AMELIORATION OF UV-B DAMAGE UNDER HIGH IRRADIANCE. I: ROLE OF PHOTOSYNTHESIS

Sensitivity to ultraviolet-B radiation (UV-B,280–315 nm) is generally reduced when background irradiance is high. We tested the involvement of photosynthesis in the amelioration of UV-B damage by treating plants at high PAR (photosynthetically-active radiation, 400–700 nm; 1000 μmol m-² s-¹) with supplemental UV-B at double ambient levels of biologically-effective radiation (18 kJ m-²d-¹) and either “ambient” (450 μmol mol-¹) or short term elevated (750 μmol mol-¹) CO₂ levels. Responses to UV-B were assessed by photosynthetic gas exchange, leaf expansion and production of UV-absorbing compounds (presumptive flavonoids) in cultivars of cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) previously demonstrated to be relatively sensitive (cv. Poinsett) and insensitive (cv. Ashley) to UV-B. Except for marginal leaf interveinal chlorosis observed in Poinsett, both cultivars responded similarly. UV-B had little direct effect on leaf photosynthesis, but it did cause reductions in leaf area and corresponding increases in leaf dry matter per area. Increased CO, stimulated plant growth, counteracting the effect of UV-B on leaf growth and indicating an important role for photosynthesis. In contrast, the accumulation of UV-absorbing flavonoid compounds was enhanced by UV-B exposure but was not affected by COz enrichment.     

POTENTIAL ERRORS IN THE USE OF CELLULOSE DIACETATE AND MYLAR FILTERS IN UV-B RADIATION STUDIES

Abstract— The increase in UV-B radiation(290–320 nm) penetrating to the earth's surface as a result of the chemical depletion of the stratospheric ozone layer is an important environmental concern. In most studies using artificial UV-B sources, the determination of enhanced UV-B radiation effects on plants relies on equivalent UV-A radiation(320–400 nm) from the experimental UV-B fluorescent lamp source, filtered with either cellulose diacetate (CA) to create UV-B treatments, or with type S Mylar or polyester (PE) to create controls (no UV-B). The spectral irradiance in the UV-A was measured in the dark below lamps at two daily UV-B irradiance levels (14.1 and 10.7 W m^-2) with CA and PE at two ages. Highly significant differences in UV-A radiation (P 0.01) were measured below the treatment/control pairs at both fluence rates and filter ages. Filter aging was observed, which reduced the UV-A irradiance, especially for PE. The total daily ambient UV-A irradiance was also determined in the glasshouse at three seasons: the fall equinox, summer and winter, from which the total daily UV-A (lamp + ambient) irradiances were calculated. The addition of low to moderate ambient irradiance removed the treatment/control differences in the longwave UV-A(350–400 nm); however, the treatment/contro1 differences remained in the shortwave UV-A(320–350 nm), which was restricted by the glass, and in the total UV-A. The treatment/control differences persisted in the shortwave UV-A for the higher irradiance level, even under high summer ambient light. Also, spectral ratios (UVB:UV-A and shortwave: longwave UV-A) for all treatment groups decreased as the ambient UV-A radiation increased. Therefore, a range of experimental conditions exist where PE-covered lamps do not provide adequate control for UV-A irradiance, relative to the CA treatment, for glasshouse/growth chamber experiments. Potential complications in the interpretation of plant response exist for UV-B experiments conducted under low ambient light conditions (e.g. growth chambers; glasshouse in winter) or high daily UV-B irradiances (e.g. 14 kJ m^-2) for those plant responses that are sensitive to UV-A radiation.     

