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The effect of UV-B radiation on photosynthesis and respiration of phytoplankton, benthic macroalgae and seagrasses

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Abstract

Several species of marine benthic algae, four species of phytoplankton and two species of seagrass have been subjected to ultraviolet B irradiation for varying lengths of time and the effects on respiration, photosynthesis and fluorescence rise kinetics studied. No effect on respiration was found. Photosynthesis was inhibited to a variable degree in all groups of plants after irradiation over periods of up to 1 h and variable fluorescence was also inhibited in a similar way. The most sensitive plants were phytoplankton and deep-water benthic algae. Intertidal benthic algae were the least sensitive to UV-B irradiation and this may be related to adaptation, through the accumulation of UV-B screening compounds, to high light/high UV-B levels. Inhibition of variable fluorescence (Fv) of the fluorescence rise curve was a fast and sensitive indicator of UV-B damage. Two plants studied, a brown alga and a seagrass, showed very poor recovery of Fv over a period of 32 h.

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Abbreviations

Fm-:

fluorescence yield with reaction centres closed

Fo-:

fluorescence yield with reaction centres open

Fv-:

variable fluorescence

PAR-:

photosynthetically active radiation

P680-:

primary donor of Photosystem II

O-:

primary quencher of Photosystem II

QA-:

primary quinone acceptor of Photosystem II

UV-B-:

ultraviolet B

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Biological Sciences, University of Sydney, 2006, NSW, Australia

    A. W. D. Larkum & W. F. Wood

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  1. A. W. D. Larkum
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  2. W. F. Wood
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Larkum, A.W.D., Wood, W.F. The effect of UV-B radiation on photosynthesis and respiration of phytoplankton, benthic macroalgae and seagrasses. Photosynth Res 36, 17–23 (1993). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00018071

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00018071

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