Photosynthesis and photoprotection in mangroves under field conditions

Net CO2 exchange and in vivo chlorophyll fluorescence were studied in mangrove (Rhizophora stylosa) leaves at a field site in Western Australia, and leaf samples were collected for the analysis of enzymes and substrates potentially involved in anti-oxidant photoprotection. Photosynthesis saturated at 900 mu mol quanta m(-2) s(-1) and at no more than 7.5 mu mol CO2 m(-2) s(-1). However, fluorescence analysis indicated no chronic photoinhibition: F-v:F-m was 0.8 shortly after sunset, and quantum efficiencies of PSII were high up to 500 mu mol quanta m(-2) s(-1). Electron flow through PSII was more than 3 times higher than electron consumption through Calvin cycle activity, however, even with photorespiration and temperature-dependent Rubisco specificities taken into account. Acknowledging the growing body of literature attributing a role to antioxidant systems in photoprotection, we also assayed the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and several enzymes potentially involved in H2O2 metabolism. Their levels of maximal potential activity were compared with those in greenhouse-grown mangroves (R. mangle), and growth chamber-grown peas. Monodehydroascorbate reductase activities were similar in all species, and glutathione reductase was lower, and ascorbate peroxidase approximate to 40% higher, in the mangroves. SOD activities in field-grown mangroves were more than 40 times those in peas. Our results support the hypothesis that O-2 may be a significant sink for photochemically derived electrons under field conditions, and suggest an important role for O-2(-) scavenging in photoprotection. However, when relative patterns are compared between species, imbalances between SOD and the other enzymes in the mangroves suggest that more components of the system (e.g. phenolics or peroxidases) are yet to be identified.