Question about photosynthesis

Fred Duran · 03-13-2009, 07:10 PM

Does anybody know whether or not ultraviolet light has an adverse effect (or any effect at all) on photosynthesis? If, for example, a mega-thick cloud rolled over someplace and blocked out the sunlight (the light and the UV and everything), would all the plantlife in that area die?

I'm not planning world domination, by the way, I'm doing research for a story. Wikipedia is being an asshole and the articles I can find on the subject are twenty feet over my head. A simple yes or no would be amazing.

Thanks!

Fred

DemolitionSamurai · 03-13-2009, 07:17 PM

Plants usually have pigments that protect them from UV light since it causes damage to them, just like in us.

edit: Here's something short and pretty easy:
http://www2.mcdaniel.edu/Biology/bot.../l2inature.htm

Fred Duran · 03-13-2009, 07:28 PM

Thank you very much sir.

Fred

Biofungus · 03-13-2009, 10:14 PM

Wait, what does UV light have to do with a mega-cloud blocking light? And for the record, yes, if the cloud stayed in that same area long enough, it could kill the plant life. (First they would go into winter 'withdrawal', then eventually it would die if it couldn't get light after awhile.

Fred Duran · 03-13-2009, 10:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Biofungus

Wait, what does UV light have to do with a mega-cloud blocking light?

Actually . . . I can't really remember.
The whole idea sort of came to me in one of those 5am moments of eureka where you're still half asleep, so a few parts of it still don't make too much sense (the armless psychology teacher being one of them).

Quote:

Originally Posted by Biofungus

And for the record, yes, if the cloud stayed in that same area long enough, it could kill the plant life. (First they would go into winter 'withdrawal', then eventually it would die if it couldn't get light after awhile.

That's what I was thinking . . . sort of. 5am eureka. Yep.

Thanks kind sir

Fred

J. Alexopoulos · 03-14-2009, 12:26 AM

Maybe off topic?

I remember an interesting experiment from high school, that displays the effect of no sunlight vividly:

Fold a strip of aluminum foil over a segment of a leaf (of some potted plant). Leave it for a week, and then remove the strip of foil. I remember that the rest of the leaf was still green, while the part that had been beneath the strip had lost much of its colour.

03-13-2009, 07:10 PM	#1
Fred Duran Master Lurker Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Manhattan Posts: 760	Question about photosynthesis Does anybody know whether or not ultraviolet light has an adverse effect (or any effect at all) on photosynthesis? If, for example, a mega-thick cloud rolled over someplace and blocked out the sunlight (the light and the UV and everything), would all the plantlife in that area die? I'm not planning world domination, by the way, I'm doing research for a story. Wikipedia is being an asshole and the articles I can find on the subject are twenty feet over my head. A simple yes or no would be amazing. Thanks! Fred

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03-13-2009, 07:17 PM	#2
DemolitionSamurai Can derail any thread Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Portland, ME Posts: 1,932	Plants usually have pigments that protect them from UV light since it causes damage to them, just like in us. edit: Here's something short and pretty easy: http://www2.mcdaniel.edu/Biology/bot.../l2inature.htm

03-13-2009, 07:28 PM	#3
Fred Duran Master Lurker Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Manhattan Posts: 760	Thank you very much sir. Fred

03-13-2009, 10:14 PM	#4
Biofungus Not for your amusement Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: Nega-Earth Posts: 22,083	Wait, what does UV light have to do with a mega-cloud blocking light? And for the record, yes, if the cloud stayed in that same area long enough, it could kill the plant life. (First they would go into winter 'withdrawal', then eventually it would die if it couldn't get light after awhile.

03-14-2009, 12:26 AM	#6
J. Alexopoulos AKA Beefpipe Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Whitby, Ontario Posts: 229	Maybe off topic? I remember an interesting experiment from high school, that displays the effect of no sunlight vividly: Fold a strip of aluminum foil over a segment of a leaf (of some potted plant). Leave it for a week, and then remove the strip of foil. I remember that the rest of the leaf was still green, while the part that had been beneath the strip had lost much of its colour.