Front Cover

Techniques in Bioproductivity and Photosynthesis

Copyright Page

Table of Contents

Addresses of Contributors

PREFACE TO THE SECOND EDITION

PREFACE TO THE FIRST EDITION

INTRODUCTION

UNITS, SYMBOLS AND ABBREVIATIONS

CHAPTER 1. MEASUREMENT OF PLANT BIOMASS AND NET PRIMARY PRODUCTION

1.1 Introduction

1.2 Sampling design

1.3 Measurement of above-ground biomass

1.4 Measurement of below-ground biomass

1.5 Non-destructive measurement of biomass

1.6 Estimation of losses

1.7 Estimation of net primary production

1.8 Experimental work

References

CHAPTER 2. PLANT GROWTH ANALYSIS

2.1 Introduction

2.2 Basic principles

2.3 Components of classical growth analysis

2.4 Functional growth analysis

2.5 Experimental investigations

References

CHAPTER 3. PLANT MICROCLIMATE

3.1 General introduction

3.2 Radiation - solar and long wave

3.3 Temperature

3.4 Humidity

3.5 Wind

3.6 Automatic weather stations

3.7 Recording

3.8 Experimental work

References

CHAPTER 4. CANOPY STRUCTURE AND LIGHT INTERCEPTION

4.1 Introduction

4.2 Radiation in canopies

4.3 Measurement of canopy structure

References

CHAPTER 5. WATER RELATIONS

5.1 Stomatal conductance

5.2 Plant water status

5.3 Soil water status

5.4 Practical work on water relations

References and further reading

CHAPTER 6. MEASUREMENT OF CO2 ASSIMILATION BY PLANTS IN THE FIELD AND THE LABORATORY

6.1 Introduction

6.2 Infra-red gas analysis

6.3 14C incorporation

6.4 Measurement and control of gas flow

6.5. Chamber conditions and construction

6.6 Analysis of gas exchange measurements

6.7 Conclusion

6.8 Experimental work

References

CHAPTER 7. MEASUREMENT OF OXYGEN AND CHLOROPHYLL FLUORESCENCE

7.1 The oxygen electrode

7.2 The leaf disc electrode

7.3 Chlorophyll fluorescence measurement

References

CHAPTER 8. SHOOT MORPHOLOGY AND LEAF ANATOMY IN RELATION TO PHOTOSYNTHESIS

8.1 Shoot morphology and the relationship of single leaf to whole plant CO2 assimilation and canopy productivity

8.2 Leaf anatomy

8.3 Experiments

References

CHAPTER 9. CHLOROPLASTS AND PROTOPLASTS

9.1 Introduction

9.2 Mesophyll protoplasts from C3, C4 and CAM plants

9.3 Photosynthesis by isolated protoplasts

9.4 Chloroplast isolation from protoplasts

9.5 Mechanical separation of intact chloroplasts

9.6 Photosynthesis by isolated chloroplasts

9.7 Carbon assimilation by C3 chloroplasts

9.8 Materials

References

CHAPTER 10. PHOTOSYNTHETIC ENERGY CONVERSION

10.1 Introduction

10.2 Measurement of proton flux, photophosphorylation and electron transport using broken chloroplasts and a pH electrode

10.3 Partial electron transport reactions assayed with the O2 electrode and a conventional recording spectrophotometer

References

CHAPTER 11. CARBON METABOLISM

11.1 Introduction

11.2 The carbon reduction cycle

11.3 Photorespiration

11.4 C4 photosynthesis

11.5 CAM plants

11.6 Carboxylation enzymes

11.7 Experiments

References

CHAPTER 12. NITROGEN FIXATION

12.1 Nitrogen metabolism

12.2 Introduction to N-fixation

12.3 The genus Rhizobium

12.4 Measurement of N-fixation by direct means

12.5 Indirect assay of nitrogenase activity

12.6 Preparation of acetylene

12.7 Gas chromatography

12.8 Experimental schedule

References

CHAPTER 13. ASSIMILATORY NITRATE REDUCTION

13.1 Introduction

13.2 Enzymology

13.3 Relationship between nitrate reduction and photosynthesis

13.4 Determination of enzymatic activities

13.5 Other analytical procedures useful for the study of nitrate assimilation

13.6 Uptake of nitrate by cells of blue-green algae. Effects of ammonium and MSO

References

CHAPTER 14. AMMONIA ASSIMILATION AND AMINO ACID BIOSYNTHESIS

14.1 Ammonia assimilation

14.2 Transport of nitrogenous compounds

14.3 Biosynthesis of amino acids

References

CHAPTER 15. MICRO-ALGAE: LABORATORY GROWTH TECHNIQUES AND OUTDOOR BIOMASS PRODUCTION

15.1 Introduction

15.2 Growth of micro-algae: techniques and kinetics

15.3 Chemostat cultures

15.4 Synchronised cultures

15.5 Nutrient-limited growth

15.6 Analytical techniques

15.7 Growth, maintenance and preservation of algal cultures

15.8 Culture media

15.9 Definition of common units and terms

15.10 Technical problems

15.11 Where to obtain algal cultures

15.12 Algal biomass production

References and further reading

CHAPTER 16. ENZYMES: SEPARATION AND KINETICS

16.1 Introduction

16.2 Enzyme activity

16.3 Isolation of enzymes

16.4 Protein determination

16.5 Extraction of proteins

16.6 Protection from phenols and phenol oxidase activity

16.7 Crude extracts

16.8 Ammonium sulphate precipitation

16.9 Modern methods of protein purification

16.10 Enzyme kinetics

16.11 Experiments

16.12 The Enzyme Commission classification system

References

CHAPTER17. ANALYTICAL TECHNIQUES

17.1 Protein analysis

17.2 Analysis of carbon isotope discrimination ratios

17.3 Measurement of light absorption

17.4 Chlorophyll determination

17.5 Measurement of starch and sucrose in leaves

17.6 Mineral analysis of plants, soil and water

References

APPENDICES

A. Equipment for field and laboratory studies of whole plant and crop photosynthesis and productivity research

B. Experimental design and presentation of results

C. Biomass production and data

D. Conversion factors and approximate conversion factors

E. Solar radiation on the earth

INDEX