photosynthesis lab for no-nmajors biology (gross at georgian.edu)
RE: ³I did run into a leaf-disk lab with bicarbonate that we
might try².
Why look further than the Leaf-Disc Electrode?
[DELIEU T, DA WALKER 1981 Polarographic measurement of photosynthetic O2
evolution by leaf discs. New Phytol 89: 165-175]
To paraphrase the words of the immortal Mandy Rice-Davis
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mandy_Rice-Davies > ŒI would say that,
wouldn't I ?¹ but what subsequently became increasingly sophisticated as,
for example, in
[ WALKER DA, CB OSMOND 1986 Measurement of photosynthesis in vivo with a
leaf disc electrode: correlations between light dependence of steady-state
photosynthetic O2 evolution and chlorophyll a fluorescence transients. Proc
R Soc B 227: 267-280]
was first conceived as a simple teaching device and is still commercially
available (in its simplest as well as its much more sophisticated automated
forms) from Hanatech Instruments
<http://www.hansatech-instruments.com/form_1.htm>. Deeply exhaled air (near
enough 5% CO2) suffices as a source of carbon dioxide and you can get good
kinetic measurements with a combination of digital readout, stopwatch,
neutral density filters etc.
Regards
David
>From David Walker, FRS., Emeritus Professor of Photosynthesis, University of
Sheffield, UK.
http://www.oxygraphics.co.uk/
