Estimating photosynthetic light-use efficiency using the photochemical reflectance index: variations among species

Recent studies have shown that the photochemical reflectance index (PRI), derived from narrow waveband reflectance at 531 and 570 nm, can be used as a remote measure of photosynthetic light-use efficiency (LUE). However, uncertainty remains as to the consistency of the relationship between PRI and LUE across species. In this study we examined the relationship between the PRI and various photosynthetic parameters for a group of species with varying photosynthetic capacity. At constant irradiance, for the species group as a whole, the PRI was well correlated with LUE (r²=0.58) and with several other photosynthetic parameters, but best correlated with the ratio of carotenoids to chlorophylls contents (Caro / Chl). Despite the interspecific trends observed, determination of light response functions for the PRI in relation to photosynthetic parameters revealed that species-specific relationships were clearly stronger. For example, r²>0.90 for species-level PRI / LUE relationships. Also, the species-specific light-response data show that the magnitude of the PRI can be related to the magnitude of the saturated irradiance and the rate of CO₂ uptake. As demonstrated here, a light response function provides a simple yet precise approach for characterising the relationship between the PRI and photosynthetic parameters, which should assist with improved evaluation of the usefulness of the PRI as a generalised measure of LUE.