scholarly journals Effects of low and high irradiation levels on growth and PSII efficiency in Lemna minor L.

2020 ◽  
Vol 79 (2) ◽  
pp. 185-192
Author(s):  
Hrvoje Lepeduš ◽  
Željka Vidaković-Cifrek ◽  
Iris Šebalj ◽  
Jasenka Antunović Dunić ◽  
Vera Cesar

Plant growth and reproduction depend on light energy that drives photosynthesis. In the present study we compared growth characteristics, photosynthetic pigments content and photosystem II (PSII) performance in Lemna minor L. grown in two different irradiation regimes: low light (LL) – 50 μmolPHOTONS m-2 s-1 and high light (HL) – 500 μmolPHOTONS m-2 s-1. The main goal was to investigate the photosynthetic regulatory mechanisms that ensure adjustment to different light conditions and integrate these observations with the data on plant multiplication and biomass production. For this purpose, we measured chlorophyll (Chls) and carotenoid (Cars) contents and analyzed the energy fluxes through the PSII by saturation pulse method as well as by Chl a transient induction and JIP test. In a comparison of the effect of LL and HL on plant multiplication and fresh biomass, it was shown that the effect on growth was primarily attributed to the biomass reduction in LL while the effect on number of plants was much smaller. Total Chl and Cars contents were decreased in plants exposed to HL which indicated long-term acclimation response to the increased irradiance. Furthermore, the HL plants revealed better capability for the utilization of absorbed light in photosynthesis accompanied by photoprotective adjustment of certain number of PSII reaction centers from active to dissipative mode of functioning. In conclusion, our study showed that duckweed plants had great adjustment potential to different irradiation conditions, which might be of great importance not only under variable light availability but also when simultaneously challenged by some other environmental disturbance (e.g. different pollutants).

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 189
Author(s):  
Hyeonji Bae ◽  
Dabin Lee ◽  
Jae Joong Kang ◽  
Jae Hyung Lee ◽  
Naeun Jo ◽  
...  

The cellular macromolecular contents and energy value of phytoplankton as primary food source determine the growth of higher trophic levels, affecting the balance and sustainability of oceanic food webs. Especially, proteins are more directly linked with basic functions of phytoplankton biosynthesis and cell division and transferred through the food chains. In recent years, the East/Japan Sea (EJS) has been changed dramatically in environmental conditions, such as physical and chemical characteristics, as well as biological properties. Therefore, developing an algorithm to estimate the protein concentration of phytoplankton and monitor their spatiotemporal variations on a broad scale would be invaluable. To derive the protein concentration of phytoplankton in EJS, the new regional algorithm was developed by using multiple linear regression analyses based on field-measured data which were obtained from 2012 to 2018 in the southwestern EJS. The major factors for the protein concentration were identified as chlorophyll-a (Chl-a) and sea surface nitrate (SSN) in the southwestern EJS. The coefficient of determination (r2) between field-measured and algorithm-derived protein concentrations was 0.55, which is rather low but reliable. The satellite-derived estimation generally follows the 1:1 line with the field-measured data, with Pearson’s correlation coefficient, which was 0.40 (p-value < 0.01, n = 135). No remarkable trend in the long-term annual protein concentration of phytoplankton was found in the study area during our observation period. However, some seasonal difference was observed in winter protein concentration between the 2003–2005 and 2017–2019 periods. The algorithm is developed for the regional East/Japan Sea (EJS) and could contribute to long-term monitoring for climate-associated ecosystem changes. For a better understanding of spatiotemporal variation in the protein concentration of phytoplankton in the EJS, this algorithm should be further improved with continuous field surveys.


