El metabolismo ácido de las crasuláceas: diversidad, fisiología ambiental y productividad

Abstract

Mexico possesses a great species diversity of Crassulacean Acid Metabolism (CAM) plants. These plants can grow in places where water is infrequent, such as arid and semi-arid zones, and tree canopies, or as aquatic plants in places with low CO2 availability. This review presents methodological, evolutionary, ecological, and physiological aspects on CAM plants. Also, it shows data from recent studies related to the environmental effect on changes in the photosynthesis CAM. Finally, we made a consideration about the lack of studies on the physiology of CAM plants in Mexico despite its enormous diversity.