A review on light response model of photosynthesis under different environmental conditions.

Light response curve of photosynthesis (An-I curve) is a useful modeling tool to investigate how photosynthesis reacts with different abiotic factors, which would help quantify the response of photosynthetic rate to photosynthetically active radiation. Based on the mathematical characteristics of photosynthesis An-I models, we reviewed the advantages of using these model in practice and the potential caveats. We proposed the development of new mechanistic photosynthesis An-I models based on the primary light response and discussed its advantages in the field of plant ecology and physiology. Photosynthesis has three main steps, including the primary reaction, the assimilatory power forms, and the carbon assimilation. Changes in each step could directly affect the photochemical efficiency and carbon assimilation in photosynthesis. The primary reaction consists of a series of physical processes that are related to light energy absorption and utilization, including the absorption of light energy, the change of quantum state, and the transfer and de-excitation of exciton resonance of light-trapping pigment molecules. How-ever, the empirical photosynthesis An-I models can not explain some scenarios. For example, the non-photochemical quenching in plants increases with increasing light intensity in a non-linear manner. Further, the life-time of singlet chlorophyll molecules can be extended when plant light-harvesting pigment molecules absorb excessive light energy but would not be immediately used for the photochemical reaction. Meanwhile, the parameters obtained by fitting the mechanistic An-I curve model can not only reflect the primary photochemical reaction characteristics of plants, but also describe the physical characteristics of plant light harvesting pigment molecules, such as the number of light harvesting pigment molecules in the excited state (Nk) and effective light energy absorption cross-section (σik'). This can be used to further investigate the physical characteristics of light harvesting pigment molecules, including the light-response of Nk and σik' and the average life time of light harvesting pigment molecules in the lowest exciting state (τmin). In addition, it would be necessary to determine how to incorporate abiotic factors, such as temperature and CO2 concentration, into the mechanistic An-I curve model, as well as to determine the association between the abiotic factors and light harvesting pigment molecules, such as Nk, σik', and τmin.光合作用对光的响应模型是研究植物在不同环境条件下光合特性的有力数学工具,可为定量描述植物光合速率对光合有效辐射的响应提供理论依据。本文基于植物光合作用对光响应经验模型的常用数学表达式特征,综述了这些模型的优势及其在实际应用中可能遇到的问题。在此基础上探讨了光合作用对光响应机理模型在描述植物的原初光反应以及光合生理生态方面的优势,并对该模型的发展进行了展望。光合作用主要由原初反应、同化力形成和碳同化构成,任何一个过程的变化均可直接影响植物的光化学效率和碳同化能力。原初反应主要涉及光能吸收、激子共振传递、量子能级跃迁和退激发等与光能吸收传递相联系的、纯粹的物理过程。光合作用对光响应经验模型难以解释植物的非光化学淬灭(NPQ)随光强的增加一直非线性增加,也难以回答植物的捕光色素分子吸收过量的光能且不能及时地用于光化学反应时,单线态叶绿素分子的寿命将延长等现象。与此同时,光合作用对光响应机理模型拟合得到的参数不仅可以反映植物的原初光反应特征,还可以描述植物捕光色素分子的物理特性,如处于激发态的捕光色素分子数(Nk)、捕光色素分子的有效光能吸收截面(σik′)对光的响应规律以及捕光色素分子处于激发态的最小平均寿命(τmin)等。如何将环境因子(如温度、CO2浓度等)耦合到光合作用对光响应机理模型中,并明确其与捕光色素分子物理参数Nk、σik′和τmin的依赖关系,可能是未来需要解决的问题。.