BIG CARP APRIL 2026 RICHARD - Flipbook - Page 166
ANDY LITTLE
by converting (burning) gl uc o s e b ac k to C0 2 a n d H2 0 i n t h e
p resence of oxygen produc i ng l a rg e am o u n ts o f AT P ( re m em b e r
3 6 molecules of ATP per mo l ec u l e o f gl uc o s e ). I n t he a b s en c e o f
ox ygen, the process is muc h le s s e f f i c i e nt , a n d l a rg e a m o u n t s
o f lactic acid are produced .
* ATP ADENOSINE TRIP HO S P HAT E
The carbohydrate gluco s e n o t u se d fo r en e rg y p ro d uc t i o n
i s converted into complex c a rb o hyd ra te s (p o lys a c c h arid e s ),
which includes such thin g s a s s t arc h, c el l u l o s e , glyc o g e n ,
p e ctin, munn and xylans. T he c o m p o u n d s are u s e d e i t h e r a s
re serves of energy, e.g. st arc he s glyc o g en a n d i n u l i n , o r fo r
s t ructural support , e.g. c el lu l o s e, x yl an s a n d c h i ti n . P l a n t s
fo r example may contain as mu c h a s 5 0 % ( by d r y we i gh t ) o f
c e llulose, and this materia l p rov i de s th e p la n t w i t h a s ke l e to n .
( E ach plant cell, has a wall c o n si st i n g o f c e ll u l o se ) . T h ey c an
b e extremely hard materi a ls to o ; t he l i g n i n s a n d x yl a n s g ive
wood its structural strengt h a n d ha rd n es s . S e ed s , p a r t i c u l a rly
g rains and cereals, are ric h i n th e s t arc he s to p rov i d e a fo o d
re serve fo r the seed ling. A s yo u m us t h ave n ow wo rke d o u t
fo r yourself, ‘plants’ are a ri c h so urc e o f c a rb o hyd ra te s a n d
t h erefore take up the first p l ac e i n a ny fo o d c h ai n . ( T h ey a re
k n own as primary produc ts ) . A g o o d way o f e s ti m a t i ng t h e
p o tential of a fishery is to l o o k a t t he a m o u n t o f p r i ma r y
p roducts the plants o r alga e p re se n t i n s u mm e r.
Carbohydrates and Carp
Cellulose is probably the m o s t ab u n d an t n at u ra l c a rb o hyd ra te
a n d a good place to begi n . Ce ll u lo s e i s co m p o s e d o f l i n ke d
gl ucose molecules linked B 1 - 4 t ha t i s N = a p p rox i m a te ly 3 0 00
gl ucose molecules. So cell ul o s e i s p o te n ti a l ly a r i ch s o u rc e o f
FREELINE 44
