Photosynthesis

As in previous editions, the authors include basic descriptive ideas on the process of photosynthesis, an historical outline as to how these ideas developed, the current ststua in our understanding of photosynthesis, and an overview as to where modern research is leading. This fourth edition now includes, discussion on photosynthetic energy conversion, chloroplast genetics, evolution of photosynthesis, and a comparison of plant and bacterial photosynthesis. The chapter on carbon dioxide fixation has been expanded to include sucrose and starch synthesis, nitrogen and sulphur metabolism, fatty acid biosynthesis and oxygen exchange. Other concepts have been revised and updated, and the section on research has been extended to bring to focus areas such as chloroplast DNA structure, photoinhibition and energy distribution across the two systems.