Open AccessThe effects of elevated CO 2 (0.5%) on chloroplasts in the tetraploid black locust ( Robinia pseudoacacia L.)
Author(s) -
Cao Yuan,
Jiang Mingquan,
Xu Fuling,
Liu Shuo,
Meng Fanjuan
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
ecology and evolution
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.17
H-Index - 63
ISSN - 2045-7758
DOI - 10.1002/ece3.3545
Subject(s) - robinia , photosynthesis , chloroplast , biology , photosystem ii , chlorophyll fluorescence , botany , chlorophyll , locust , photosynthetic pigment , photosynthetic capacity , photosynthetic efficiency , chlorophyll a , horticulture , biochemistry , gene
Some ploidy plants demonstrate environmental stress tolerance. Tetraploid (4×) black locust ( Robinia pseudoacacia L.) exhibits less chlorosis in response to high CO 2 than do the corresponding diploid (2×) plants of this species. We investigated the plant growth, anatomy, photosynthetic ability, chlorophyll (chl) fluorescence, and antioxidase activities in 2× and 4× black locusts cultivated under high CO 2 (0.5%). Elevated CO 2 (0.5%) induced a global decrease in the contents of total chl, chl a, and chl b in 2× leaves, while few changes were found in the chl content of 4× leaves. Analyses of the chl fluorescence intensity, maximum quantum yield of photosystem II ( PSII ) photochemistry ( Fv/Fm ), K‐step ( V k ), and J‐step ( V J ) revealed that 0.5% CO 2 had a negative effect on the photosynthetic capacity and growth of the 2× plants, especially the performance of PSII . In contrast, there was no significant effect of high CO 2 on the growth of the 4× plants. These analyses indicate that the decreased inhibition of the growth of 4× plants by high CO 2 (0.5%) may be attributed to an improved photosynthetic capacity, pigment content, and ultrastructure of the chloroplast compared to 2× plants.