by Laila Hurd
We may think we’re familiar with photosynthesis—the textbook recipe plants use to make food from light, water and carbon dioxide (CO2). But measuring it, particularly in natural settings, requires factoring in complex variables. Kelvin Acebron is a postdoc in the Quantitative Ecology Lab at the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center. He’s spent the last decade measuring photosynthesis and studying its regulation in the field. In this Q&A, Kelvin discusses photosynthesis in agriculture and in plants’ natural habitats (like tropical forests). He also shares what he’s learned in his global scientific journey. This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.
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