Format: ORAL

Marjorie R. Lundgren

Lancaster Environment Centre, Lancaster University, UK

Plants have evolved extraordinary diversity in the carbon fixation pathways of photosynthesis that allow species to survive and thrive across a broad array of ecological niches. While most plants use only C3 photosynthesis, this physiology is heavily affected by high rates of photorespiration under warm and arid environments. In response, some plant lineages have evolved carbon concentrating mechanisms (CCMs) to improve net carbon assimilation in these high photorespiration environments. C2 photosynthesis is one such CCM that can increase net CO2 assimilation by capturing, concentrating, and re-assimilating CO2 released from photorespiration. This talk will discuss C2 photosynthesis across scales, from the evolutionary history and biogeography of C2 plants, to their unique whole-plant growth patterns, and to specifics of their mesophyll structure, vascular patterning, and ultrastructure. In all cases, C2 plants will be compared to their close C3 and C4 relatives for context. The talk will conclude with a discussion on the potential for C2 photosynthesis engineering programmes to improve the efficiency of C3 crops.