Photosynthesis of Submerged and Surface Leaves of the Dwarf Water Lily (Nymphoides aquatica) Using PAM Fluorometry

Authors

  • Tharawit Wuthirak Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Prince of Songkla University, Hat Yai, 90112, Thailand
  • Raymond J. Ritchie Tropical Plant Biology Unit, Faculty of Technology and Environment, Prince of Songkla University, Phuket, 83120,Thailand

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.30564/jbr.v4i3.4820

Abstract

Dwarf Water Lilies (Nymphoides aquatica (J.F. Gmel) Kuntze have floating and submerged leaves. Some submerged aquatic vascular plants have a form of CAM (Crassulacean Acid Metabolism) called Submerged Aquatic Macrophyte (SAM) metabolism. Blue-diode based PAM technology was used to measure the Photosynthetic Oxygen Evolution Rate (POER: 1O2 ≡ 4e– ). Optimum Irradiance (Eopt), maximum POER (POERmax) and quantum efficiency (α0) all vary on a diurnal cycle. The shape of the POER vs. E curves is different in seedling, submerged and surface leaves. Both Eopt and POERmax are very low in seedling leaves (Eopt ≈ 104 μmol photon m–2 s–1, PPFD; POERmax ≈ 4.95 µmol O2 g–1 Chl a s–1), intermediate in mature submerged leaves (Eopt ≈ 419 µmol photon m–2 s–1 PPFD, POERmax ≈ 38.1 µmol O2 g–1 Chl a s–1) and very high in surface leaves (Eopt ≈ 923 µmol photon m–2 s–1 PPFD, POERmax ≈ 76.1 µmol O2 g–1 Chl a s–1). Leaf titratable acid (C4 acid pool) is too small (≈20 to 50 mol H+ m–3) to support substantial SAM metabolism. Gross daily photosynthesis of surface leaves is ≈3.71 g C m–2 d–1 in full sun and as much as 1.4 gC m–2 d–1 in shaded submerged leaves. There is midday inhibition of photosynthesis.

Keywords:

CAM photosynthesis; SAM photosynthesis; Submerged aquatic macrophyte; Carbon fixation; Diurnal cycle; Photosynthetic oxygen evolution rate (POER); Light curves; PAM fluorometry; Photosynthetic photon fluence rate (PPFD); Primary productivity

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Wuthirak, T., & Ritchie, R. J. (2022). Photosynthesis of Submerged and Surface Leaves of the Dwarf Water Lily (Nymphoides aquatica) Using PAM Fluorometry. Journal of Botanical Research, 4(3), 25–43. https://doi.org/10.30564/jbr.v4i3.4820

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Vol. 4 , Iss. 3 (July 2022)

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