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Measuring Photosynthesis and Respiration with Infrared Gas Analysers

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Advances in Plant Ecophysiology Techniques

Abstract

Earth primary productivity reflects the balance between two important biological processes: photosynthesis and respiration (Atkin et al. 2015; Niinemets 2016). Photosynthesis (A) refers to the assimilation of the atmospheric CO2 and its conversion into sugars, the first basic organic compounds entering the metabolism. This process of CO2 fixation uses the sun radiation as the energy source, and water as the electron donor, which in turn releases oxygen in the atmosphere. Dark respiration (R D) or mitochondrial respiration (Atkin and Tjoelker 2003) employs the products of photosynthesis through the glycolysis (cytosol), the tricarboxylic acid cycle (TCA, matrix of mitochondria) and the electron transport rate chain (ETC, inner membrane mitochondria) to produce ATP and carbon skeletons needed for growth, cell maintenance, and other essential cellular processes. During the process of respiration, O2 is consumed, and CO2 is released to the atmosphere within the same order of magnitude than photosynthesis (Jansson et al. 2010), which highlights the importance of considering this process in the leaves, whole-plant and global models of carbon, water, and oxygen fluxes (Valentini et al. 2000; Canadell et al. 2007; Atkin et al. 2015). The velocity and extent of both processes can be assessed at the leaf level using infrared-based gas exchange analysers.

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For Further Details

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Author information

Author notes

  1. Cyril Douthe and Jorge Gago have contributed equally with all other contributors.

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Research Group on Plant Biology under Mediterranean Conditions, Universitat de les Illes Balears (UIB)-Instituto de Agroecología y Economía del Agua (INAGEA), Palma de Mallorca, Spain

    Cyril Douthe, Jorge Gago, Miquel Ribas-Carbó & Jaume Flexas

  2. Geonica, S.A., Madrid, Spain

    Rubén Núñez

  3. Research Group on Plant and Soil, Universidade de Vigo, Vigo, Spain

    Nuria Pedrol

Authors
  1. Cyril Douthe
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  2. Jorge Gago
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  3. Miquel Ribas-Carbó
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  4. Rubén Núñez
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  5. Nuria Pedrol
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  6. Jaume Flexas
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Jaume Flexas .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Plant Biology and Soil Science, University of Vigo, Vigo, Spain

    Adela M. Sánchez-Moreiras

  2. Department of Plant Biology and Soil Science, University of Vigo, Vigo, Spain

    Manuel J. Reigosa

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Douthe, C., Gago, J., Ribas-Carbó, M., Núñez, R., Pedrol, N., Flexas, J. (2018). Measuring Photosynthesis and Respiration with Infrared Gas Analysers. In: Sánchez-Moreiras, A., Reigosa, M. (eds) Advances in Plant Ecophysiology Techniques. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-93233-0_4

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