2020 ◽  
Vol 22 (1) ◽  
pp. 221
Author(s):  
Joanna Wójtowicz ◽  
Adam K. Jagielski ◽  
Agnieszka Mostowska ◽  
Katarzyna B. Gieczewska

The origin of chlorophyll b deficiency is a mutation (ch1) in chlorophyllide a oxygenase (CAO), the enzyme responsible for Chl b synthesis. Regulation of Chl b synthesis is essential for understanding the mechanism of plant acclimation to various conditions. Therefore, the main aim of this study was to find the strategy in plants for compensation of low chlorophyll content by characterizing and comparing the performance and spectral properties of the photosynthetic apparatus related to the lipid and protein composition in four selected Arabidopsis ch1 mutants and two Arabidopsis ecotypes. Mutation in different loci of the CAO gene, viz., NW41, ch1.1, ch1.2 and ch1.3, manifested itself in a distinct chlorina phenotype, pigment and photosynthetic protein composition. Changes in the CAO mRNA levels and chlorophyllide a (Chlide a) content in ecotypes and ch1 mutants indicated their significant role in the adjustment mechanism of the photosynthetic apparatus to low-light conditions. Exposure of mutants with a lower chlorophyll b content to short-term (1LL) and long-term low-light stress (10LL) enabled showing a shift in the structure of the PSI and PSII complexes via spectral analysis and the thylakoid composition studies. We demonstrated that both ecotypes, Col-1 and Ler-0, reacted to high-light (HL) conditions in a way remarkably resembling the response of ch1 mutants to normal (NL) conditions. We also presented possible ways of regulating the conversion of chlorophyll a to b depending on the type of light stress conditions.


Animals ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (11) ◽  
pp. 3157
Author(s):  
Xochitl Guadalupe Vital ◽  
Felisa Rey ◽  
Paulo Cartaxana ◽  
Sónia Cruz ◽  
Maria Rosário Domingues ◽  
...  

Long-term retention of functional chloroplasts in animal cells occurs only in sacoglossan sea slugs. Analysis of molecules related to the maintenance of these organelles can provide valuable information on this trait (kleptoplasty). The goal of our research was to characterize the pigment and fatty acid (FA) composition of the sea slug Elysia crispata and their associated chloroplasts that are kept functional for a long time, and to quantify total lipid, glycolipid and phospholipid contents, identifying differences between habitats: shallow (0–4 m) and deeper (8–12 m) waters. Specimens were sampled and analyzed after a month of food deprivation, through HPLC, GC-MS and colorimetric methods, to ensure an assessment of long-term kleptoplasty in relation to depth. Pigment signatures indicate that individuals retain chloroplasts from different macroalgal sources. FA classes, phospholipid and glycolipid contents displayed dissimilarities between depths. However, heterogeneities in pigment and FA profiles, as well as total lipid, glycolipid and phospholipid amounts in E. crispata were not related to habitat depth. The high content of chloroplast origin molecules, such as Chl a and glycolipids after a month of starvation, confirms that E. crispata retains chloroplasts in good biochemical condition. This characterization fills a knowledge gap of an animal model commonly employed to study kleptoplasty.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
jiaojiao zhang ◽  
Ling Zhu ◽  
Xu Zhang ◽  
Jian Zhou

Abstract Background: Liriope muscari (Decne.) L.H. Bailey is a valuable horticultural and medicinal plant that grows under a range of light intensities, from high to low, in the understories of shrubs. To understand how this species adapts to these various environments, we selected two groups of lilyturf growing under poplar trees at two different spacings. Each group was divided into three types, open field, forest edge and shaded forest with high, medium and low irradiance levels, respectively, and then we examined their photosynthetic characteristics, physiology and biomasses. Results: Light saturation point, light compensation point and in situ net photosynthetic rate ( P N ) were highest in lilyturf growing under high light. In contrast, lilyturf growing under low light had a higher apparent quantum yield and Chl a and b contents, indicating that they adapted to low light. Although the leaves of lilyturf growing under low light were small, their root tubers were heavier. Conclusions: The research demonstrates the eco-physiological basis of lilyturf’s shade adaptation mechanism as indicated by photosynthetic activity, chlorophyll fluorescence, Chl a, Chl b and Car contents when grown under different irradiances. We believe that lilyturf is a shade-tolerant plant suitable for planting in undergrowth, but attention should be paid to the canopy density of the forest when interplanting. The findings presented here advance our understanding of the photosynthetic characteristics of understory plants and may assist in the optimization of irradiances in the future.


