Relations between electron transport rates determined by pulse amplitude modulated chlorophyll fluorescence and oxygen evolution in macroalgae under different light conditions

The relationship between O(2)-based gross photosynthesis (GP) and in vivo chlorophyll fluorescence of Photosystem II-based electron transport rate (ETR) as well as the relationship between effective quantum yield of fluorescence (Phi(PSII)) and quantum yield of oxygen evolution (Phi(O_2)) were examined in the green algae Ulva rotundata and Ulva olivascens and the red alga Porphyra leucosticta collected from the field and incubated for 3 days at 100 mumol m(-2) s(-1) in nutrient enriched seawater. Maximal GP was twice as high in Ulva species than that measured in P. leucosticta. In all species ETR was saturated at much higher irradiance than GP. The initial slope of ETR versus absorbed irradiance was higher than that of GP versus absorbed irradiance. Only under absorbed irradiances below saturation or at values of GP <2 mumol O(2) m(-2) s(-1) a linear relationship was observed. In the linear phase, calculated O(2) evolved /ETR molar ratios were closed to the theoretical value of 0.25 in Ulva species. In P. leucosticta, the estimated GP was associated to the estimated ETR only at high irradiances. ETR was determined under white light, red light emitting by diodes and solar radiation. In Ulva species the maximal ETR was reached under red light and solar radiation whereas in P. leucosticta the maximal ETR was reached under white light and minimal under red light. These results are in agreement with the known action spectra for photosynthesis in these species. In the case of P. leucosticta, GP and ETR were additionally determined under saturating irradiance in algae pre-incubated for one week under white light at different irradiances and at white light (100 mumol m(-2) s(-1)) enriched with far-red light. GP and growth rate increased at a growth irradiance of 500 mumol m(-2) s(-1) becoming photoinhibited at higher irradiances, while ETR increased when algae were exposed to the highest growth irradiance applied (2000 mumol m(-2) s(-1)). The calculated O(2) evolved /ETR molar ratios were close to the theoretical value of 0.25 when algae were pre-incubated under 500-1000 mumol m(-2) s(-1). The enrichment by FR light provoked a decrease in both GP and ETR and an increase of nonphotochemical quenching although the irradiance of PAR was maintained at a constant level. In addition to C assimilation, other electron sinks, such as nitrogen assimilation, affected the GP-ETR relationship. The slopes of GP versus ETR or Phi(PSII) versus Phi(O_2) were lower in the algae with the highest N assimilation capacity, estimated as nitrate reductase activity and internal nitrogen contents, i.e., Ulva rotundata and Porphyra leucosticta, than that observed in U. olivascens. The possible mechanisms to explain this discrepancy between GP and ETR are discussed.