Using stable carbon isotopes to study C 3 and C 4 photosynthesis: Models and calculations

Nerea Ubierna*, Meisha Marika Holloway-Phillips, Graham D. Farquhar

*Corresponding author for this work

    Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingChapterpeer-review

    23 Citations (Scopus)

    Abstract

    Stable carbon isotopes are a powerful tool to study photosynthesis. Initial applications consisted of determining isotope ratios of plant biomass using mass spectrometry. Subsequently, theoretical models relating C-isotope values to gas exchange characteristics were introduced and tested against instantaneous online measurements of 13 C photosynthetic discrimination. Beginning in the twenty-first century, tunable diode laser spectroscopes with sufficient precision for determining isotope mixing ratios became commercially available. This has allowed collection of large data sets, at low cost and with unprecedented temporal resolution. With more data and accompanying knowledge, it has become apparent that there is a need for increased complexity in models and calculations. This chapter describes instantaneous online measurements of 13 C photosynthetic discrimination, provides recommendations for experimental setup, and presents a thorough compilation of equations needed for different applications.

    Original languageEnglish
    Title of host publicationMethods in Molecular Biology
    PublisherHumana Press Inc.
    Pages155-196
    Number of pages42
    DOIs
    Publication statusPublished - 2018

    Publication series

    NameMethods in Molecular Biology
    Volume1770
    ISSN (Print)1064-3745

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