Abstract
Sporophytes of the brown algaLaminaria saccharina (L.) Lamour grown at 15°C contained significantly more chlorophylla (chla) than did similar plants grown at 5°C. The increase in chla in 15°C plants was due to increased numbers of photosystem II reaction centes, and possibly to increased photosynthetic unit size, compared with 5°C plants. These changes were associated with increasedα values (photosynthetic efficiencies) in 15°C-grownL. saccharina relative to 5°C-grown plants. The changes inα together with reduced respiration rates allowed 15°C-grownL. saccharina to achieve net photosynthesis and light-saturated photosynthesis at a lower photon fluence rate (PFR) than 5°C plants when both groups were assayed at the same temperature (15°C). The photon fluence rates necessary to reach the compensation point and achieve light-saturated photosynthesis (I c andI k , respectively) increased with increasing incubation temperature inL. saccharina grown at both 5 and 15°C. However, acclimation responses to growth temperature compensated for the short-term effect of temperature onI c andI k . Consequently, plants grown at 5 and 15°C were able to achieve similar rates of light-limited photosynthesis, and similarI c andI k values at their respective growth temperatures. These responses are undoubtedly important for perennial seaweeds such asL. saccharina, which frequently grow in light-limited habitats and experience pronounced seasonal changes in water temperature.
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Communicated by J. Grassle, New Brunswick
Please address all correspondence and requests for reprints to I.R. Davison
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Davison, I.R., Greene, R.M. & Podolak, E.J. Temperature acclimation of respiration and photosynthesis in the brown algaLaminaria saccharina . Mar. Biol. 110, 449–454 (1991). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01344363
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01344363