BIOL107 Lecture Notes - Lecture 8: Light-Independent Reactions, Photorespiration, Heterotroph

• School: University of Alberta
• Department: Biology (Biological Sciences)
• Course: BIOL107
• Professor: Carla Salvado

Document Summary

Photosynthesis: light reactions & calvin cycle and photorespiration & other sources of energy: introduction, photosynthesis. Photosynthesis converts solar energy into chemical energy. Directly or indirectly, photosynthesis nourishes almost the entire living world: photosynthetic organisms. Sustain themselves without anything derived from other organisms. Produce organic molecules from co2 and other inorganic molecules. Use the energy from sunlight to make organic molecules. These organisms feed themselves and most of the living world: heterotrophs. Heterotrophs are consumers; they obtain organic molecules (food) from other organisms. Consume plants (direct) or other animals (indirect). Most heterotrophs, including humans, depend on photoautotrophs for food and o2. Chloroplasts are structurally similar to photosynthetic bacteria they evolved from. Photosynthetic enzymes & other molecules, such as pigments (chlorophyll) are arranged together in the thylakoid membranes. This enables efficient chemical reactions of photosynthesis: chloroplasts: the sites of photosynthesis in plants. Leaves are the major locations of photosynthesis. Chloroplasts are found mainly in cells of the mesophyll.