Aquatic Versatility for Biofuels Cyanobacteria, Diatoms, and Algae

When asked about photosynthesis, most people envision green leaves and root systems of common plants like trees or shrubs. We might even picture these plants photosynthesizing to produce sweet fruit, colorful flowers, or the oxygen needed for us to survive. But despite our initial notions of the imp...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inOur Energy Future p. 115
Main Authors Mayfield, Stephen P, Jones, Carla S
Format Book Chapter
LanguageEnglish
Published United States University of California Press 16.02.2016
Edition1
Subjects
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Summary:When asked about photosynthesis, most people envision green leaves and root systems of common plants like trees or shrubs. We might even picture these plants photosynthesizing to produce sweet fruit, colorful flowers, or the oxygen needed for us to survive. But despite our initial notions of the importance of photosynthesis in these common plants, land plants only contribute about half of the oxygen found on Earth (Bosch et al., 2010). The other half of this life-sustaining gas is generated from a group of much smaller photosynthetic organisms known as phytoplankton. Phytoplankton is a general term for microscopic autotrophs (meaning they
ISBN:0520278771
9780520278776