Technically, biological photosynthesis consists of two different major processes. You’ve got a membrane complex called „photosystem“ (of which they are two types) and an enzyme called Rubisco. The former drives the light reactions oxidizing water into hydrogen and oxygen (and thereby creating reducing agents and a proton gradient). The latter drives the dark reactions reducing CO2 into various forms of sugar.
In some plants CO2 fixation runs at night and, hence, at a different time than the light reactions. In others, it happens in different cells and, hence, physically separated from the light reactions. CAM and C4 plants, respectively, are more efficient in hot or dry biotopes.
> single process.
Technically, biological photosynthesis consists of two different major processes. You’ve got a membrane complex called „photosystem“ (of which they are two types) and an enzyme called Rubisco. The former drives the light reactions oxidizing water into hydrogen and oxygen (and thereby creating reducing agents and a proton gradient). The latter drives the dark reactions reducing CO2 into various forms of sugar.
In some plants CO2 fixation runs at night and, hence, at a different time than the light reactions. In others, it happens in different cells and, hence, physically separated from the light reactions. CAM and C4 plants, respectively, are more efficient in hot or dry biotopes.