Photosynthesis

Synonyms

Carbon assimilation; Primary production

Definition

Photosynthesis is the process of transformation of carbon dioxide and water into sugar and oxygen using sunlight as an energy source. This process takes place in the green tissues (containing chlorophyll) of plants, algae, and some bacteria. A photosynthesis model is a mathematical model which quantifies the rate or (daily, hourly …) integral of photosynthesis. Estimates of the photosynthetic rate are usually based on the measured or computed amount of light incident at, and absorbed by, a photosynthetically active surface, air or leaf temperature, relative humidity, and carbon dioxide content of the ambient air. The overall amount of carbon assimilates produced (e.g., per day) is computed using integration of the rates and considering leaf area either for every leaf or, more simply, as a leaf area index, an estimate of leaf area per ground area, at different heights of a crop.

Simplified photosynthesis models compute...