Photosynthesis is the process by which plants capture the energy of the sun to

make carbohydrates. But there are minor variations in how plants do this,
depending on the environment in which the plant lives. In this tutorial, we'll look
at the differences between the three types of photosynthesis: C3, C4 and CAM.
Most plants - around 85% or so- carry out C3 photosynthesis. As we will see,
the name C3 has to do with the type of carbon molecule produced during the
process. C3 photosynthesis occurs in the mesophyll cells of the C3 plant, which
are located just under the surface of the leaves and other tissues. Let's take a
quick look at how photosynthesis occurs in these cells. During C3
photosynthesis, CO2 is taken up and transported directly to the Calvin Cycle,
where it is fixed into a 3 carbon molecule. Thus the name C3. If the stomata are
open, CO2 moves in, and oxygen moves out of the cell. But under hot or dry
conditions when the stomata are closed, oxygen accumulates which inhibits the
amount of C3 that can be made. Some plants have evolved an adaptation that
allows them to be successful in hot, dry conditions. These plants carry out C4
photosynthesis, instead of C3 photosynthesis. During C4 photosynthesis, CO2
moves into the mesophyll cell, and is immediately fixed into a 4 carbon
molecule. Thus the name C4 photosynthesis. But the anatomy of a C4 plant is
different from that of a C3 plant. A somewhat simplified version of this process
is shown here. In a C4 leaf, chloroplasts are located in mesophyll cells, but they
are also located in bundle sheaf cells which surround the leaf vein. CO2 moves
from the mesophyll cells, into the bundle sheaf cells, where the Calvin Cycle
occurs. This shields the plant from the oxygen build-up that would otherwise
occur when the stomata are closed during dry conditions. A second way of
addressing the problem of oxygen is to change the timing of photosynthesis.
This is called CAM photosynthesis, and in may ways it is similar to C4
photosynthesis except the timing of the process changes. During CAM
photosynthesis, CO2 is taken up during the night when the stomata are open,
and is fixed into a 4 carbon molecule. It is then stored until daylight as an
intermediate molecule, which gives the CAM cycle its name. This adaptation
allows photosynthesis to occur in drier climates than in both C3 and C4
photosynthesis. A great example of a CAM plant is the cactus. Let's do a quick
review. During C3 photosynthesis, CO2 is taken up and transported directly to
the Calvin cycle. The C4 pathway alters the location of photosynthesis, and the
CAM pathway changes the timing. Both of these adaptations allow some plants
to survive in environments that are less than ideal for the typical C3 plant.
La mayoría de las plantas, alrededor del 85%, llevan a cabo la fotosíntesis C3.
El nombre C3 tiene que ver con el tipo de molécula de carbono que se produce
durante el proceso. La fotosíntesis de C3 ocurre en las células del mesófilo de
la planta C3. Durante esta fotosíntesis, el CO2 se absorbe y se transporta
directamente al ciclo de Calvin, donde se fija en una molécula de 3 carbonos.
De ahí el nombre C3. Si los estomas están abiertos, el CO2 entra y el oxígeno
sale de la célula. Pero en condiciones cálidas o secas cuando los estomas
están cerrados, el oxígeno se acumula, lo que inhibe la cantidad de C3 que se
puede producir. Algunas plantas han desarrollado una adaptación que les
permite tener éxito en aquellas condiciones. Estas son las plantas C4.

Durante la fotosíntesis de C4, el CO2 se mueve hacia la célula del mesófilo y

se fija inmediatamente en una molécula de 4 carbonos. De ahí su nombre. En
una hoja C4, los cloroplastos se encuentran en las células del mesófilo, pero
también en las células del haz que rodean la vena de la hoja. El CO2 se mueve
desde las células del mesófilo hacia las células del haz de haces, donde ocurre
el ciclo de Calvin. Esto protege a la planta de la acumulación de oxígeno que
ocurre cuando los estomas están cerrados. Otra forma de abordar el problema
del oxígeno es cambiar el momento de la fotosíntesis. Esto se llama
fotosíntesis CAM, y en muchos aspectos es similar a la fotosíntesis C4, excepto
que cambia el tiempo del proceso.

Durante la fotosíntesis de CAM, el CO2 se absorbe durante la noche cuando

los estomas están abiertos y se fija en una molécula de 4 carbonos. Luego se
almacena hasta la luz del día como molécula intermedia, lo que da nombre al
ciclo CAM. Esta adaptación permite que la fotosíntesis ocurra en climas más
secos que en la fotosíntesis tanto C3 como C4.