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Publisher: Washington, The Carnegie Institution of WashingtonPublication date: 1923Subjects: PlantsPhotosynthesisNotes: This is an OCR reprint. There may be numerous typos or missing text. There are no illustrations or indexes.When you buy the General Books edition of this book you get free trial access to Million-Books.com where you can select from more than a million books for free. You can also preview the book there. ... Read more

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Now in its third edition, this book describes photosynthesis by considering the partial processes involved throughout the various level of plant (cell, organelle and molecule), and their contributions to the complete process. It also considers the molecular and biochemical events which take place in the photosynthetic system. Finally, it explains how these determine the physiological characteristics of plant productivity. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

A concentrated overview of photosynthesis
It is perhaps a cliche to say that the process of photosynthesis is the most important one on Earth. Taking advantage of an essentially inexhaustible source of photons, photosynthesis is a highly complex sequence of physical events, with its evolutionary origins only recently explained. This monograph gives a comprehensive overview of photosynthetic system, and is one of the few that includes discussion of its molecular biology. The genetic engineering of the chloroplast is now of great interest, and is being done by many researchers. Readers who want to understand these developments will find a good start in this book. In addition, there has been a growing interest in being able to emulate photosynthesis in non-biological systems. Called `artificial photosynthesis', it would replicate or perhaps improve on the natural photosynthetic system, a prospect that has tremendous technological implications. In addition, the physics behind photosynthesis is discussed at an elementary level in the book, and would be suitable for readers who want to understand the physical processes but without getting into the details. A more detailed discussion would require a discussion of the physics of `excitons', which can involve advanced mathematics, more than this book wants to provide. Unfortunately the book does not discuss how the photosynthetic apparatus evolved, but this is a recent topic that was still pretty much an open question at the time of its publication.

Every topic in the book is fascinating, but for this reviewer the chapter on the molecular biology of the photosynthetic system stood out among the rest. One learns of how the chloroplasts contain DNA that replicates independently of other parts of the genome. This is called `chloroplastic DNA (cpDNA)' and codes for certain proteins, a list of which is given in the chapter. It is interesting to note that chloroplasts supposedly originated as prokaryotic endosymbionts, but as the author explains, many of the original symbiont genes were transferred to the nuclear genome. Their function was then replaced by new mechanisms in the chloroplasts. Chloroplast genes can be activated by light. Called in the book `photogenes', when illuminated they result in increases in transcripts and protein products. A list of light activated genes of the chloroplast and their products are given in this chapter.

In this chapter, the author also points out some open problems that require further research, such as the mechanism behind the proteolysis of the D1 protein in photosystem II. Another open question regards finding the explanation as to why different species of plants have wide variations in their response to light, with genes in some species showing both low and normal response to light, whereas in another showing no low light response. The author's tentative explanation for these differences is that they originate in the context of the ecological behavior of the plants. The sensitivity to light may give an advantage when seedlings are attempting to reach the soil surface or are in deep shade. It would not be advantageous to initiate the photosynthetic reactions fully until sufficient light is available.

That the nuclear and chloroplast genomes are not independent is readily clear from the discussions in this chapter on their interaction. The author gives a detailed diagram illustrating how they interact in terms of their gene products and their incorporation into the chloroplast compartments. The role of phytochrome in the regulation of gene expression is emphasized throughout this discussion. The author also discusses the `chloroplast factor', which is a mechanism for passing information to the nucleus that the chloroplast is ready to receive a protein.

