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Related Concept Videos

C4 Pathway and CAM01:27

C4 Pathway and CAM

Most plants use the C3 pathway for carbon fixation. However, some plants, such as sugar cane, corn, and cacti that grow in hot conditions, use alternative pathways to fix carbon and conserve energy loss due to photorespiration. Photorespiration is the process that occurs when the oxygen concentration is high. Under such conditions, the rubisco enzyme in the Calvin cycle binds O2 instead of CO2, which halts photosynthesis and consumes energy.
C4 Pathway
The C4 pathway is used by plants such as...
Adaptations that Reduce Water Loss01:57

Adaptations that Reduce Water Loss

Though evaporation from plant leaves drives transpiration, it also results in loss of water. Because water is critical for photosynthetic reactions and other cellular processes, evolutionary pressures on plants in different environments have driven the acquisition of adaptations that reduce water loss.
Epiphytes, Parasites, and Carnivores02:40

Epiphytes, Parasites, and Carnivores

Plants often form mutualistic relationships with soil-dwelling fungi or bacteria to enhance their roots’ nutrient uptake ability. Root-colonizing fungi (e.g., mycorrhizae) increase a plant’s root surface area, which promotes nutrient absorption. While root-colonizing, nitrogen-fixing bacteria (e.g., rhizobia) convert atmospheric nitrogen (N2) into ammonia (NH3), making nitrogen available to plants for various biological functions. For example, nitrogen is essential for the biosynthesis of the...
The Calvin Benson Cycle01:46

The Calvin Benson Cycle

Ribulose 1,5- bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase (RuBisCo) is a critical enzyme that catalyzes carbon dioxide assimilation during photosynthesis. However, it is an inefficient enzyme, having an extremely slow catalytic rate. A typical enzyme can process about a thousand molecules per second; however, RuBisCo fixes only around three-carbon dioxides per second. Photosynthetic cells compensate for this slow rate by synthesizing very high amounts of RuBisCo, making it the most abundant single...
Responses to Salt Stress02:02

Responses to Salt Stress

Salt stress—which can be triggered by high salt concentrations in a plant’s environment—can significantly affect plant growth and crop production by influencing photosynthesis and the absorption of water and nutrients.
Photoreceptors and Plant Responses to Light02:00

Photoreceptors and Plant Responses to Light

Light plays a significant role in regulating the growth and development of plants. In addition to providing energy for photosynthesis, light provides other important cues to regulate a range of developmental and physiological responses in plants.

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 13, 2026

Hydroponics: A Versatile System to Study Nutrient Allocation and Plant Responses to Nutrient Availability and Exposure to Toxic Elements
09:13

Hydroponics: A Versatile System to Study Nutrient Allocation and Plant Responses to Nutrient Availability and Exposure to Toxic Elements

Published on: July 13, 2016

Cadmium-accumulating plants.

Hendrik Küpper1, Barbara Leitenmaier

  • 1Fachbereich Biologie, Universität Konstanz, Konstanz, Germany. hendrik.kuepper@uni-konstanz.de

Metal Ions in Life Sciences
|February 23, 2013
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

This chapter details cadmium hyperaccumulation in plants, exploring ecological roles and biochemical mechanisms. It highlights the biotechnological potential of hyperaccumulator plants for phytoremediation and phytomining.

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An Anaerobic Biosensor Assay for the Detection of Mercury and Cadmium
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An Anaerobic Biosensor Assay for the Detection of Mercury and Cadmium

Published on: December 17, 2018

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Last Updated: May 13, 2026

Hydroponics: A Versatile System to Study Nutrient Allocation and Plant Responses to Nutrient Availability and Exposure to Toxic Elements
09:13

Hydroponics: A Versatile System to Study Nutrient Allocation and Plant Responses to Nutrient Availability and Exposure to Toxic Elements

Published on: July 13, 2016

An Anaerobic Biosensor Assay for the Detection of Mercury and Cadmium
09:33

An Anaerobic Biosensor Assay for the Detection of Mercury and Cadmium

Published on: December 17, 2018

Area of Science:

  • Environmental Science
  • Plant Biology
  • Biochemistry

Background:

  • Plants are classified by heavy metal uptake: indicator, excluder, and hyperaccumulator species.
  • Hyperaccumulation involves unique ecological roles and biochemical strategies for heavy metal tolerance.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To provide a comprehensive overview of cadmium hyperaccumulation mechanisms in plants.
  • To discuss the ecological significance and biotechnological applications of cadmium hyperaccumulators.

Main Methods:

  • Review of existing literature on plant heavy metal uptake and hyperaccumulation.
  • Detailed examination of compartmentation, transport proteins, and ligand roles in cadmium uptake.
  • Discussion of ecological functions and biotechnological uses.

Main Results:

  • Hyperaccumulator plants possess sophisticated strategies for cadmium uptake, transport, and storage.
  • Cadmium hyperaccumulation plays ecological roles and offers potential for phytoremediation and phytomining.
  • Significant research is ongoing globally to understand these mechanisms.

Conclusions:

  • Understanding cadmium hyperaccumulation is crucial for environmental and economic applications.
  • Future research should focus on filling knowledge gaps in biochemistry, molecular biology, and biotechnology.
  • Optimizing the use of hyperaccumulators requires further scientific investigation.