Interesting - why would fluctuation of the energy flow into the biochemical cascade cause an increase in free radical production?
If this is the case then seems a lot more likely and evolutionarily sound than the efficiency interpretation; unless there is some second order effect of the rate of photosynthesis on its efficiency/completion that couple with some sort of initial energy barrier I struggle to see how smoothing fluctuations by using non-proximal wavelenghts would be more efficient than allowing fluctuations with greater absorption across the spectrum (and so greater net energy absorption). Some more basic survival mechanism like the free radical one you propose just seems to be more intuitive. With green colouration a circumstantial bedfellow of the other chemical properties rather than the master. Still speculative of course.
Eneregy is conserved. If it "misses" the reaction center, it will hit something else like a stray bullet.
> Non-photochemical quenching (NPQ) is a mechanism employed by plants and algae to protect themselves from the adverse effects of high light intensity. It involves the quenching of singlet excited state chlorophylls (Chl) via enhanced internal conversion to the ground state (non-radiative decay), thus harmlessly dissipating excess excitation energy as heat through molecular vibrations. NPQ occurs in almost all photosynthetic eukaryotes (algae and plants), and helps to regulate and protect photosynthesis in environments where light energy absorption exceeds the capacity for light utilization in photosynthesis.[1]
If this is the case then seems a lot more likely and evolutionarily sound than the efficiency interpretation; unless there is some second order effect of the rate of photosynthesis on its efficiency/completion that couple with some sort of initial energy barrier I struggle to see how smoothing fluctuations by using non-proximal wavelenghts would be more efficient than allowing fluctuations with greater absorption across the spectrum (and so greater net energy absorption). Some more basic survival mechanism like the free radical one you propose just seems to be more intuitive. With green colouration a circumstantial bedfellow of the other chemical properties rather than the master. Still speculative of course.
Keen to hear your thoughts.