Photosynthesis in Bryophytes and Early Land Plants (Advances in Photosynthesis and Respiration Book 37)

"Bryophytes, which are important constituents of ecosystems globally and often dominate carbon and water dynamics at high latitudes and elevations, were also among the pioneers of terrestrial photosynthesis. Consequently, in addition to their present day ecological value, modern representatives of these groups contain the legacy of adaptations that led to the greening of Earth. This volume brings together experts on bryophyte photosynthesis whose research spans the genome and cell through whole plant and ecosystem function and combines that with historical perspectives on the role of algal, bryophyte and vascular plant ancestors on terrestrialization of the Earth. The volume begins with an overview of what can be learned from bryophyte photosynthesis followed by the consideration of fossil, biogeochemical, systematic and comparative physiological evidence to understand three phases of terrestrialization: the transition to land from aquatic algal ancestors, the physiological adaptation of early land plants, and the diversification of plants and environments. Then the volume introduces new perspectives and reviews photosynthetic physiology across spatial and temporal scales in seven chapters that focus on the unique strategies of bryophytes in relation to genomics, carbon acquisition, chloroplast movement, photoprotection and canopy structure and on novel approaches to investigating bryophyte photosynthesis. After these perspectives, the volume emphasizes the ecological setting, showing how the photosynthetic physiology of bryophytes plays out within aquatic, peatland, tropical, dryland and Antarctic settings with discussions of implications of global change. Finally, the volume ends with a discussion of opportunities in bryophyte photosynthesis research and some useful resources. Overall, the eighteen well-illustrated chapters reveal unique physiological approaches to achieving carbon balance and dealing with environmental limitations and stresses that present an alternative, yet successful strategy for land plants"--Provided by publisher Front Matter....Pages i-xxvii What Can We Learn From Bryophyte Photosynthesis?....Pages 1-8 Early Terrestrialization: Transition from Algal to Bryophyte Grade....Pages 9-28 Photosynthesis in Early Land Plants: Adapting to the Terrestrial Environment....Pages 29-58 The Diversification of Bryophytes and Vascular Plants in Evolving Terrestrial Environments....Pages 59-77 Best Practices for Measuring Photosynthesis at Multiple Scales....Pages 79-93 Diffusion Limitation and CO 2 Concentrating Mechanisms in Bryophytes....Pages 95-111 Sunsafe Bryophytes: Photoprotection from Excess and Damaging Solar Radiation....Pages 113-130 Chloroplast Movement in Higher Plants, Ferns and Bryophytes: A Comparative Point of View....Pages 131-150 Scaling Light Harvesting from Moss “Leaves” to Canopies....Pages 151-171 Structural and Functional Analyses of Bryophyte Canopies....Pages 173-185 Genetics and Genomics of Moss Models: Physiology Enters the Twenty-first Century....Pages 187-199 Photosynthesis in Aquatic Bryophytes....Pages 201-231 Physiological Ecology of Peatland Bryophytes....Pages 233-252 Interacting Controls on Ecosystem Photosynthesis and Respiration in Contrasting Peatland Ecosystems....Pages 253-267 Physiological Ecology of Tropical Bryophytes....Pages 269-289 Physiological Ecology of Dryland Biocrust Mosses....Pages 291-308 Dominating the Antarctic Environment: Bryophytes in a Time of Change....Pages 309-324 Opportunities in Bryophyte Photosynthesis Research....Pages 325-332 Back Matter....Pages 333-342