Responses of a marine red tide alga Skeletonema costatum (Bacillariophyceae) to long-term UV radiation exposures

UV radiation (280–400 nm) is known to affect phytoplankton in negative, neutral and positive ways depending on the species or levels of irradiation energy. However, little has been documented on how photosynthetic physiology and growth of red tide alga respond to UVR in a long-term period. We exposed the cells of the marine red tide diatom Skeletonema costatum for 6 days to simulated solar radiations with UV-A (320–400 nm) or UV-A + UV-B (295–400 nm) and examined their changes in photosynthesis and growth. Presence of UV-B continuously reduced the effective photosynthetic quantum yield of PSII, and resulted in complete growth inhibition and death of cells. When UV-B or UV-B + UV-A was screened off, the growth rate decreased initially but regained thereafter. UV-absorbing compounds and carotenoids increased in response to the exposures with UVR. However, mechanisms for photoprotection associated with the increased carotenoids or UV-absorbing compounds were not adequate under the continuous exposure to a constant level of UV-B (0.09 W m^?2, DNA-weighted). In contrast, under solar radiation screened off UV-B, the photoprotection was first accomplished by an initial increase of carotenoids and a later increase in UV-absorbing compounds. The overall response of this red tide alga to prolonged UV exposures indicates that S. costatum is a UV-B-sensitive species and increased UV-B irradiance would influence the formation of its blooms.     

ULTRAVIOLET QUANTUM YIELDS OF PHOTOPHOSPHORYLATION IN Halobacterium halobium*

Quantum yields of photophosphorylation in Halobacterium halobium were determined for ultraviolet spectral bands between 276 and 365 nm, and at 565 nm wavelength, based on integral spectral cell absorptance, bacteriorhodopsin-specific cell absorptance and the corresponding quantum dose rates. In the ultraviolet, there is an almost linear decline of the quantum yields of photophosphorylation from 365 to 276 nm wavelength, despite the peak absorption of bacteriorhodopsin at 280 nm. The cycling quantum yield for 276 nm excitation of bacteriorhodopsin was determined as 4.5 ± 1.8%, which is about one fourth of the value of 19% for solubilized bacteriorhodopsin. Threshold energy fluence rates of 20 W m^?2 for UV-B radiation typify the photophosphorylation as three orders less sensitive than the sensory UV-B avoidance response that needs 0.02 W m^?2 as the threshold. Thus, UV-B avoidance appears as the dominating strategy for survival of the archaic bacterium H. halobium, rather than possible photoenergetic use of UV-B radiation and photorepair of UV-damage.     

RAPID STOMATAL RESPONSE TO RED LIGHT IN Zea mays

Gas exchange techniques were employed to study responses of stomatal conductance to pulses of red and blue light in the grass, Zea mays. Zea mays exhibited conductance increases following brief (< 1 min) pulses of either red or blue light, in contrast to other species (e.g. Commelina communis; Assmann, 1988, Plant Physiol. 87 , 226–231) that exhibit consistent conductance responses only to pulses of blue light. Red light pulses of 450 μmol m^?2s^?1 for x min or 225 μmol m^?2s^?1 for 2x min were used to probe the fluence dependence of the red light response. The red light-stimulated conductance increase was constant for a given fluence, and increased with increasing total fluence. The conductance response to red light was larger in field grown plants (maximum growth irradiance ? 1600 μmol m-²s^?l) than in plants raised in growth chambers (maximum growth irradiance ? 150 μmol m^?2s^?1).     

RESPONSE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN TWO SOYBEAN CULTIVARS WITH CONTRASTING UV-B RADIATION SENSITIVITIES

Abstract— Soybeans (Glycine max [L.] Men. cvs. Essex and Williams) were grown in an unshaded greenhouse under two levels of biologically effective ultraviolet-B (UV-B_BE) radiation (effective daily dose: 0 and 11.5 kJ m^-2) for 34 days. Ultraviolet-B radiation reduced leaf area and total plant mass in Essex but these parameters were unaffected in Williams. Differences in both anatomical and biochemical characteristics were found between cultivars. Some of these differences were inherently distinct between cultivars while others were variably induced by UV treatment. Specific leaf weight. an estimate of leaf thickness, was unchanged in Essex but increased in Williams with UV-B irradiation. The relative increase in concentration of UV-absorbing compounds in leaf tissues after UV-B irradiation was greater in Williams. The composition of UV-absorbing compounds in leaf tissues differed between the two cultivars but was unaffected by UV-B radiation. Although total soluble proteins and total peroxidase activity were similar between cultivars, several electrophoretically distinct peroxidase activities were detected. Therefore, the intraspecific variation in UV-B sensitivity found in soybean appears to be correlated with a suite of anatomical and biochemical differences, including leaf thickness, composition and concentration of UV-absorbing compounds in leaf tissues, and possibly differences in peroxidase activities.     

