Chlorophyll Chlorosis can also be caused by pathogens including viruses, bacteria and fungal infections, or sap-sucking insects. Anthocyanins are other plant pigments. The absorbance pattern responsible for the red color of anthocyanins may be complementary to that of green chlorophyll in photosynthetically active tissues such as young "Quercus coccifera" leaves. It may protect the leaves from attacks by plant eaters that may be attracted by green color. The chlorophyll maps show milligrams of chlorophyll per cubic meter of seawater each month. Places where chlorophyll amounts were very low, indicating very low numbers of phytoplankton, are blue. Places where chlorophyll concentrations were
Chlorophyll a chlorophyll biosynthesis. Chlorophyll "a" absorbs light within the violet, blue and red wavelengths while mainly reflecting green. This reflectance gives chlorophyll its green appearance. Accessory photosynthetic pigments broaden the spectrum of light absorbed, increasing the range of wavelengths that can be used in photosynthesis. The addition of chlorophyll "b" next to chlorophyll "a" extends the absorption spectrum. In low light conditions, plants produce a greater ratio of chlorophyll "b" to chlorophyll "a" molecules, increasing photosynthetic yield. Absorption of light by photosynthetic pigments converts photons into chemical energy. Light energy radiating onto the chloroplast strikes the pigments in the thylakoid membrane