Changes within the environment because of climate change may develop changes also within the regional climate of central California. The biggest climate change that would affect plants in the central valley of California would be temperature. The temperature changes through global warming would produce impacts on the pathways of plants. The most significant temperature change in central California came from afforestation because of a shift from shrubbery to the forest. This has been known to cause a decrease and increase in temperatures from -1.5 to +5 degrees Celsius. This temperature change is from the surface energy budget and the lower atmosphere affected by regional climate change. How does this temperature change affect the C3 plants' pathway (Yamori, W., Hikosaka, K., Way, 2013)? C3 plants such as soybean plants grown in the central valley of California can become accustomed to rising and falling temperatures when it comes to climate change (Farm Progress, 2022). This is because the C3 plant pathway showed greater temperature homeostasis of photosynthesis Lovell, A., (November 1, 2018). As a result, with high CO2 levels and temperature changes the C3 plants can adjust and continue to thrive in a global warming environment. However, C3 plants can’t digest CO2 very well in warm environments and this would be a limiting factor through climate change in central California. Also, a limiting factor because of water issues from climate change in California, could cause a harsh reality for growers of C3 plants and their ability to multiply effectively (Keuppers, L., Riley, W., Jin, J., Subin, Z., Christianson, D., Torn, M., 2008).
C4 plants when studied showed they can adapt to a warm environment. Unlike C3 plants C4 plants such as sugar cane did not do well when it came to the cooler temperatures in the central valley of California during climate change studies. Also, the C4 plant photosynthesis pathway can digest C02 better and in larger quantities at higher temperatures than C3 plants (Yamori, W., Hikosaka, K., Way, 2013). Climate change can also bring wet and rainy patterns to central California, and this would not do well for these plants. Corn is a C4 plant that is grown in central valley California, and it thrives in hot and dry conditions. Fifty degrees Fahrenheit is a minimum to grow corn in central California with a maximum of ninety-five degrees Fahrenheit (Keuppers, L., Riley, W., Jin, J., Subin, Z., Christianson, D., Torn, M., 2008).
CAM plant pathways in central California do well because of their ability to close their stomata during the day to lessen evapotranspiration and then open at night to receive CO2. An increase in temperature and CO2 because of climate change would affect the CAM plants by making them more efficient because of their ability to handle high levels of temperature and C02 levels. Also, being a plant that can be resistant to drought and salinity. This is very important in a dry environment such as central California and its foothills. The CAM plants such as the cactus in central valley California can handle the changing climate because of their ability to overcome drought issues (Keuppers, L., Riley, W., Jin, J., Subin, Z., Christianson, D., Torn, M., 2008).
Depending on what portion of the world and the climate change that is occurring (whether it be warming or cooling) it is theorized that C3 plants work well in both rising and falling temperatures This means anywhere in the world a C3 plant can survive in the right conditions of temperature and CO2 levels. C3 plants would work just as well in central valley California as in cold but also warm temperate zones. C4 plants need a warm environment to thrive and can digest large amounts of CO2. This means areas such as tropics, subtropics, and warm temperate zones worldwide. CAM plants thrive well in desert regions and another example of a place where CAM plants are the Desert Southwest portion of the United States. Egypt is another country with dry weather that can do just as well as central valley California for CAM plants (Keuppers, L., Riley, W., Jin, J., Subin, Z., Christianson, D., Torn, M., 2008).
In conclusion C3, C4, and CAM plants' photosynthesis pathways do thrive in their own way across the central valley of California. Each one has its own niche and way to overcome climate change. In the future, it is possible that scientists will be able to work all three C3, C4, and CAM plants' photosynthesis pathways into their own mergers making them more efficient to overcome the climate change process worldwide (Hirst, 2019).
References:
Keuppers, L., Riley, W., Jin, J., Subin, Z., Christianson, D., Torn, M., (2008). Ecosystem Feedbacks To Climate Change In California: Integrated Climate Forcing From Vegetation Redistribution.
Yamori, W., Hikosaka, K., Way, D. (June 26, 2013). Temperature response of photosynthesis in C3, C4, and CAM plants: temperature acclimation and temperature adaptation.
Lovell, A., (November 1, 2018). Untangling C3 and C4 plants.
The difference between C3 and C4 plants and what it means for prairie agriculture (grainews.ca)
See California. (2012). California Corn.
USGS. (n.d.). California’s Central Valley.
California's Central Valley | U.S. Geological Survey (usgs.gov)
Westerman, B. (Feb. 5, 2014).
California’s Central Valley: Producing America’s Fruits and Vegetables.
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