity in form.
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Smith, W.K., Nobel, P.S., Reiners, W.A., Vogelmann, T.C., Chritchley, C. (2004). Summary and Future Perspectives. In: Smith, W.K., Vogelmann, T.C., Critchley, C. (eds) Photosynthetic Adaptation. Ecological Studies, vol 178. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/0-387-27267-4_11
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/0-387-27267-4_11
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