INFLUENCE OF PHOTON FLUX DENSITY IN THE 400–700 nm WAVEBAND ON INHIBITION OF PHOTOSYNTHESIS BY UV-B (280–320 nm) IRRADIATION IN SOYBEAN LEAVES: SEPARATION OF INDIRECT AND IMMEDIATE EFFECTS

Abstract— Visible radiation can substantially influence the degree to which plant photosynthesis is inhibited by UV-B radiation. This study was designed to separate the immediate effects of visible radiation on UV-B photosynthetic inhibition from the indirect influence of visible irradiation on morphological and physiological properties of leaves during leaf development. Soybean plants were pretreated in growth chambers with either high or low visible irradiance (750 and 70 μmol m^-2s^-1 quantum flux in the 400–700 nm waveband, respectively) during the development of leaves used subsequently for UV irradiation. Test leaves still attached to the plant were exposed to 5 h of polychromatic UV-B irradiation and the photosynthetic capacity (net CO₂ exchange) was determined before and after the UV irradiation. During the UV irradiation, plants from both pretreatment groups received either high or low visible flux. Development of leaves in the high visible flux pretreatment conditions resulted in thicker leaves, higher chlorophyll a/b ratios, more UV-absorbing pigments, and reduced sensitivity to the UV-B irradiation. However, higher visible flux during the UV-B irradiation resulted in greater depression of photosynthesis by the UV-B irradiation. The relative magnitude of photosynthetic depression under these treatment combinations was the same when photosynthesis was measured under either light-limited or light-saturated conditions.     

UV-B-INDUCED INCREASE IN SPECIFIC LEAF WEIGHT OF CUCUMBER AS A CONSEQUENCE OF INCREASED STARCH CONTENT

Abstract Specific leaf weight (SLW), the ratio of leaf dry matter to area, often increases in plants exposed to elevated UV-B radiation (280–315 nm). Increased SLW can result from greater leaf thickness or increased leaf density ( e.g . accumulation of high density substances in cells). The basis for large increases in SLW was examined in the first and third leaves of cucumber differing in developmental stage at the start of UV treatment. Leaf 1 was approximately 50% fully expanded, while leaf 3 had just unfolded. It is shown here that up to 80% of the UV-generated change in SLW in leaf 1 was caused by accumulation of nonstructural carbohydrates, especially starch (increasing from 13 to 23% of total dry weight). Leaf 3 contained a much smaller proportion of nonstructural carbohydrates (less than 8%) and the effect on SLW was correspondingly less. As shown in the previous paper, UV-B inhibition of growth in leaf 3 was reversed by supplemental blue light (BL) in a fluence-dependent manner between 0.23 to 2.68 mol m ² perday. Fluence-response curves revealed that supplemental BL reversed both the UV-induced accumulation of starch and increase in SLW in leaf 1 over the same range. The data are consistent with a back-up of photosynthate into leaf 1 as a result of UV-B inhibition of growth in leaf 3. The data also demonstrate that increases in SLW cannot be assumed to represent increases in leaf thickness.     

