Skip to main content

Interplay of Circadian Rhythms and Light in the Regulation of Photosynthesis-Derived Metabolism

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
Progress in Botany Vol. 79

Part of the book series: Progress in Botany ((BOTANY,volume 79))

Abstract

Alternating periods of day and night confer an environmental rhythm upon terrestrial plants. Seasonal changes in light intensity and duration (as well as integrals of temperature) inform developmental decisions that directly impact upon plant growth. In response to the selective pressure of these daily rhythms, plants have evolved an endogenous, biological oscillator that coincides with these patterns. These circadian rhythms allow plants to anticipate daily transitions and consequently allocate specific metabolic functions to certain times of day. The circadian system also has a dramatic effect upon development, with the external coincidence model describing how plants measure day length to induce flowering under inductive conditions. Plants’ responses to environmental change are therefore a distillation of direct responses to abiotic factors and moderating factors derived from endogenous biological rhythms. This review summarizes our understanding of how metabolic processes are governed by these interactions, with particular attention to carbon and redox metabolism, two processes derived from photosynthesis.

The original version of this chapter was revised: Figure 1 has been updated. The erratum to this chapter is available at DOI 10.1007/124_2017_12.

Communicated by Ulrich Lüttge

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 99.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 129.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 199.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

References

Download references

Acknowledgments

For Theo, whose impact on nycthemeral rhythms is profound and persistent. Thanks to Uli Bechtold, Lauren Headland, and Tracy Lawson for critical reading of the manuscript.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Matthew A. Jones .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2017 Springer International Publishing AG

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Jones, M.A. (2017). Interplay of Circadian Rhythms and Light in the Regulation of Photosynthesis-Derived Metabolism. In: Cánovas, F., Lüttge, U., Matyssek, R. (eds) Progress in Botany Vol. 79. Progress in Botany, vol 79. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/124_2017_2

Download citation

Publish with us

Policies and ethics