Uptake of CO2 by aquatic vegetation

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Abstract
Photosynthesis by aquatic plants based on the supply of CO2 from air‐equilibrated solutions may be limited by the low diffusion coefficient of CO2 in water. For plants in which the transport of CO2 from the bulk medium is by diffusion, and the initial carboxylation uses RUBISCO, CO2 supply can be increased by growth in habitats with fast water flow over the surface (reducing unstirred layer thickness), or with heterotrophically‐augmented CO2 levels, including the direct use of sediment CO2. Many aquatic plants using RUBISCO as their initial carboxylase counter the limitations on CO2 supply via the operation of biophysical CO2 concentrating mechanisms which are based on active transport of HCO−3, CO2 or H+ at the plasmalemma, and use bulk‐phase HCO−3 or CO2 as the C source. A final group of aquatic plants use biochemical CO2 concentrating mechanisms based on auxiliary carboxylation by PEPc: C4‐like and Crassulacean Acid Metabolism–like processes are involved. These various mechanisms for increasing CO2 supply to RUBISCO also help to offset the low specific reaction rate of aquatic plant RUBISCOs at low [CO2] and low [CO2]: [CO2]. In addition to overcoming restrictions on CO2 supply, the various methods of increasing inorganic C availability may also be important in alleviating shortages of nitrogen or photons.