RT Journal Article
T1 Photoprotective Strategies in Mediterranean High-Mountain Grasslands
A1 Magaña Ugarte, Rosina
A1 Gómez-Serranillos Cuadrado, María Pilar
A1 Escudero, Adrián
A1 Gavilán García, Rosario Gloria
AB Albeit the remarkably high Ultraviolet B loads, high temperatures, and drought stress substantiate the need for efficient photoprotective strategies in Mediterranean high-mountain plants, these remain understudied. Considering the sensitivity of photosystems to extreme conditions, we evaluated an environmental gradient’s weight on the photoprotection of five high-mountain specialists from Central Spain. Diurnal and seasonal variations in chlorophyll, chlorophyll fluorescence, carotenoids, and xanthophylls in consecutive and climatically contrasting years were taken to evaluate the effect of the impending climate coarsening at the photosystem level. Our results revealed significant differences among species in the xanthophyll cycle functioning, acting either as a continuous photoprotective strategy enhancing photochemistry-steadiness; or prompted only to counteract the cumulative effects of atypically adverse conditions. The lutein cycle’s involvement is inferred from the high lutein content found in all species and elevations, acting as a sustained photoprotective strategy. These findings added to high de-epoxidation state (DEPS) and minor seasonal changes in the chlorophyll a/b ratio, infer the xanthophyll and Lutein cycles are crucial for upkeeping the photosystems’ optimal functioning in these plants heightening their photoprotective capacity during periods of more unfavorable conditions. Nevertheless, an atypically dry growing season’s detrimental effect infers the feasible surpassing of stress-thresholds and the precariousness of the communities’ functional diversity under climate change.
PB MDPI
SN 1424-2818
YR 2021
FD 2021-03-22
LK https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14352/7090
UL https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14352/7090
LA eng
NO Comunidad de Madrid
DS Docta Complutense
RD 21 abr 2025