Epidermal UV-screening of arctic and alpine plants along a latitudinal gradient in Europe

Abstract

This study reports epidermal UV-transmittance in field-grown leaves of ecotypes of six species at three sites along a latitudinal UV-B gradient from Arctic Svalbard, via southern Norway to the French Alps for the years 1999–2001. Unexpectedly, Arctic populations had just as high epidermal UV-screening as alpine populations from lower latitudes. Dryas octopetala was the only species that significantly increased epidermal screening with increasing natural UV-B. Most species, however, showed clear differences in transmittance between years.