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Leaf: Light Capture in the Photosynthetic Organ

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The Structural Basis of Biological Energy Generation

Part of the book series: Advances in Photosynthesis and Respiration ((AIPH,volume 39))

Summary

Terrestrial photosynthesis fixes about half the carbon on the planet and most of that photosynthesis occurs in chloroplasts in the leaves of higher plants. Leaves protect the chloroplasts, distribute them for light interception, and provide enough surface area interfacing with the atmosphere to facilitate maximum carbon dioxide uptake. There is a balancing act between light levels and carbon dioxide supply: insufficient quantities of either one limit the amount of photosynthesis that a leaf can conduct. When leaves develop under low light they are usually thin because light harvesting limits the amount of carbon that can be fixed and photosynthesis is concentrated within a few cell layers. When leaves develop under high light they are usually thick and light absorption is distributed over many cell layers, greatly increasing the amount of carbon that can be fixed per unit leaf area. In nature, light is rarely constant and leaves are often exposed to too little or too much light. This chapter describes adaptations at the level of the leaf that control the amount of light that is absorbed by the photosynthetic tissues. Some of these adaptations are anatomical and the epidermis is the first optical boundary that can play a key role in controlling entry of light into leaves. The anatomy of the photosynthetic tissues and the directional quality of the ambient light also interact to determine the light absorption profile within the tissues, which sets an energetic boundary on the amount of photosynthesis that can be conducted within the individual cell layers. Other adaptations provide for screening of excess light by pigments and fine-tuning of light absorption through chloroplast movement. Additional adaptations occur at the biochemical and whole-plant level to balance light absorption with carbon fixation and this chapter concentrates on the intermediate level: the leaf.

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Abbreviations

FR:

– – Far red;

θi :

– – Angle of incidence;

n :

– – Refractive index;

PAR:

– – Photosynthetically active region of the spectrum;

UV:

– – Ultraviolet

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Acknowledgments

We thank William E. Williams for his insightful comments and suggestions on the manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Plant Biology, University of Vermont, Burlington, VT, 05405, USA

    Thomas C. Vogelmann

  2. Department of Biology, St. Mary’s College of Maryland, St. Mary’s City, MD, 20686, USA

    Holly L. Gorton

Authors
  1. Thomas C. Vogelmann
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  2. Holly L. Gorton
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Thomas C. Vogelmann .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biotechnology, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Sør-Trøndelag Fylke, Norway

    Martin F. Hohmann-Marriott

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Vogelmann, T.C., Gorton, H.L. (2014). Leaf: Light Capture in the Photosynthetic Organ. In: Hohmann-Marriott, M. (eds) The Structural Basis of Biological Energy Generation. Advances in Photosynthesis and Respiration, vol 39. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-017-8742-0_19

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