Hi all,
We have some /www.ukaps.org/forum/threads/whats-the-secret-to-keeping-red-plants-red.54727/']thread[/URL]s">, this one might be of /www.ukaps.org/forum/threads/why-are-plants-green-to-reduce-the-noise-in-photosynthesis.61892/']particular interest[/URL]">.
Anthocyanin (red pigments) production is definitely associated with higher light. If you look at it in energy terms Clive's /www.ukaps.org/forum/threads/anubias-snow-white-melted-will-they-recover.63320/page-2#post-628158']"photon torpedo"[/URL]> of light is going to cause a lot of damage /www.ukaps.org/forum/threads/water-column-dosing-and-substrate-questions.1669/#post-359607']if it is intercepted by leaf tissue (chloroplasts[/URL])"> that doesn't have access to enough CO2 etc.
Blame the /en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_law_of_thermodynamics']First law of thermodynamics[/URL]">, energy has to go somewhere.
The other reason is just where the /www.ukaps.org/forum/threads/rotala-changes-colour-daily.63042/#post-622240']anthocyanins are in the plant cell[/URL]">, they are in the cells vacuole, masked in the /www.ukaps.org/forum/threads/aquarium-plant-fertilizers-sources-of-nitrogen.63115/#post-623083']mesophyll by the chloroplasts[/URL]">.
We know that plant leaf greeness (chlorophyll content) is /www.ukaps.org/forum/threads/the-scientific-background-to-the-leaf-colour-chart.62129/']strongly correlated with nitrogen availability[/URL]"> so less fixed nitrogen means less chlorophyll and more chance to see the redness shining through.
This is what you /www.ukaps.org/forum/threads/whats-the-secret-to-keeping-red-plants-red.54727/page-2#post-537685']get in the autumn[/URL]"> with red tree leaves, /science.howstuffworks.com/life/botany/leaves-turn-red1.htm']the plant withdraws the chlorophyll[/URL]"> before the leaf is abscised and the yellow (carotenes) and red colours, that were previously obscured, show through.
cheers Darrel