Photosynthesis is a two-phase anabolic pathway in which light energy (sunlight) is converted into chemical energy. In photosynthesis, water, carbon dioxide, and sunlight is used to form glucose and oxygen. Photosynthesis can be carried to other organisms when the molecules are ingested as food. Cellular respiration is a catabolic pathway where organic molecules are broken down to release energy. In this reaction, organic molecules are broken down by oxygen which results in carbon dioxide and water. Cellular respiration is the opposite of photosynthesis. They form a cycle of where the products of one metabolic pathway forms the reactants of the other metabolic pathway. The forest fires that have occurred in have reduced photosynthetic activity in Florida.
On April 2007, high winds blew through one of most well preserved and oldest freshwater area in the country, Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge. It caused a tree to fall on a powerline and resulted in sparks landing in the droughted land. By May this not only became Georgia's biggest recorded fire but also Florida's with 130,466 acres of land. According to some folks at NASA, most of the extremely hot and unpredictable behaving fires have been contained, but the seething and edgy fire would most likely continue until heavy rain or a hurricane occurs. In other words, the smoke from the fires were so tremendous that it has moved hundreds of miles and has even been spotted in North California. The effects of the forest fire significantly decreased the rate of photosynthesis and increased the carbon dioxide in both Georgia and Florida. .
Uncontrollably fires similar to the aforementioned forest fire can have disastrous effects. Under the intense heat, healthy trees are diminished into smoky snags, bushes that supply food and shelter become ashes. Even some soil nutrients are destroyed and are airborne into the clouds of smoke. The forest is modified vastly because the life it has been surrounded by and nurtured has been broken and destroyed.
