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Effects of soil flooding and changes in light intensity on photosynthesis of Eugenia uniflora L. seedlings

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Abstract

The increased frequency of heavy rains as a result of global climate change can lead to flooding and changes in light availability caused by the presence of thick clouds. To test the hypothesis that reduction in light availability can alleviate the harmful effects of soil flooding on photosynthesis, the authors studied the effects of soil flooding and acclimation from high to low light on the photosynthetic performance of Eugenia uniflora. Seedlings acclimated to full sunlight (about 35 mol m−2 d−1) for 5 months were transferred to partial sunlight (about 10 mol m−2 d−1) and were either subjected to soil flooding or not flooded. Chlorophyll fluorescence was measured throughout the flooding period and leaf gas exchange was measured 16 days after flooding was initiated. Minimal fluorescence yield (Fo) was significantly higher and the quantum efficiency of open PSII centres (Fv/Fm) was significantly lower in flooded than in non-flooded plants in full sunlight. Sixteen days after flooding was initiated, stomatal conductance (gssat) and net photosyntheses expressed on a leaf area (Asat-area), weight (Asat-wt) and chlorophyll (Asat-Chl) basis decreased in response to soil flooding. Flooding decreased stomatal conductance by similar amounts in full and partial sunlight, but Asat-area in partial and full sunlight was 3.4 and 16.8 times lower, respectively, in flooded than in non-flooded plants. These results indicate that changes from full to partial sunlight during soil flooding can alleviate the effects of flooding stress on photosynthesis in E. uniflora seedlings acclimated to full sunlight. The responses of photosynthesis in trees to flooding stress may be dependent on changes in light environment during heavy rains.

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Acknowledgments

The authors gratefully thank Chunfang Li, S. Michael Gutierrez, Manny Soto, Stella Grinberg Mielke and Henrique Grinberg Mielke for assisting with the experiment installation, maintenance and data collection. Marcelo S. Mielke also thanks Capes (Brazilian Higher Education Council) for a grant to support his postdoctoral work at the Tropical Research and Education Center, University of Florida, USA.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Departamento de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Estadual de Santa Cruz, Rodovia Ilhéus/Itabuna km 16, Ilhéus, BA, 45650-000, Brazil

    Marcelo S. Mielke

  2. University of Florida, IFAS, Tropical Research and Education Center, 18905 SW 280th Street, Homestead, FL, 33031, USA

    Bruce Schaffer

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  1. Marcelo S. Mielke
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  2. Bruce Schaffer
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Correspondence to Marcelo S. Mielke.

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Communicated by R. Aroca.

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Mielke, M.S., Schaffer, B. Effects of soil flooding and changes in light intensity on photosynthesis of Eugenia uniflora L. seedlings. Acta Physiol Plant 33, 1661–1668 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11738-010-0702-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11738-010-0702-8

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