Short-term (up to 5 h) transfers of shade-adapted (100 μmol · m(-2) · s(-1)) clonal tissue of the marine macroalga Ulva rotundata Blid. (Chlorophyta) to higher irradiances (1700, 850, and 350 μmol · m(-2) · s(-1)) led to photoinhibition of room-temperature chlorophyll fluorescence and O2 evolution. The ratio of variable to maximum (Fv/Fm) and variable (Fv) fluorescence, and quantum yield (ϕ) declined with increasing irradiance and duration of exposure. This decline could be resolved into two components, consistent with the separation of photoinhibition into energy-dissipative processes (photoprotection) and damage to photosystem II (PSII) by excess excitation. The first component, a rapid decrease in Fv/Fm and in Fv, corresponds to an increase in initial (Fo) fluorescence and is highly sensitive to 1 mM chloramphenicol. This component is rapidly reversible under dim (40 μmol · m(-2) · s(-1)) light, but is less reversible with increasing duration of exposure, and may reflect damage to PSII. The second (after 1 h exposure) component, a slower decline in Fv/Fm and Fv with declining Fo, appears to be associated with the photoprotective interconversion of violaxanthin to zeaxanthin and is sensitive to dithiothreitol. The accumulation of zeaxanthin in U. rotundata is very slow, and may account for the predominance of increases in Fo at high irradiances.

Clonal tissue of the marine chlorophyte macroalga, Ulva rotundata Blid., was transferred from 100 to 1700 μmol photons · m(-2) · s(-1) under limiting (1.5 μM NH 4 (+) maximum, N/P=2) and sufficient (15 μM NH 4 (+) maximum, N/P=20) nitrogen supply at 18° C and 11 h light-13 h darkness daily. Photoinhibition was assayed by light-response curves (photosynthetic O2 exchange), and chlorophyll fluorescence at 77 K and room temperature. Daily surface-area growth rate (μSA) in N-sufficient plants increased sixfold over 3 d and was sustained at that level. During this period, respiration (R d) doubled and light-saturated net photosynthesis capacity (P m) increased by nearly 50%, indicating acclimation to high light. Quantum yield (ϕ) decreased by 25% on the first day, but recovered completely within one week. The ratio of variable to maximum fluorescence (F v/F m) also decreased markedly on the first day, because of an increase in initial fluorescence (F o) and a decrease in F m, and partially recovered over several days. Under the added stress of N deficiency, μSA accelerated fivefold over 4 d, despite chronic photoinhibition, then declined along with tissue-N. Respiration doubled, but P m decreased by 50% over one week, indicating inability to acclimate to high light. Both ϕ and F v/F m decreased markedly on the first day and did not significantly recover. Changes in F o, F m and xanthophyll-cycle components indicate concurrent photodamage to photosystem II (PSII) and photoprotection by thermal deexcitation in the antenna pigments. Increasing μSA coincided with photoinhibition of PSII. Insufficient diel-carbon balance because of elevated R d and declining P m and tissue-N, rather than photochemical damage per se, was the apparent proximate cause of decelerating growth rate and subsequent tissue degeneration under N deficiency in U. rotundata.

Thalli of the chlorophyte macroalga Ulva rotundata were acclimated to sun (100 % I,) and shade (9% I,) in outdoor tumble tanks under nutrient-sufficient conditions. Diurnal patterns were determined for area1 photosynthetic O2 exchange capacity (P,,) and quantum yleld (@), respiration (Rd), and photosystem (PS) I1 chlorophyll fluorescence using 2 independent techniques. Net P, was maximal at midday in sun-grown thalli and at midmorning in shade-grown thalli exposed to 100 "L I,. A slight afternoon decline in net P, in shade-grown thalli exposed to 100 % I, could be explained entirely by a concurrent rise in Rd. Sun thalli exhibited a larger diurnal fluctuation of net P, which was inconsistent with photoinhibition or end product inhibition by accumulated photosynthate. This leaves endogenous control as the most likely cause, with slight modification by Rd Fluorescence data were consistent with simultaneous damage to PSI1 and photoprotection by thermal deexcitation, with sun thalli showing greater capacity for protection. Both of these processes reduced @ but apparently did not affect P,,. In that U. rotundata thalli were light-saturated in our tumble tanks for most of the day, we conclude that photoinhibition (E damage + protection) had little effect on ~ntegrated diurnal production under these conditions. Our results demonstrate the utility of fluorescence analysis and the importance of precise determination of P,, @ and Rd in ascribing mechanisms to diurnal fluctuations in photosynthetic performance. The validity of using photosynthetic light-response (P-I) curves determined at one time of day to predict integrated diurnal production will depend on the extent to which P,, @ and Rd vary. This in turn depends on species, irradiance history, and possibly other factors such as temperature and nutrition.