Measurement of Photosynthesis
Terrestrial systems:
- annual increase in plant biomass
- cut, dry, weigh above ground biomass at the end of the growing season (ignore roots)
- enclosed chamber for a short period of time
- measure consumption of CO2 both day and night
- enclosed chamber with spike of C14
- measure how much C14 is consumed
Aquatic systems:
- enclosed chambers for short time (~ 4 hrs)
- measure changes in oxygen concentration in light and dark bottles
- enclosed chamber with C14 (~ 4 hrs)
- label HCO3- and measure how much is taken up by cells
- often done at different light intensities
Units:
- energy per unit area per unit time
- carbon assimilated / area / time