Carbon Isotope Discrimination

Carbon isotope discrimination refers to the way plants differentiate between the two stable forms of carbon dioxide, carbon-12 and carbon-13, during photosynthesis. Because these forms behave slightly differently, plants tend to favor the lighter carbon-12, leading to a measurable difference in the isotope ratio compared to the atmosphere. This discrimination provides insights into plant water-use efficiency, photosynthetic pathways, and environmental conditions. Scientists analyze these differences to understand plant behaviors, how they respond to climate, and to improve crop and soil management practices.