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Leaf functional and micro-morphological photoprotective attributes in two ecotypes of Colobanthus quitensis from the Andes and Maritime Antarctic

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Abstract

Colobanthus quitensis (Kunth) Bartl. (Cariophyllaceae) is distributed from Mexico to the Maritime Antarctic. It grows forming inconspicuous populations in humid and cold sites along high elevations in the Andes Mountains. Mediterranean Andes is characterized by a wider oscillation of diurnal and seasonal temperature, while the Maritime Antarctic is characterized by permanent low temperatures. Both places may experience high irradiance during sunny days (reaching up to 2,000 μmol photons m−2 s−1); however, the frequency of sunny days in the Maritime Antarctica is significantly lower (less than 20% of the whole growing season). We study whether acclimation to each environment relies on different photoprotective mechanisms. The Andean ecotype that has a longer growing season and a higher light integral reduces light absorption by the development of smaller chloroplasts with lower stacking granum area and down-regulation of Lhcb2. It also enhances the dissipation of the excess of absorbed energy by higher level of de-epoxidation of xanthophylls pool. On the other hand, the Antarctic ecotype which has developed under a shorter growing season, with lower total irradiance and continuous low temperatures, maximizes photochemical process even at low temperatures and it has a lower light-harvesting/core complex ratio and higher level of photoprotection supplied by an unusually high β-carotene and xanthophylls cycle pool. It resembles a well full light acclimated plant, probably due to higher excitation pressure imposed by lower temperature even at moderate irradiance. It is suggested that the biochemical plasticity of this species, highlighted by the development of these different strategies, is essential to cope successfully with these particular environments.

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Acknowledgments

Luisa Bascuñán thanks INACH for the logistics and permits to study and collect plant material in protected areas in the Maritime Antarctic and the Polish Station Arctowski for the use of their facilities. This research was also supported by FONDECYT 1060910, BFU 2007-62637 from the Spanish Ministry of Education and Science and research project UPV/EHU-GV IT-299-07. Bascuñán-Godoy thanks INACH for a fellowship to support of her Doctoral Thesis and CONICYT for a graduate fellowship.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Departamento de Botánica, Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Oceanográficas, Universidad de Concepción, Casilla 160-C, correo 3, Concepción, Chile

    Luisa Bascuñán-Godoy, León A. Bravo & Luis J. Corcuera

  2. Centro de Estudios Avanzados en Zonas Áridas, Universidad de La Serena, Casilla 599, La Serena, Chile

    Luisa Bascuñán-Godoy

  3. Departamento de Biología Vegetal y Ecología, Universidad de País Vasco, Apdo 644, 48080, Bilbao, Spain

    José I. García-Plazaola

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  1. Luisa Bascuñán-Godoy
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  2. José I. García-Plazaola
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  3. León A. Bravo
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  4. Luis J. Corcuera
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Correspondence to León A. Bravo.

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Bascuñán-Godoy, L., García-Plazaola, J.I., Bravo, L.A. et al. Leaf functional and micro-morphological photoprotective attributes in two ecotypes of Colobanthus quitensis from the Andes and Maritime Antarctic. Polar Biol 33, 885–896 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00300-010-0765-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00300-010-0765-4

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