Water ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (8) ◽  
pp. 2192
Author(s):  
Xujie Yang ◽  
Yan Jiang ◽  
Xuwei Deng ◽  
Ying Zheng ◽  
Zhiying Yue

Chlorophyll a (Chl-a) concentration, which reflects the biomass and primary productivity of phytoplankton in water, is an important water quality parameter to assess the eutrophication status of water. The band combinations shown in the images of Donghu Lake (Wuhan City, China) captured by Landsat satellites from 1987 to 2018 were analyzed. The (B4 − B3)/(B4 + B3) [(Green − Red)/(Green + Red)] band combination was employed to construct linear, power, exponential, logarithmic and cubic polynomial models based on Chl-a values in Donghu Lake in April 2016. The correlation coefficient (R2), the relative error (RE) and the root mean square error (RMSE) of the cubic model were 0.859, 9.175% and 11.194 μg/L, respectively and those of the validation model were 0.831, 6.509% and 19.846μg/L, respectively. Remote sensing images from 1987 to 2018 were applied to the model and the spatial distribution of Chl-a concentrations in spring and autumn of these years was obtained. At the same time, the eutrophication status of Donghu Lake was monitored and evaluated based on the comprehensive trophic level index (TLI). The results showed that the TLI (∑) of Donghu Lake in April 2016 was 63.49 and the historical data on Chl-a concentration showed that Donghu Lake had been eutrophic. The distribution of Chl-a concentration in Donghu Lake was affected by factors such as construction of bridges and dams, commercial activities and enclosure culture in the lake. The overall distribution of Chl-a concentration in each sub-lake was higher than that in the main lake region and Chl-a concentration was highest in summer, followed by spring, autumn and winter. Based on the data of three long-term (2005–2018) monitoring points in Donghu Lake, the matching patterns between meteorological data and Chl-a concentration were analyzed. It revealed that the Chl-a concentration was relatively high in warmer years or rainy years. The long-term measured data also verified the accuracy of the cubic model for Chl-a concentration. The R2, RE and RMSE of the validation model were 0.641, 2.518% and 22.606 μg/L, respectively, which indicated that it was feasible to use Landsat images to retrieve long-term Chl-a concentrations. Based on longitudinal remote sensing data from 1987 to 2018, long-term and large-scale dynamic monitoring of Chl-a concentrations in Donghu Lake was carried out in this study, providing reference and guidance for lake water quality management in the future.


Water ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (6) ◽  
pp. 1299 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tao Tang ◽  
Shuhan Guo ◽  
Lu Tan ◽  
Tao Li ◽  
Ryan M. Burrows ◽  
...  

Although most lotic ecosystems are groundwater dependent, our knowledge on the relatively long-term ecological effects of groundwater discharge on downstream reaches remains limited. We surveyed four connected reaches of a Chinese karst stream network for 72 consecutive months, with one reach, named Hong Shi Zi (HSZ), evidently affected by groundwater. We tested whether, compared with other reaches, HSZ had (1) milder water temperature and flow regimes, and (2) weaker influences of water temperature and flow on benthic algal biomass represented by chlorophyll a (Chl. a) concentrations. We found that the maximum monthly mean water temperature in HSZ was 0.6 °C lower than of the adjacent upstream reach, and the minimum monthly mean water temperature was 1.0 °C higher than of the adjacent downstream reach. HSZ had the smallest coefficient of variation (CV) for water temperature but the largest CV for discharge. Water temperature and discharge displayed a significant 12-month periodicity in all reaches not directly groundwater influenced. Only water temperature displayed such periodicity in HSZ. Water temperature was an important predictor of temporal variation in Chl. a in all reaches, but its influence was weakest in HSZ. Our findings demonstrate that longer survey data can provide insight into groundwater–surface water interactions.


