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. 1973 Nov;52(5):427–430. doi: 10.1104/pp.52.5.427

13C/12C Ratio Changes in Crassulacean Acid Metabolism Plants 1

Margaret M Bender a, I Rouhani b,2, H M Vines b, C C Black Jr b
PMCID: PMC366516  PMID: 16658576

Abstract

13C/12C ratios have been found in totally combusted leaves of Crassulacean acid metabolism plants to range from −14 to −33 δ 13C‰ compared with a limestone standard. Crassulacean acid metabolism plants apparently utilize both ribulose-1, 5-diphosphate carboxylase and phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase to assimilate atmospheric CO2 and, depending on environmental conditions, have 13C/12C ratios indicative of either carboxylase or to any intermediate value. The degree of discrimination against 13C and the resultant 13C/12C ratio from the photosynthetically fixed CO2 is influenced by environmental conditions and is not a specific and fixed characteristic of a Crassulacean acid metabolism plant. Certain Crassulacean acid metabolism plants may shift their ratios as much as 17 δ 13C‰ in specific environments.

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Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

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