which, along with hydrogen sulfide, imparts the rotten egg smell to mudflats. Halobacteria, archaebacteria found in the salt flats of deserts, rely on the pigment bacteriorhodopsin instead of chlorophyll for photosynthesis. These archaebacteria do not carry out the complete process of photosynthesis; although they produce ATP in a process similar to the light-dependent reaction and use it for energy, they do not produce glucose. Halobacteria are among the most ancient organisms, and may have been the starting point for the evolution of photosynthesis. There are also many factors that influence the rate of photosynthesis. The rate of photosynthesis is considered the rate of oxygen production either per unit mass or area of green plant tissues or per unit weight of total chlorophyll. The rate is not only determined by the plant species, health maturity, and whether or not it is a flower, but it is also affected by many environmental factors. Light, which was discussed earlier in the paper, affects the rate of photosynthesis greatly (Figure 20). The light intensity, temperature and absorption all vary depending on the region and season the plant is in. This affects how quickly or slowly the plants can complete the process. Also carbon dioxide and its concentration affects the plants. Since CO2 is among the rate-limiting steps in the dark stage of photosynthesis, if you increase the concentration of carbon dioxide you will also increase the rate of photosynthesis. For land plants, water availability can become a limiting factor. Water is used throughout the process of photosynthesis and is necessary for survival. If there is a shortage of water the plant will close it stomates and therefore limit the amount of carbon dioxide entering the plant, and hence the rate of photosynthesis. Plants also need several minerals which are present in the environment for healthy growth and maximum rates of photosynthesis [8]. Nitrate or ammoni...