Monitoring of Solar Irradiance in the High Andes

Solar radiation has been measured in the high Andes near Laguna Lejia (latitude 23° 26′ 23.30" S, longitude 67° 38′ 14.29" W) at an elevation of 4715 m between December 2016 and December 2017. Irradiances were monitored in four wavelength channels: PAR (400–700 nm), UV-A (315–400 nm), UV-B (295–315 nm) and short-wavelength UV-B (295–310 nm) with a new radiometer. In addition, ambient temperatures were recorded. Record values have been found for PAR (exceeding 600 W m⁻²), UV-A (close to 95 W m⁻²), UV-B (3.13 W m⁻²) and short-wavelength UV-B (0.144 W m⁻²) during Austral spring. The winter irradiance values slightly exceeded 50% of these values. Maximal cloud effects due to multiple reflections were 45, 38, 32 and 35% higher than values under cloudless skies for PAR, UV-A, UV-B and short-wavelength UV-B, respectively. Record irradiance for this site shows a UV index reaching and exceeding 20, which is due to low solar zenith angles, the altitude, low water vapor and aerosol concentrations in the atmosphere as well as low total column ozone concentrations.     

PHOTOMORPHOGENIC RESPONSES TO UV RADIATION III: A COMPARATIVE STUDY OF UVB EFFECTS ON ANTHOCYANIN and FLAVONOID ACCUMULATION IN WILD-TYPE and aurea MUTANT OF TOMATO (Lycopersicon esculentum MILL.)

The UV-mediated induction of anthocyanin and UV-absorbing compounds was characterized in etiolated hypocotyls of wild-type and aurea (au) mutant tomato seedlings. Ultraviolet radiation induced significant increases of anthocyanin and UV-absorbing compounds in hypocotyls of die au mutant and of its isogenic wild-type, but the differences in the time courses of UV-induced pigment accumulation indicate mat different photoregulatory mechanisms are involved for each of these two groups of pigments. It appears mat prolonged presence of adequate levels of UVB (290–320nm) energy and consequently the action of a specific UVB photoreceptor are indispensable for the photoinduction of anthocyanin accumulation in UV-irradiated hypocotyl of the au mutant that is missing the labile phytochrome pool. The large difference found between the wild-type and the au mutant strongly indicate the involvement of labile phytochrome as the primary functional photoreceptor for the photoinduction of anthocyanin accumulation in wild-type tomato hypocotyls. The UVB photoreceptor could at least partly replace the action of labile phytochrome (as far as anthocyanin accumulation is concerned) when the functional phytochrome pool is missing as in the au mutant. The general picture of UV-mediated induction of total UV-absorbing compounds shows only a macroscopic difference between wild-type and die au mutant of tomato: the higher initial level (in darkness) of these compounds in die wild-type in contrast to the au mutant. Although there is UV-induced accumulation of UV-absorbing compounds in bom genotypes, the levels in the au mutant never reach mat of the wild-type under the same UV exposure. A UVB photosensor may play a more important role in the photoinduction of UV-absorbing compounds. Indeed, in the absence of labile phytochrome, i.e. in the au mutant, a UVB-absorbing photoreceptor alone is able to establish high responsiveness for the UV-induced flavonoid accumulation.     

A SPECTROPHOTOMETRIC METHOD FOR CHLOROPLAST ATP SYNTHETASE ASSAY

Ultraviolet-B (UV-B,280–320 nm) irradiance was calculated for more than 1200 sites in Asia to characterize the spatial and temporal variation in the present UV-B climate for rice-growing regions. The analytical model of Green et al. (Photochem. Photobiol. 31 ,59–65, 1980) was used to compute UV-B irradiance for clear skies using satellite-observed ozone column thickness and local elevation data. Ground-based observations of cloud cover were then used to approximate the average effect of cloud cover on UV-B irradiance using the approach of Johnson et al. (Photochem. Photobiol. 23 ,179–188, 1976). Over the geographic range of rice cultivation, the maximum daily effective UV-B irradiance (UV-B_BE), when weighted according to a general plant action spectrum, was found to vary approx. 2.5-fold under both clear and cloudy sky conditions. Under clear skies, the timing of maximum solar UV-B_BE changed with latitude and varied from February-March near the equator to July-August at temperate locations. Cloud cover was found to alter the season of maximum UV-B_BE in many tropical regions, due to the pronounced monsoonal climate, but had little effect on UV-B seasonality at higher latitudes. Under a climate resulting from a doubling of atmospheric carbon dioxide, estimated UV-B using predicted cloud cover was found to change by up to 17% from present conditions in Thailand. Both latitudinal and seasonal variation in solar UV-B radiation may be important aspects of the UV-B climate for rice as cultivars differ in sensitivity to UV-B and are grown under diverse conditions and locations.     

