Vulnerability and acclimation to increased UVB radiation in three intertidal macroalgae of different morpho-functional groups

• Published in: Marine environmental research 2014-06, Vol.97, p.30-38
• Main Authors: Figueroa, Félix L., Domínguez-González, Belén, Korbee, Nathalie
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Acclimatization; Algae; Animal and plant ecology; Animal, plant and microbial ecology; Antioxidant activity; Biological and medical sciences; Climatology. Bioclimatology. Climate change; Coastal zone; Cystoseira tamariscifolia; Earth, ocean, space; Ellisolandia elongata; Exact sciences and technology; External geophysics; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Global change; In vivo chlorophyll fluorescence; Meteorology; Phaeophyceae - physiology; Phaeophyceae - radiation effects; Rhodophyta - physiology; Rhodophyta - radiation effects; Sea water ecosystems; Spain; Species Specificity; Synecology; Ultraviolet Rays - adverse effects; Ulva - physiology; Ulva - radiation effects; Ulva rigida; UV photoprotectors; UVB radiation
• ISSN: 0141-1136; 1879-0291
• DOI: 10.1016/j.marenvres.2014.01.009

The vulnerability and acclimation to increased UVB radiation in three macroalgae of different morpho-functional groups collected in the Mediterranean coastal waters were evaluated. The algae were submitted for 7 days to increased (PAB+) and decreased (PAB−) UVB radiation. The thickness and morphology influenced the response to increased UVB radiation, being Cystoseira tamariscifolia the less vulnerable algae followed by Ellisolandia elongata. The highest resistance to increased UVB radiation in C. tamariscifolia was related to the accumulation of polyphenols and high antioxidant activity, whereas E. elongata was due to its high reflectance. Finally, Ulva rigida suffered the highest photoinhibition under PAB+ culture. The latest species presented 10 times lower polyphenol content and antioxidant activity than C. tamariscifolia. The three species showed different acclimation patterns to the changes of UVB radiation related to the morphology, photosynthetic activity, accumulation of photoprotectors and antioxidant activities. The ecological implications of the UVB variations on macroalgae are discussed. •We studied the acclimation of three morpho-functional macroalgae to UVB.•We used functional indicators: photosynthetic, stoichiometric and antioxidant capacity.•The thickness and morphology influenced the response to increased UVB radiation.•Cystoseira tamariscifolia was the less vulnerable followed by Ellisolandia elongata.•Ulva rigida suffered the highest photoinhibition under PAB+ culture.