This short review does not even scratch the surface of the many topics that are discussed in this book. Indeed, the apparatus of photosynthesis is extremely complex and one must spend a fair amount of time in attempting to understand it with a reasonable scale of detail. Many references are given for those readers who intend to gain an even more detailed understanding of photosynthesis. The time spend reading and studying this book is well worth it, even if one does not intend to specialize in research in photosynthesis, but rather has an intense curiosity to fathom what is certainly one of the most fascinating of physical systems to evolve on this planet. ... Read more

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Emphasizing the physical and technological aspects of plant energetics, this comprehensive book covers a significant interdisciplinary research area for a broad range of investigators. Plant Energetics presentsthe thermodynamics of energy processes in plants, their interconnection and arrangement, and the estimation of intrinsic energy needs of the plant connected with performing various physiological functions. The book also demonstrates the role of electrical and electrochemical processes in the plants life cycle.
Plant Energetics incorporates such diverse themes as thermodynamics, biophysics, and bioelectrochemistry with applications in horticulture and ecology. It also discusses the roles and mechanisms of both quantum and thermophysical processes of theconversion of solar energy by plants, including photosynthesis and long distance transport.
Comprehensive details of value to basic and applied researchers dealing with photosynthesis, agriculture, horticulture, bioenergetics, biophysics, photobiology, and plant physiology make Plant Energetics an informative, one-stop resource that willsave time and energy in your search for the latest information.

Plant Energetics incorporates such diverse themes as thermodynamics, biophysics, and bioelectrochemistry with applications in horticulture and ecology. It also discusses the roles and mechanisms of both quantum and thermophysical processes of the conversion of solar energy by plants, including photosynthesis and long-distance transport.

Extensive details of value to basic and applied researchers dealing with photosynthesis, agriculture, horticulture, bioenergetics, biophysics, photobiology, and plant physiology make Plant Energetics an informative, one-stop resource that will save you time and energy in your search for the latest information. ... Read more

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Photosynthesis is a process on which virtually all life onEarth depends. To answer the basic questions at all levels ofcomplexity, from molecules to ecosystems, and to establishcorrelations and interactions between these levels, photosynthesisresearch -- perhaps more than any other discipline in biology-- requires a multidisciplinary approach. Congresses probablyprovide the only forums where progress throughout the whole field canbe overviewed. The Congress proceedings give faithful pictures ofrecent advances in photosynthesis research and outline trends andperspectives in all areas, ranging from molecular events to aspects ofphotosynthesis on the global scale. The Proceedings Book, a set of 4(or 5) volumes, is traditionally highly recognized and intenselyquoted in the literature, and is found on the shelves of most seniorscientists in the field and in all major libraries. ... Read more

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Chlorophylls are the most obvious natural pigments on Earth where they can be observed even from satellites in outer space: they also sustain life on Earth through their involvement in photosynthesis. With 37 concise chapters, this book reviews recent progress and current status of studies of the chemistry, metabolism and spectroscopy of chlorophylls and chlorophyll-protein complexes. Also discussed is progress on the applications of the chlorophylls as photosensitizers in photodynamic therapy of cancerous tumours and as molecular probes and reporters on the physiological status of whole plants and ecosystems. With the last book dedicated to chlorophylls published in 1991, and out of print since 1995, this book fills a gap by summarizing the chemical, physical, biological and medical aspects of chlorophyll research and development with a focus on the tremendous progress achieved over the past 15 years. The book is aimed equally at advanced students and at both novice and experienced researchers: each section has an up-to-date introductory overview which is followed by a series of concise well-focused and fully-referenced chapters written by relevant experts in (bio)chemistry, (bio)physics, photobiology and photomedicine.

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This comprehensive reference takes a broad, interdisciplinary approach to the study of photoassimilate partitioning and source-sink relationships--detailing the major aspects of source-sink physiology and metabolism, the integration of individual components of photoassimilate partitioning, and the whole plant source-sink relationships in 16 agriculturally important crops. ... Read more

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In this two part set the Editor has brought together contributions from numerous leading scientific experts providing a compendium of information offering the most up-to-date understanding of the primary processes of photosynthesis. The contributors have competently summarized the current knowledge on the mechanisms of light harvesting, charge separation, electron transport, water cleavage and ATP synthesis in addition to providing high quality structure information at atomic resolution for a range of reaction centres and antenna complexes.

