Our Friend Chlorophyll

This blog post is dedicated to chlorophyll our often forgotten hero of photosynthesis. Remember it is the chlorophyll that captures and stores energy from sunlight that is necessary for photosynthesis(the process of turning light energy into chemical energy). This resourceful pigment is the key to the redox reaction necessary for the oxidation of water and carbon dioxide into O2 and H+. This process is responsible for almost all the O2
in the earth's atmosphere, this is the same oxygen we breath and need to live. Thank you chlorophyll! It then takes the H+ and uses it to produce ATP and in turn NADPH, a reductant responsible for taking CO2 and turning it into sugar that the plant uses for food. Talk about a 2 for 1, our friend chlorophyll is not only the driving force behind the production of the oxygen we breath but also the sugar plants need to sruvive. It keeps us both alive!

We also have to mention it is a pretty pigment. That beautiful green color we see is a result of chlorophyll absorbing the blues and reds of the light spectrum more readily, and conversely doing a poor job of absorbing the greens and reflecting them back to our eyes making us see green. I'm talking about the color green, not money. 

If you would like to see more green check out our conservation page for stewardship opportunities, and excellent program options offered by FIELDGUIDES. To top it all off here is a slideshow of some fall photos and a poem "Ode to chlorophyll".

Ode to chlorophyl
To that which makes a tree grow tall,
And gives to us the colors of fall.
From the deepest green to the lightest hue,
Is there a color this subtle pigment can't accrue?
Still it is more than color that leaves us in awe,
It's the recipe of photosynthesis that gives life to all. 
A dash of exhaled CO2 and a splash of cool rain water,
Brought to life by the energy of the heavenly sun, and the earthly daughter.
Dancing the reactants till they become a sugar sweet,
A nectar of pure life for every growing plant to eat.
So as the seasons change and the horizon is painted anew, 
Think of our friend chlorophyl and the wonders it can do.