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Plants in arid environments have evolved a more efficient carbon fixation process -- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/C4_carbon_fixation https://en.wikipedia.org/w
by kibibyte 10y ago
Plants in arid environments have evolved a more efficient carbon fixation process -- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/C4_carbon_fixation https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/C4_carbon_fixation -- in response to decreased water in the environment.
Despite this, C3 plants still dominate the planet, so somehow selection pressure hasn't shifted strongly towards C4 plants in non-arid environments.
- jessriedel 10y agoAccording to the wikipedia page, C4 is more efficient in water usage, but less efficient than C3 in energy production. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/C4_carbon_fixation https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/C4_carbon_fixation
- kibibyte 10y agoOh makes sense. I somehow read over that sentence.
- gd1 10y agoSelection pressure may well have shifted towards C4 in the future if we hadn't come along and been kind enough to dig up some fossilized carbon and put it back into circulation.