2005 ◽  
Vol 21 (4) ◽  
pp. 383-395 ◽  
Author(s):  
Silvia Iriarte Vivar Balderrama ◽  
Robin L. Chazdon

The dependence of tree seedling survival and growth on light availability was evaluated over 15 mo in three second-growth, wet forest stands (15–18 y old) in north-eastern Costa Rica. Seedlings of four canopy tree species (Dipteryx panamensis, Hyeronima alchorneoides, Virola koschnyi and Vochysia guatemalensis) were planted into four canopy treatments in three replicated stands and in a pasture site, spanning a nearly complete gradient of light availability. Survival and growth of all species increased in response to increasing light availability, but species differed in survival in shaded microsites (6–20% light transmittance) and in growth increments per light increase. Hyeronima showed the highest mortality at low light levels and the highest relative height growth increase per light increase. In contrast, Virola showed high survival at low and moderate light, but showed the lowest leaf area and above-ground biomass per light increase among all species. Dipteryx and Vochysia maintained relatively high rates of survival and growth across the entire light gradient. Hyeronima and Virola showed trade-offs between growth and survival responses to light, unlike Dipteryx and Vochysia. Differences among species in seedling survival at low light may be determined by a variety of physiological and morphological traits that may or may not be mechanistically linked to growth responses.


Author(s):  
Xu Sun ◽  
Patteson Chula Mwagona ◽  
Isaac Ekyamba Shabani ◽  
Wenjiu Hou ◽  
Xiaoyu Li ◽  
...  

The present study was carried out in the biggest tributary of Ussuri River of boundary between China and Russia. The Muling River basin has undergone a long-term dredging works, and waterbody became seriously turbid. The succession of phytoplankton functional groups succession and environmental factors in the river were sampled in 2015. We totally identified 83 species, belonging to 17 functional groups which 5 were predominant, including group F, M, MP, P and Y. The seasonal succession of phytoplankton functional groups was M/P-F/MP/P-MP/P. Results of Spearman correlation analysis and canonical correspondence analysis (CCA) revealed that phytoplankton functional groups were mainly influenced by nutrient concentrations and light availability including total nitrogen (TN), ammonium nitrogen (NH4+–N), nitrate nitrogen (NO3−–N), N:P ratio (N:P), water depth (D) and transparency (SD) in the basin.


Water ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. 538 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gaohua Ji ◽  
Karl Havens

We recently documented that during times of extreme shallow depth, there are severe effects on the water quality of one of the largest shallow lakes in the southeastern USA—Lake Apopka. During those times, total phosphorus (TP), total nitrogen (TN), chlorophyll-a (Chl-a) and toxic cyanobacteria blooms increase, and Secchi transparency (SD) declines. The lake recovers when water levels rise in subsequent years. In this paper, we determined whether extreme shallow depth events, particularly when they re-occur frequently, can stop the long-term recovery of a shallow eutrophic lake undergoing nutrient reduction programs. Apopka is an ideal location for this case study because the State of Florida has spent over 200 million USD in order to reduce the inputs of P to the lake, to build large filter marshes to treat the water, and to remove large quantities of benthivorous fish that contribute to internal P loading. We obtained data from 1985 to 2018, a period that had relatively stable water levels for nearly 15 years, and then three successive periods of extreme shallow depth, and we examined the long-term trends in TP, TN, Chl-a, and SD. There were significant decreasing trends in all of these water quality variables, and even though water quality deteriorated during periods of extreme shallow depth, and reduced the slope of the long-term trends, it did not stop the recovery. However, in the future, if climate change leads to more frequent shallow depth events, which in lakes such as Apopka, result in the concentration of water and nutrients, it is unclear whether the resilience we document here will continue, vs. the lake not responding to further nutrient input reductions.


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