#cam plants

[biology-geology-beaches-india]

The Scientific Research Notes of S . Sunkavally (years:2002-2011).

4251-4256.

[tenth-sentence]

In CAM plants that fix CO2 at night via PEP carboxylase, δ¹³C is expected to be similar to that of C4 plants.

"Plant Physiology and Development" int'l 6e - Taiz, L., Zeiger, E., Møller, I.M., Murphy, A.

[whats-in-a-sentence]

In all CAM plants, the initial capture of CO2 into four-carbon acids takes place at night, and the posterior incorporation of CO2 into carbon skeletons occurs during the day (Figure 8.13). (...) The released CO2 is made available to chloroplasts for fixation via the rubisco, while the coproduced three-carbon acid is converted to triose phosphates and subsequently to starch or sucrose via gluconeogenesis (see Figure 8.13). (...) Closing the stomata during the day minimizes the loss of water in CAM plants, but because H2O and CO2 share the same diffusion pathway, CO2 must then be taken up by the stomata at night (see Figure 8.13).

"Plant Physiology and Development" int'l 6e - Taiz, L., Zeiger, E., Møller, I.M., Murphy, A.

[ap-bye-ology]

Term 8

This is a picture of an orchid. The orchid represents a CAM Plant. CAM plants, also known as, crassulacean acid metabolism plants, are plants that have adapted to arid climates by having their stomata close during the day and only open at night in order to reduce evaporation. An orchid is classified as a CAM plant.

[sillykeiki]

Authors: Gilberto Barbante Kerbauy, Cassia Ayumi Takahashi, Alejandra Matiz Lopez, Aline Tiemi Matsumura, Leonardo Hamachi, Lucas Macedo Félix, Paula Natália Pereira, Luciano Freschi and Helenice Mercier

What is a CAM plant? How are they different from other plants? What has this to do with epiphytic orchids? Learn more in this interesting study.

[studiousness]

photorespiration

When stomata are closed, the plant takes in less CO2 = less CO2 for dark reactions. RuBisCO will fix O2 rather than CO2 in the process of photorespiration.

Photorespiration is a wasteful process! 

produces no ATP

dark reaction will not fix carbon

glucose output decreased

C3 plants:

make up 90% of earth's plants

fix carbon into a 3-carbon compound

C4 plants: 

minimise cost of photorespiration by incorporation CO2 into four-carbon compound as its first product of the Calvin Cycle

plants in hot regions with intense sunlight, where stomata partially close during the day

ex: corn, sugar cane 

CAM plants: 

use crassulacean acid metabolism (CAM) to fix carbon

open stomata at night, close stomata during the day

store the acids they make during the night until morning and carry out light reactions during the day, producing ATP and NADPH

the plant uses the ATP and NADPH at night to produce sugar

ex: pineapples

[honorsbiology-blog]