The proposed conference will be held in Kona, Hawaii from August 25-27, 1992 as a satelite meeting to the IX International Congress on Photosynthesis which meets the following week in Nagoya, Japan. CO2 in the atmosphere has been increasing steadily primarily from increasing human activities. If this trend continues, the concern is that global warming through the so-called "greenhouse effect" will occur and result in severe environment changes. There is also concern over depletion of the ozone layer and the resulting increased exposure to potentially harmful UV-B radiation. The effects of these and other environmental factors on photosynthetic capacity and the ability of plants, globally to withstand or reverse these trends are of considerable importance to mankind. The problem is obviously large and complex. Yet, fundamental mechanisms in photosynthesis offer a way to evaluate the processes that largely contribute to the ability of plants to successfully respond to environmental change. The purpose of the proposed conference is to provide a much-needed interdisciplinary forum on how photosynthesis relates to this problem. Three dimensions will be examined: (1) the underlying physiology of photosynthesis, (2) comparison of terrestial and marine/aquatic systems, and (3) global responses. This meeting of interdisciplinary groups should stimulate new insights, reveal new research opportunities, both disciplinary and interdisciplinary, and open new opportunities for collaborative research. These outcomes are especially important for researchers early in their careers.
