CARBON ALLOCATION IN MACROCYSTIS PYRIFERA (PHAEOPHYTA): INTRINSIC VARIABILITY IN PHOTOSYNTHESIS AND RESPIRATION 1

Measurements of net photosynthesis (PS, O 2 evolution), dark respiration (R, O 2 consumption), and light and dark carbon fixation ( 14 C) were conducted on whole blades, isolated blade discs, sporophylls, apical scimitars and representative portions of stipe and holdfast of the giant kelp Macrocystis pyrifera L.C. Ag. On a dry weight basis, highest net PS rates were observed in apical scimitar segments and whole blades (3.81 and 3.07 mgC · g dry wt −1 · h −1 , respectively), followed by sporophylls (1.42 mgC·g dry wt −1 · h −1 ) and stipe segments (0.15 mgC·g dry wt −1 · h −1 ). No PS capacity was observed in holdfast material. Respiration rates showed similar ranking ranging from 1.22 mgC·g dry wt −1 ·h −1 for apical scimitar to 0.18–0.22 mgC·g dry wt −1 · h −1 for holdfast material. Considerable within blade variability in both PS and R was also found. Steepest PS and R gradients on both an areal and weight basis were found within immature blades followed by senescent and mature blade material. Highest net PS rates were associated with the blade tips ranging from 3.08 (mature blades) to 10.3 mgC·dry wt −1 ·h −1 (immature blades). Highest rates of R generally occurred towards the basal portions of blades and ranged from 1.03–1.80 mgC·g dry wt −1 ·h −1 for immature blades. The variability within and between blades was high, with coefficients of variation approaching 50%. The observed patterns can be related to the decreasing proportionment of photosynthetic tissue and increasing proportionment of structural tissue as occurs from the blade tip to the blade base. Rates of light carbon fixation (LCF) revealed longitudinal profiles similar to oxygen measurements for the different blade types, with the absolute rates being slightly lower. Patterns of dark carbon fixation (DCF) were less easily interpreted. Highest rates of DCF (0.04–0.06 mgC·g dry wt −1 ·h −1 ) occurred at the basal portions of immature and senescent blades. Longitudinal profiles of total chlorophyll (a + c) on both an areal and weight basis were very similar to the profiles of PS. Normalized to chlorophyll a, PS displayed an unusual longitudinal profile in immature tissue; however, such profiles for mature and senescent tissues were similar to those for PS on an areal basis. It was demonstrated that it is difficult, if not impossible, to select single tissue discs that are representative of whole blades. The metabolic longitudinal profiles reveal a characteristic developmental pattern; the previous working definitions of immature, mature, and senescent blades, based on morphology and frond position thus have a physiological basis.