Solving the Carbon Paradox in Marine Plants

I will investigate whether localized micro-acid zones on leaves enhance the photosynthetic carbon fixation in seagrass plants. A novel experimental approach for mapping pH microenvironments will be developed utilizing pH sensitive optical sensor nanoparticles incorporated into an agar matrix that is deposited on seagrass leaves and imaged with a camera system. The project will for the first time map the distribution and dynamics of micro-acid zones on the leaf surface and how such zones can stimulate CO₂ formation within the leaf diffusive boundary layers of marine plants. That is, via increased dehydration of HCO₃^- to CO₂ by extracellular carbonic anhydrase activity, as well as, via simple low pH-driven changes in the carbonate speciation towards CO₂.