Photosynthesis and photorespiration: Modelling the essentials

✍ Scribed by B.D. Hahn

• Book ID: 104154751
• Publisher: Elsevier Science
• Year: 1991
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 924 KB
• Volume: 151
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0022-5193
• DOI: 10.1016/s0022-5193(05)80147-x

✦ Synopsis

Two small mathematical models of the Calvin photosynthesis cycle and photorespiration are presented. They are compared with a much larger complex model formulated in terms of 31 non-linear differential equations. The smaller models behave in much the same way as the larger one: the induction phase of photosynthesis is adequately simulated, photosynthesis is inhibited by photorespiration and vice versa, and trajectories are qualitatively similar. Phase plane analysis is used on one of the models to show the existence and stability of a steady-state. In both of the models it is shown that the apparently wasteful process of photorespiration actually stabilizes the Calvin cycle.