Light-Response Curves in Land Plants.

Light-response curves reveal the photosynthetic properties of plants. Depending upon the methodology selected they can be used to characterize CO2 assimilation, photochemistry, photoacclimation, photoinhibition, and kinetics of photoprotective mechanisms in response to changing light conditions. They are widely used to describe the ontogeny and range in physiological plasticity of plants. Here we describe methods for acquiring light-response curves using CO2 gas exchange and chlorophyll a fluorescence measurements that are applicable to a wide range of land plants.