At night, the peepal tree continues to perform a special type of photosynthesis known as Crassulacean Acid Metabolism (CAM). This unique metabolic process allows plants like the peepal tree to uptake carbon dioxide even during the night.
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During normal photosynthesis, plants open their stomata, small openings on the surface of leaves, to take in carbon dioxide from the air. At the same time, they release oxygen as a byproduct. However, during the daytime, the peepal tree keeps its stomata closed to reduce water loss through transpiration.
To compensate for the closed stomata during the day, the peepal tree follows the CAM pathway at night. CAM plants have a specialized anatomical structure that allows them to maximize their carbon dioxide uptake during the nocturnal hours.
During the night, the stomata of a peepal tree open, and it takes in carbon dioxide from the air. However, instead of immediately converting it into carbohydrates through photosynthesis, the peepal tree temporarily stores the carbon dioxide in the form of organic acids. These organic acids are stored in separate structures within the cells of the plant.
In the daytime, when the stomata close to prevent water loss, the stored organic acids are broken down. This breakdown releases carbon dioxide, which is then utilized in the regular photosynthetic pathway to produce carbohydrates and release oxygen.
This ability of the peepal tree to perform photosynthesis at night provides it with an advantage in certain environments. By taking in carbon dioxide during the night and storing it as organic acids, the peepal tree minimizes water loss while still being able to produce carbohydrates for growth and energy.