PENETRATION OF UV-B AND BIOLOGICALLY EFFECTIVE DOSE-RATES IN NATURAL WATERS*

Abstract— Spectral irradiance measurements. from 310 to 650 nm. have been made in low and modcrately productive ocean waters. These new data and selected earlier clear ocean water data are used as a basis for extrapolating the diffuse attenuation coefficient for irradiance into the 280 nm region. This allows a quantitative calculation of the penetration of UV-B (280–340 nm) and of biologically (DNA) effective dose-rates as a function of depth into various ocean water types. The model of Green et al. (1974a) for various atmospheric ozone thicknesses has been used to obtain input surface irrddiancc for this calculation. Our purpose is to provide a basis for estimating the penetration of possible increased UV-B into natural waters due to possible changes in the ozone concentration of the stratosphere. Given appropriate biological data, this method allows a quantitative evaluation of radiation effects on aquatic organisms as a function of depth. As a specific example, our results have been graphically compared with the dosage-response results on anchovy larvae obtained by Hunter et al. (1978).     

Plant responses to current solar ultraviolet-B radiation and to supplemented solar ultraviolet-B radiation simulating ozone depletion: an experimental comparison

Field experiments assessing UV-B effects on plants have been conducted using two contrasting techniques: supplementation of solar UV-B with radiation from fluorescent UV lamps and the exclusion of solar UV-B with filters. We compared these two approaches by growing lettuce and oat simultaneously under three conditions: UV-B exclusion, near-ambient UV-B (control) and UV-B supplementation (simulating a 30% ozone depletion). This permitted computation of "solar UV-B" and "supplemental UV-B" effects. Microclimate and photosynthetically active radiation were the same under the two treatments and the control. Excluding UV-B changed total UV-B radiation more than did supplementing UV-B, but the UV-B supplementation contained more "biologically effective" shortwave radiation. For oat, solar UV-B had a greater effect than supplemental UV-B on main shoot leaf area and main shoot mass, but supplemental UV-B had a greater effect on leaf and tiller number and UV-B-absorbing compounds. For lettuce, growth and stomatal density generally responded similarly to both solar UV-B and supplemented UV-B radiation, but UV-absorbing compounds responded more to supplemental UV-B, as in oat. Because of the marked spectral differences between the techniques, experiments using UV-B exclusion are most suited to assessing effects of present-day UV-B radiation, whereas UV-B supplementation experiments are most appropriate for addressing the ozone depletion issue.     

Effects of solar ultraviolet radiation on photosynthesis of the marine red tide alga Heterosigma akashiwo (Raphidophyceae)

