Final answer:
The statement is false; shade-adapted plants produce more chlorophyll to maximize light capture but also tend to have higher amounts of rubisco to improve their carbon fixation efficiency under low light conditions.
Step-by-step explanation:
The statement 'Plants growing in shade tend to produce less rubisco and more chlorophyll than plants growing in full sun' is FALSE. Plants that commonly grow in the shade do indeed need to adapt to lower levels of light. To optimize their photosynthesis process under such conditions, they adjust by increasing the concentration levels of chlorophyll in their leaves. This is necessary to capture as much light as possible.
However, rubisco, an enzyme involved in the first major step of carbon fixation in photosynthesis, is typically present in higher amounts in shade-grown plants compared to those in full sun. The reason is that shade plants rely more on maximizing their light capture and carbon fixation efficiency, due to the lower light intensity they receive. Furthermore, the phytochrome system in plants allows them to sense light quality changes and adjust growth accordingly, a vital adaptation in shaded environments or dense plant communities where competition for light is intense.