Abstract
In coastal marsh ecosystems, high salinities, anoxic waterlogged soils, and elevated summer temperatures often promote physiological strain that results in only a few tolerant halophytic species. Although not well understood, plant physiological responses to multiple stressors can be complex and may involve intensifying or offsetting reactions. In this study, we investigated physiological responses to combined salinity and high temperature in the coastal marsh graminoid Sporobolus pumilus (syn. Spartina patens). Specifically, we considered changes in plant-water relations and Photosystem II (PSII) behavior (involving chlorophyll [chl] a fluorescence) in heat-shocked plants that were acclimated to different salinities (0, 15, and 30 psu). Higher salinities fostered lower stomatal conductance (g), lower leaf-water potential (Ψleaf) and lower tissue-water content (θ), as well as decreased potential quantum yield (Fv/Fm) and decreased excitation energy capture efficiencies of open reaction centers (Fv’/Fm’). Heat-shocked plants acclimated to freshwater only had decreased Fv/Fm and PSII performance index (PIABS). Interestingly, there were no changes in chl a fluorescent outputs in heat-shocked plants acclimated to moderate salinities, and minimal changes in plants acclimated to high salinities. Approximately 25% of the heat-shocked S. pumilus in freshwater revealed a K-step in their polyphasic chl a fluorescent transients (OJIP procedure); K-steps were not observed in salt-treated plants. This suggests that, for plants residing in freshwater, heat-shock promoted disturbances in the PSII reaction centers and, in some cases, disrupted the oxygen-evolving complex. These PSII disruptions were either absent or less intense in salinity-treated plants, indicating that acclimation to environmental salts may provide PSII thermostability in S. pumilus.
Highlights
Abiotic components in coastal marsh systems are highly stressful for most vascular plant species
Stomatal conductance (g) was significantly depressed in S. pumilus residing in high soil salinity (30 psu) in comparison to S. pumilus in freshwater (p = 0.009; Table 2)
It is possible that lower stomatal conductance due to dark conditions during heat-treatments resulted in an increase in tissue water content
Summary
Abiotic components in coastal marsh systems are highly stressful for most vascular plant species. Aquat Biol 29: 111–122, 2020 halophytes due to their relatively high tolerance to environmental salts, only a few coastal plant species are restricted to high saline conditions (Barbour & Davis 1970, Partridge & Wilson 1987, Touchette et al 2019). Like glycophytes, many saltmarsh plants perform best in freshwater, and increases in environmental salts often result in greater physiological stress (Barbour & Davis 1970, Touchette et al 2012, Li et al 2018). Soil salinities in coastal marshes can be highly variable, and in many cases salt marshes are most productive in areas with dilute surface waters and/or where groundwater mixing lowers overall saline conditions (Butzeck et al 2015, Touchette et al 2019). In coastal marshes of North Carolina (USA), for example, soil pore-waters can be highly diluted, with salinities ranging from 0.8 to 19 for high and low marsh areas, respectively (Touchette 2006)
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