In order to assess the short- and long-term impacts of UV radiation (UVR, 280-400nm) on the red tide alga, Heterosigma akashiwo, we exposed the cells to three different solar radiation treatments (PAB: 280-700nm, PA: 320-700nm, P: 400-700nm) under both solar and artificial radiation. A significant decrease in the effective quantum yield (Y) during high irradiance periods (i.e., local noon) was observed, but the cells partially recovered during the evening hours. Exposure to high irradiances for 15, 30, and 60min under a solar simulator followed by the recovery (8h) under dark, 9 and 100micromolphotonsm(-2)s(-1) of PAR, highlighted the importance of the irradiance level during the recovery period. Regardless the radiation treatments, the highest recovery (both in rate and total Y) was found at a PAR irradiance of 9micromolphotonsm(-2)s(-1), while the lowest was observed at 100micromolphotonsm(-2)s(-1). In all experiments, PAR was responsible for most of the observed inhibition; nevertheless, the cells exposed only to PAR had the highest recovery in any condition, as compared to the other radiation treatments. In long-term experiments (10 days) using semi-continuous cultures, there was a significant increase of UV-absorbing compounds (UV(abc)) per cell from 1.2 to >4x10(-6)microgUV(abc)cell(-1) during the first 3-5 days of exposure to solar radiation. The highest concentration of UV(abc) was found in samples exposed in the PAB as compared to PA and P treatments. Growth rates (mu) mimic the behavior of UV-absorbing compounds, and during the first 5 days mu increased from <0.2 to ca. 0.8, and stayed relatively constant at this value during the rest of the experiment. The inhibition of the Y decreased with increasing acclimation of cells. All our data indicates that H. akashiwo is a sensitive species, but was able acclimate relatively fast (3-5 days) synthesizing UV-absorbing compounds and thus reducing any impact either on photosystem II or on growth.     

DISTORTIONS IN AMPHIBIAN DEVELOPMENT INDUCED BY ULTRAVIOLET-B ENHANCEMENT (290–315 NM) OF A SIMULATED SOLAR SPECTRUM

Abstract— Effects of increased intensity of UV-B radiation (290–315nm) on the systemic development and viability of boreal toad tadpoles were studied. When compared with animals exposed to UV-B deficient radiation of similar irradiance, tadpoles exposed to UV-B enhanced radiation displayed (1) abnormal development of the presumptive cornea, (2) areas of hyperplasia in the integument, (3) an anomalous, concave curvature of the spine, and (4) increased mortality. Daily exposure to photoreactivating radiation (> 315nm) following UV-B insult mitigated the potentially lethal damage to the tadpole population.     

RELATIVE IMPORTANCE OF BLUE LIGHT AND LIGHT ABSORBED BY PHYTOCHROME IN GROWTH OF MUSTARD (Sinapis alba L.) SEEDLINGS*

Abstract— Hypocotyl straight growth in mustard (Sinapis alba L.) responds very strongly and in precisely the same way to low fluence rate red (RL) and white light (WL). The effect of weak light can be attributed fully to light absorption by phytochrome. Only with increasing fluence rate an effect of blue light (BL) comes into play which cannot be explained by the action of phytochrome. However, this specific action of BL can be demonstrated in hypocotyl growth of mustard seedlings only up to 5 days after sowing (25°C). With older seedlings control of hypocotyl growth seems to be exerted exclusively via phytochrome. Regarding the far-red light dependent “high irradiance reaction” (FR-HIR) it was found that it plays a dominant role in growth of mustard only during a relatively short period. It tends to disappear in favor of a RL-HIR between 3 and 4 days after sowing. It is concluded that the seedling exhibits a largely endogenous temporal pattern of responsiveness to light. Phototropism of the mustard seedling can be elicited by low fluence rates (< 1 mW m^?2) of unilateral BL. This same light has no effect on straight growth. It is concluded that BL-dependent phototropic growth response of a hypocotyl and the effect of BL on longitudinal growth of the hypocotyl are unrelated phenomena.     

The Influence of Photosynthetically Active Radiation on the Effects of Ultraviolet-B Radiation on Arabidopsis thaliana

