Inter-population differences in inherited copper tolerance involve photosynthetic adaptation and exclusion mechanisms in Fucus serratus.

Nielsen, Hanne Dalsgaard; Brownlee, Colin; Coelho, Susana M.; Brown, Murray T.

Abstract

• A comparative study of copper (Cu) toxicity and tolerance in three populations of Fucus serratus was conducted by examining Cu2+ effects on various physiological parameters.

• Chlorophyll fluorescence, oxygen evolution, copper content, and relative growth rate of embryos and adults were measured on Cu2+-exposed material.

• Algae naturally exposed to elevated total Cu concentration (CuT), were more Cu2+ resistant than those from clean sites, as indicated by higher embryo and adult growth rates and lower copper contents. The Cu2+ tolerance of F. serratus is at least partly inherited and relies partly on metal exclusion.

• There were inhibitory effects of Cu2+ on oxygen exchange rates in both tolerant and non-tolerant algae. By contrast to sensitive algae, the maximum efficiency of photosystem II (Fv/Fm), maximum fluorescence (Fm) and zero fluorescence (Fo) of resistant algae were unaffected by Cu2+, whereas decreased quantum yield (ΦPSII) and increased nonphotochemical quenching (NPQ) were most pronounced in resistant algae. Inhibitory effects of Cu2+ on ΦPSII may result in the excitation energy being dissipated through xanthophyll-dependent quenching mechanisms in tolerant algae. In nontolerant algae, lower energy dissipation may result in chlorophyll degradation.

Citation

Nielsen, H. D., Brownlee, C., Coelho, S. M., & Brown, M. T. (2003). Inter-population differences in inherited copper tolerance involve photosynthetic adaptation and exclusion mechanisms in Fucus serratus. New Phytologist, 160(1), 157-165. https://doi.org/10.1046/j.1469-8137.2003.00864.x

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Online Publication Date: Aug 22, 2003
• Publication Date: 2003-10
• Deposit Date: Jul 17, 2008
• Print ISSN: 0028-646X
• Electronic ISSN: 1469-8137
• Publisher: Wiley
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 160
• Issue: 1
• Pages: 157-165
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1046/j.1469-8137.2003.00864.x
• Keywords: Fucus serratus (Phaeophyta); Cu2+; Tolerance; Photosynthesis; Chlorophyll fluorescence; Hyper-accumulation; Algae; Heavy metal
• Public URL: http://researchrepository.napier.ac.uk/id/eprint/1735
• Publisher URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1046/j.1469-8137.2003.00864.x