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Crassulacean Acid Metabolism (CAM): CO2 and Water Economy

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Water and Plant Life

Part of the book series: Ecological Studies ((ECOLSTUD,volume 19))

Abstract

The term Crassulacean acid metabolism characterizes a type of carbon metabolism occurring almost exclusively in succulent plants, and originally only observed in species of the Crassulaceae. Plant species exhibiting CAM1 feature essentially the following activity:

  1. 1.

    Diurnal fluctuation of the malic acid (not malate) content of the photosynthesizing tissue, with malic acid accumulation during the night and malic acid consumption during the day.

  2. 2.

    Diurnal fluctuation of the starch content inverse to the oscillation of malic acid, that is, the starch content decreases during the night and increases during the day.

  3. 3.

    Net consumption of atmospheric CO2 by the plant during the night and depression of net CO2 uptake during the day.

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Authors
  1. M. Kluge
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Botanisches Institut der Universität Würzburg, Mittlerer Dallenbergweg 64, 8700, Würzburg, Fed. Rep. Germany

    O. L. Lange  & L. Kappen  & 

  2. Lehrstuhl für Pflanzenökologie, Universität Bayreuth, Am Birkengut, 8580, Bayreuth, Fed. Rep. Germany

    E.-D. Schulze

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© 1976 Springer-Verlag Berlin · Heidelberg

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Kluge, M. (1976). Crassulacean Acid Metabolism (CAM): CO2 and Water Economy. In: Lange, O.L., Kappen, L., Schulze, ED. (eds) Water and Plant Life. Ecological Studies, vol 19. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-66429-8_19

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-66429-8_19

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-642-66431-1

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-642-66429-8

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

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