Ultraviolet-B (UVB;280–320 nm) radiation is a small but biologically significant portion of the solar spectrum reaching the earth's surface. Research interests have been fostered because UVB has been increasing in recent years due to depletion of stratospheric ozone. Ultraviolet-B that penetrates into plant tissue may damage important cellular macromolecules. Although there has been considerable research on the effects of UVB on plants, the influence of the level of photosynthetically active radiation (PAR;400–700 nm) on effects of UVB requires further definition as a prelude to studies of UVB sensitivity and defense mechanisms. Arabidopsis thaliana wildtype ecotype Landsberg erecta (LER), which is relatively insensitive to UVB, and the relatively sensitive LER-based mutant transparent testa-5 (tt5), were grown under 100 or 250 μmol m^?2 s^?1 PAR and then exposed to O or 7 kJ m^?2 day ^?1 UVB_BE under these PAR levels. Plants exposed to UVB had reduced dry weight and leaf area and higher levels of UV-absorbing compounds in leaf tissue. The level of PAR did influence the effects of UVB, with the higher level of PAR prior to UVB exposure reducing sensitivity of LER to UVB. In contrast to other studies, higher PAR supplied simultaneously with UVB increased rather than decreased sensitivity of both genotypes to UVB. These results demonstrate the importance of controlling and comparing PAR levels when undertaking studies of UVB sensitivity, as effects of UVB on plants are influenced by the PAR levels plants are growing under prior to and during exposure to UVB.     

Spatial and Temporal Bioactive Compound Contents and Chlorophyll Fluorescence of Kale (Brassica oleracea L.) Under UV-B Exposure Near Harvest Time in Controlled Environments

UV-B irradiation has been used to enhance the secondary metabolite content in plants, but its spatial effect on plants has not been considered. The objective of this study was to compare spatial photosynthetic traits and bioactive compound accumulation in kale (Brassica oleracea L. var Acephala) according to the distribution and length of UV-B exposure near harvest. Plants were exposed to UV-B of 0–3, 3–6 and 6–9 W m⁻² for 4 h per day at 5 days (Exp. 1) and 4.2 W m⁻² at 5, 4, 3, 2 or 1 days (Exp. 2) before harvest. In spatial distribution, the higher the UV-B intensity, the lower the mean F_v/F_m (maximal photochemical efficiency of PSII) and the higher the concentration of total flavonoid compound (TFC). With UV-B stress, F_v/F_m and fluorescence transient parameters decreased except for DI₀/CS (dissipated energy flux per cross section) and PI_abs (performance index of PSII). When exposed to UV-B radiation for 2 days before harvest, the total phenolic compounds and TFC per plant were highest, not always proportional to the local F_v/F_m but affected by dry weight. Short-term UV-B stress near harvest would be more efficient for the accumulation of bioactive compounds by minimizing the loss of plant weight.     

Dynamics of potentially protective compounds in Rhodophyta species from Patagonia (Argentina) exposed to solar radiation

The impact of solar radiation upon potentially protective compounds (i.e., UV-absorbing compounds and carotenoids) was assessed in four Rhodophyte species from Patagonia (i.e., Ceramium sp. Lyngbye, Corallina officinalis Linnaeus, Callithamnion gaudichaudii Agardh and Porphyra columbina Montagne) during short-term (i.e., 46 h) experiments. Algae were exposed to solar radiation under two treatments (PAR only: 400-700 nm, and PAR+UVR: 280-700 nm) and sub-samples were taken every 3 h (or longer periods at night) to determine the spectral absorption characteristics and concentration of UV-absorbing compounds, carotenoids and photosynthetic pigments. Except for C. gaudichaudii which displayed a decrease in chl-a concentration throughout the experiment, photosynthetic pigments had small variations in all species. UV-absorbing compounds concentration had species-specific responses: Ceramium sp. was the only species in which UV-absorbing compounds concentration varied as a function of solar irradiance, with maximum values around local noon. In C. officinalis and P. columbina UV-absorbing compounds concentration increased as compared to that of chl-a; in Ceramium sp. and C. gaudichaudii, however, there was no relationship between UV-absorbing compounds content and chl-a concentration. Carotenoids, on the other hand, did co-vary with chl-a in all species. Our data suggest that, with the exception of C. gaudichaudii, the differential responses of UV-absorbing compounds concentrations are more associated to the previous light history of the algae (i.e., in turn due to their position in the intertidal zone) rather than to the radiation treatment imposed to the samples. Based on our results, the variable impact of solar radiation upon productivity (and eventually biodiversity) of macroalgae from Patagonia might consequently differentially affect higher trophic levels of the aquatic food web.