Students measure photosynthetic rates of leaves by carbon dioxide assimilation. They investigate how photosynthetic rates change as a function of light intensity, light quality, temperature, and ambient carbon dioxide. This lab can be used to demonstrate concepts such as dark respiration, photochemical efficiency, carbon dioxide conductance, light compensation points, photosynthetic saturation, and differences in photosynthetic rates of C-3 versus C-4 plants, sun versus shade plants, and different levels of polyploidy.
| Discipline: | botany, plant biology |
| Topic: | photosynthesis |
| Product: | Biology Labs On-Line |
| Vendor: | Pearson Higher Education |
| Technical requirements: | Java |
| Accessibility info: | Pearson Accessibility Statement |
| Link to Lab: | LeafLab |
| Reviews: | none |
| MERLOT Resources: | personal collections |
| Instructional materials: | instructor and lab manuals available online from vendor |
| Description: | Series of interactive, inquiry-based simulations and exercises designed for college level biology students. |
| Case studies: | none available |