- A-Z
- Endocytobiosis and ...
- Volume 26 (2015)
- Potential effects o...
- Autor(in)
- Seitenbereich
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090-099
- Schlagwort(e)
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climate change, carbon dioxide concentration,
plant ecological interactions
primary metabolism, secondary metabolism,
- Zusammenfsg.
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Secondary metabolites have been evolved to enhance plant fitness to interact with their environment. For that, the synthesis of secondary metabolites is regulated by a myriad of biotic and abiotic factors. This group of plant metabolites also reveals many pharmaceutical important characteristics, which led to plant utilization for therapeutic purposes. Through history, plants optimized the production of secondary metabolites quantitatively and qualitatively for the effective interaction with their environment. Recent changes in the climate are driven by high carbon dioxide emissions which is a main input in the process of photosynthesis. For that, enhanced supply of atmospheric carbon dioxide is proposed to influence the harvested solar energy and alleviate the status of energy surplus usually found in the plant. This will influence plant metabolism leading to decrease the production of secondary metabolites. Such changes in plant metabolism will have serious consequences on plant ecological interactions. Elevated carbon dioxide concentration have a potent effect on reducing the production of secondary metabolites. Yet, other investigations which did not result in a corresponding decrease in secondary metabolite concentrations have also been reported. Therefore, investigation of relevant theories and dissection of individual interacting factors are necessary for better understanding of secondary metabolites biosynthesis. Here, we present some thoughts about possible interacting effects between climate change, photosynthesis and secondary metabolite synthesis.