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Photosynthetic response of Quercus ilex L. plants grown on compost and exposed to increasing photon flux densities and elevated CO2

  • Brief Communication
  • Published:
Photosynthetica

Abstract

Quercus ilex plants grown on two different substrates, sand soil (C) and compost (CG), were exposed to photosynthetic photon flux densities (PPFD) at 390 and 800 µmol(CO2) mol−1 (C390 and C800). At C800 both C and CG plants showed a significant increase of net photosynthetic rate (P N) and electron transport rate (ETR) in response to PPFD increase as compared to C390. In addition, at C800 lower non-photochemical quenching (NPQ) values were observed. The differences between C390 and C800 were related to PPFD. The higher P N and ETR and the lower dissipative processes found in CG plants at both CO2 concentrations as compared to C plants suggest that substrate influences significantly photosynthetic response of Q. ilex plants. Moreover, short-term exposures at elevated CO2 decreased nitrate photo-assimilation in leaves independently from substrate of growth.

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Abbreviations

AQF :

ratio of net CO2 assimilation to gross rate of O2 evolution from chlorophyll fluorescence

C:

control plants

C i/C a :

ratio of intercellular to ambient CO2 concentration

CEC:

cation exchange capacity

CG:

compost grown plants

Chl:

chlorophyll

EC:

elevated CO2 concentration

ETR:

electron transport rate

ETRO2 :

the gross rate of O2 evolution from chlorophyll fluorescence

F0 :

background fluorescence

Fm′:

maximal fluorescence of closed PS2 reaction centres in the light-adapted state

Fm :

maximal fluorescence of closed PS2 reaction centres in the dark-adapted state

Ft :

steady-state fluorescence signal in the light-adapted state

Fv/Fm :

maximum photochemical efficiency of PS2

NPQ:

non-photochemical quenching

N-NO3 − :

nitrate content

P N :

net photosynthetic rate

PPFD:

photosynthetic photon flux density

PS2:

photosystem 2

RuBPCO:

ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase

ΦPS2 :

quantum yield of electron transport

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Dipartimento di Biologia Strutturale e Funzionale, Universita di Napoli Federico II, Via Cinthia, 80126, Napoli, Italia

    C. Arena, L. Vitale & A. Virzo De Santo

Authors
  1. C. Arena
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  2. L. Vitale
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  3. A. Virzo De Santo
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Correspondence to C. Arena.

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Arena, C., Vitale, L. & Virzo De Santo, A. Photosynthetic response of Quercus ilex L. plants grown on compost and exposed to increasing photon flux densities and elevated CO2 . Photosynthetica 43, 615–619 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11099-005-0096-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11099-005-0096-9

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