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If you have an interest in plants and some knowledge of science, this book will introduce you to plant science.The emphasis is on how plants grow and function but, with Digital Microscope on CD-ROM, you can learn about plant structure, while the Plant Gene Manipulation simulation introduces molecular genetics and genetically modified crops. ... Read more

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Photosynthesis: from Light to Biosphere: an up-to-datecoverage of all aspects of photosynthesis, witnessing the developmentsin the field and the interactions between various themes, which renderphotosynthesis a uniquely multidisciplinary domain. The volumes resultfrom the 10th International Photosynthesis Congress, which was held inMontpellier, France, in August 1995 and brought together over 1400scientists from all over the world. The congress, by far the largestin the series of International Photosynthesis Congresses, realized atruly complete thematic and geographical coverage. These volumesprovide a detailed presentation of all aspects of photosynthesis, fromthe most primary events, which deal with advanced photophysics, toglobal changes, which belong to environmental sciences. Atintermediate levels of integration, the volumes also coverspectroscopy, biochemistry, control of gene expression, enzymology,effects of stress, at a level which makes the book an essential toolfor all researchers. ... Read more

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Photosynthesis is an active area of research in which many exciting developments have taken place in the last few years. This book gives an overview of the present understanding of all areas of molecular processes of photosynthesis. It is based on the international literature available in the summer of 1986 and much unpublished material. The new material contained in this book, together with a basic framework of established concepts, provide a useful source of reference on the biochemical and biophysical aspects of photosynthesis in plants and bacteria. The book is written by specialists in the various areas of photosynthesis and is useful both for workers in these areas as a source of specialized information as well as for non-photosynthesists who want to become informed about recent developments and basic concepts in this area. ... Read more

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Photosynthesis is one of the most active areas of plant science research. Manipulation of the genes involved in photosynthesis has been made possible by advances in molecular biology, resulting in an increased understanding of the underlying mechanisms. This book provides an authoritative overview of several important issues in this topic. Leading researchers have written chapters on aspects and perspectives of photosynthetic research; replication of chloroplast DNA; and mutagenesis and gene regulation. Over 1100 references to key literature are also included to make this an comprehensive review of the molecular basis of photosynthesis and essential reading for molecular biologists and plant scientists. ... Read more

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Photobiology is an important area of biological research sincea very large number of living processes are either dependent on orgoverned by light that we receive from the Sun. Among varioussubjects, photosynthesis is one of the most important, and thus apopular topic in both molecular and organismic biology, and one whichhas a considerable impact throughout the world since almost all lifeon Earth depends upon it as a source of food, fuel and oxygen.However, for growth of plants, light is equally essential, andresearch on photomorphogenesis has revealed exciting new developmentswith the application of newer molecular biological approaches. Thepresent book brings together various aspects of photosynthesis,biology of pigments, light regulation of chloroplast development,nuclear and chloroplast gene expression, light signal transduction,other photomorphogenetic processes and some photoecological aspectsunder one cover. The chapters cover biochemical and moleculardiscussions of most of the above topics in a comprehensive manner andinclude a wide range of `hot topics' that are currently underinvestigation in the field of photobiology of cyanobacteria, algae andplants. The authors of this book are selected international authorities intheir fields from USA, Europe, Australia and Asia. The book isdesigned primarily to be used as a text book by graduates andpost-graduates. It is, however, also intended to be a resource bookfor new researchers in plant photobiology. Several introductorychapters are designed as suitable reading for undergraduate courses inintegrative and molecular biology, biochemistry and biophysics. ... Read more

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The aim of this monograph is to highlight various mechanisms followed by plants to overcome the high light stress and photoinhibition, and also the plant responses to low light levels. Emphasis has been on the regulation of light harvesting process, the avoidance phenomena at leaf and chloroplast levels and the strategy followed by certa in solar tracking plants in maximizing the light interception without photoinhibitory damage, leading to improvement of diurnal photosynthetic rate. Plant adjustment to light variations over a long term, through the acclimation process brought about by changes in gene function and specific reconstruction of chloroplast has also been discussed. Although the emphasis has been on higher plant systems, green algae and cyanobacterial examples are used wherever appropriate. This book will be a useful reference to advanced postgraduate students, research scientists and teachers interested in the area of photosynthesis research. ... Read more