Abstract
Photosynthetic state transitions occurring in nature are demonstrated. Chenopodium album leaves converted to state 1 and Ailanthus altissima leaves converted to an intermediate position between state 2 and state 1 at a time of day when these leaves were shaded by the canopy on a sunny day, while both plants' leaves were in state 2 at a time of day when they were not shaded. Filtering of white light by flasks of green algae also converted the light from causing state 2 in Chlorella vulgaris to causing state 1. Thus, light absorption by photosynthetic tissue can convert the natural light environment to one that causes state 1 in green plants.
However, light absorption by water, by itself, up to a depth of 4.3m, does not change the light 2 character of sunlight.
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Abbreviations
- PSI, PSII:
-
photosystem I, II
- DCMU:
-
2-(3,4-dichlorophenyl)-1,1-dimethylurea
- Hepes:
-
N-2-hydroxyethylpiperazine-N′-2-ethanesulfonic acid
- EDTA:
-
ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid
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McTavish, H. A demonstration of photosynthetic state transitions in nature. Photosynth Res 17, 247–254 (1988). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00035451
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00035451