The Physiology Of Higher Plants An Outline Prepared by Michael McGoodwin (MCM) Winter/Spring 2008 TABLE OF CONTENTS Introduction........................................................................................................................................................................................6 Instructor And Course Website........................................................................................................................................................7 Sugar Chemistry Highlights..............................................................................................................................................................7 Chapter I. Plant Cells Review of Plant Anatomy and Cellular Components................................................................................8 Meristems And Vessels; Anatomy Of Stems and Trunks ........................................................................................................8 Cell Wall and Intracellular Components ..................................................................................................................................9 Plasmodesmata, Symplast, and Apoplast ...............................................................................................................................11 Chapter II. Energy And Enzymes: Entropy, Free Energy, Redox And Electrochemical Potentials........................................11 Thermodynamics: Work, Free Energy, Enthalpy, and Entropy .............................................................................................12 First Law of Thermodynamics .......................................................................................................................................12 Second Law of Thermodynamics...................................................................................................................................12 Gibb’s Free Energy and Enthalpy (Heat Content)..........................................................................................................13 Oxidation / Reduction (Redox) reactions...............................................................................................................................14 Electrochemical Potential.......................................................................................................................................................15 Proteins and Enzymes ............................................................................................................................................................16 Chapter III. Water And Plant Cells ...............................................................................................................................................18 Water: Heat Properties ...........................................................................................................................................................18 Water: Cohesion, Adhesion, Surface Tension, and Capillarity ..............................................................................................18 Diffusion Rates of Dissolved Substances...............................................................................................................................19 Bulk Flow of Water, Water Potential, and Osmosis...............................................................................................................20 Chapter IV. Water Balance Of Plants............................................................................................................................................21 Soil Water...............................................................................................................................................................................22 Root Absorption And Water Transport ..................................................................................................................................22 Water Transport Through The Xylem....................................................................................................................................23 Water Movement From The Leaf To The Atmosphere..........................................................................................................23 Summary Of Water Movement In The Soil-Plant-Atmosphere Continuum ..........................................................................24 Chapter V. Mineral Nutrition: Soil Nutrients And Their Absorption By Roots........................................................................24 Essential Nutrients And Deficiencies.....................................................................................................................................24 Soil, Roots, and Microbes ......................................................................................................................................................25 Chapter VI. Solute Transport.........................................................................................................................................................27 Passive Versus Active Transport, Nernst Equation, Ion Concentrations................................................................................27 Membrane Transport Processes..............................................................................................................................................28 Channels.........................................................................................................................................................................29 Carriers and Pumps ........................................................................................................................................................29 Ion Transport In Roots ...........................................................................................................................................................31 Chapter VII. Photosynthesis Light (Thylakoid) Reactions ..........................................................................................................31 Light Physics..........................................................................................................................................................................31 Photosynthesis Pigments And Complexes .............................................................................................................................32 Photosystems I And II And The Synthesis of NADPH and ATP...........................................................................................34 Protection And Regulation of Photosynthetic Machinery......................................................................................................35 Genetics Of The Photosynthetic Systems...............................................................................................................................36 Chapter VIII. Photosynthesis Carbon (Stromal) Reactions.........................................................................................................36 The Calvin C3 Cycle...............................................................................................................................................................36 Energy Conversion Efficiency Of Photosynthesis Using The Calvin Cycle..................................................................37 Regulation Of The Calvin C3 Cycle ...............................................................................................................................37 The C2 Oxidative Photosynthetic Carbon Cycle (Photorespiration) ......................................................................................38 Mechanisms For Suppressing Photorespiration Or Preventing Photo-oxidation ...................................................................38 - Suppressing Photorespiration By Concentrating CO2 and HCO3 ..................................................................................38 The C4 Carbon Cycle-Plants...........................................................................................................................................38 Crassulacean Acid Metabolism (CAM) .........................................................................................................................39 PlantPhysUW425.doc 5/24/2008 23:32 Page 1 of 138 Synthesis of Starch and Sucrose.............................................................................................................................................39 Chapter IX. Photosynthesis Physiology And Ecology...................................................................................................................40 Adaptations Of Plants To Bright Light And Shade................................................................................................................40 Bright Light Adaptations................................................................................................................................................40 Shade Adaptations and Light Concentrating Mechanisms.............................................................................................41 Quantitation Of Photosynthetic Responses To Light, Temperature, And Other Factors .......................................................41 Dark Respiration Regime, Light Compensation Point, Light-Limited Regime, And CO2 Limited Regime..................41 Effect On Quantum Yields By O2, CO2, Temperature,