UTILIZATION AND DISSIPATION OF STRONG SOLAR RADIATION IN TWO ALPINE PLANTS, ANISODUS TANGUTICUS AND RHEUM TANGUTICUM

doi:10.17521/cjpe.2007.0016

Abstract

Abstract:

Aims The Qinghai-Tibet Plateau is characterized by high elevation, thin atmosphere and high solar transparency. Strong solar radiation is a major stress factors during the growing season. Means of defense and dissipation of strong solar radiation rarely have been explored. Our objective is to determine solar utilization and dissipation characters in two native alpine plants, Anisodus tanguticus and Rheum tanguticum.

Methods We used data obtained from a portable pulse amplitude modulation fluorometer (FMS-2, Hansatech Co., UK) to explain the characteristics of utilization and dissipation and components of non-photochemical quenching.

Important findings Strong solar radiation could cause the photoinhibition of photosynthesis, but this constitutes reversible destruction to PSⅡ reaction center in both alpine plants. Quenching analysis of chlorophyll fluorescence indicated thatA. tanguticus could dissipate more excess excitation energy in PSⅡ antennae through non-photochemistry progress thanR. tanguticum, as the fraction of energy utilized in photochemistry was decreasing. Dark relaxation kinetics analysis showed that “fast" component q_Nf was the main fraction of q_N, then “slow" component q_Ns. “Middle" component q_Nm was lower than q_Ns, but it had an increasing tendency accompanied increased light at noon, which indicated that q_Nm still played an important role in non-photochemical quenching. Diurnal variations of NPQ_S and q_Ns were similar in the two plants; the same as q_Nf, rapidly relaxing quenching NPQ_F was also the main component in non-photochemical quenching NPQ, and both NPQ_F and q_Nf were significantly higher in A. tanguticus than in R. tanguticum (p<0.05). The fraction of light energy absorbed in PSⅡ antennae, which is utilized in PSⅡ photochemistry (P), was significantly lower in A. tanguticus than in R. tanguticum (p<0.01), but the fraction that was dissipated thermally (D) was significantly higher in A. tanguticus than in R. tanguticum (p<0.01). The midday depression of the excess excitation that was neither utilized in photosynthetic electron transport nor dissipated thermally (Excess) showed that there was a light stress acclimation in the two alpine plants. The study indicates relatively lower proportion of P and q_P in A. tanguticus than in R. tanguticum and the higher fraction of D and NPQ and q_N, so actual photochemistry efficiency Φ_PSⅡ was lower in A. tanguticus than in R. tanguticum. Higher level of NPQ and q_N mainly results from the NPQ_F and q_Nf, as well as NPQ_S and q_Ns in A. tanguticus compared to R. tanguticum.

Key words: Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, alpine plants, chlorophyll fluorescence parameters, thermal dissipation

SHI Sheng-Bo, LI He-Ping, WANG Xue-Ying, LI Hui-Mei, HAN Fa. UTILIZATION AND DISSIPATION OF STRONG SOLAR RADIATION IN TWO ALPINE PLANTS, ANISODUS TANGUTICUS AND RHEUM TANGUTICUM[J]. Chin J Plant Ecol, 2007, 31(1): 129-137.

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URL: https://www.plant-ecology.com/EN/10.17521/cjpe.2007.0016

https://www.plant-ecology.com/EN/Y2007/V31/I1/129

Figures/Tables 6

Fig.1 Diurnal courses of maximum photochemical efficiency (Fv/Fm) and actual quantum efficiency (ΦPSⅡ) of PSⅡ and its relative limitation of photosynthetic function (L(PFD)) in Anisodus tanguticus and Rheum tanguticum —◇—:Anisodus tanguticus —◆—:Rheum tanguticum

Fig.2 Diurnal courses of photochemical (qP) and non-photochemical (qN) fluorescence quenching coefficient and non-photochemical fluorescence quenching (NPQ) in Anisodus tanguticus and Rheum tanguticum

Fig.3 Diurnal courses of “fast", “middle" and “slow" components ( qNf, qNm and qNs) of the non-photochemical fluorescence quenching in Anisodus tanguticus and Rheum tanguticum

Fig.4 Diurnal courses of rapidly and slowly relaxing (NPQF and NPQS) of non-photochemical fluorescence quenching in Anisodus tanguticus and Rheum tanguticum

Fig.5 Diurnal courses of the fractions of light absorbed in PSⅡ antennae that is utilized in photochemistry transport (P) and dissipated thermally (D), and the rest that is neither utilized nor dissipated thermally (Excess) in Anisodus tanguticus and Rheum tanguticum

Fig.6 Diurnal courses of the initial fluorescence intensity (Fo) in Anisodus tanguticus and Rheum tanguticum

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