Adaptation of the Photosynthetic Apparatus of Aquatic Higher Plants to Various Light-conditions

Abstract

Summary The submerged growing Elodea canadensis of the temperate zone and the amphibious subtropical Trichocoronis rivularis were adapted to different light conditions and characterized by their photosynthetic behaviour. Both plants adapted to higher intensities of white light by increasing their photosynthetic capacity, respiration rate and shifting the light compensation point to higher intensities. The pigment-protein profiles noted by LDS-PAGE were very similar for both plants grown under high and low light intensity conditions. Elodea and Trichocoronis responded to blue and red light of equal intensities with increased photosynthetic activity under blue light, accompanied by only marginal changes in the pattern of pigment protein complexes. Both aquatic higher plants followed the same adaptation pattern as seen in other terrestrial plants by responding to red light in a similar way as to low intensities of white light.