Photosynthetica 2021, 59(4):468-477 | DOI: 10.32615/ps.2021.036

Impacts of low pH and low salinity induced by acid rain on the photosynthetic activity of green tidal alga Ulva prolifera

Z.F. ZHAO1, 2, 3, Z.Y. LIU1, 2, S. QIN1, 2, X.H. WANG2, 3, 4, W.L. SONG1, 2, K. LIU1, 2, L.C. ZHUANG1, 2, S.Z. XIAO5, Z.H. ZHONG1, 2
1 Key Laboratory of Coastal Biology and Bioresource Utilization, Yantai Institute of Coastal Zone Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 264003 Yantai, Shangdong, China
2 Center for Ocean Mega-Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 266071 Qingdao, Shangdong, China
3 University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 101407 Beijing, China
4 Key Laboratory of Coastal Zone Environmental Process and Ecological Remediation, Yantai Institute of Coastal Zone Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 264003 Yantai, Shangdong, China
5 Changdao Dongyuan Seafood Co. Ltd., 265800 Yantai, Shangdong, China

Acid rain is a serious environmental problem and has obvious impacts on the growth, reproduction, and photosynthesis of terrestrial plants. Ulva prolifera, a main blooming species of green tides, was studied on its physiological response to acid rain. The photosynthetic parameters were determined under different conditions (salinity: 1, 10, 30‰; pH: 3.0, 3.5, 4.5; duration: 0.5, 1.0, 2.0 h) followed by 24-h recovering under natural conditions. Results showed 1-h treatment with pH 3.5 caused 50-70% reduction in the maximal quantum yield of PSII photochemistry (Fv/Fm) and effective quantum yield of PSII photochemistry (ФPSII) at normal salinity but when the low pH was combined with a salinity of 10‰ or lower, PSII activity was almost completely inhibited. Moreover, the low salinity (1‰ and 10‰) reduced the degree of photoprotection under low pH (3.5) conditions. Finally, we speculated if the pH of acid rain ≤ 3.5, with 1‰ salinity and 2-h rainfall time, the amount of U. prolifera and the scale of green tides would decrease.

Additional key words: acid rain; chlorophyll fluorescence; nonphotochemical quenching; photosynthetic activity; Ulva prolifera.

Received: March 20, 2021; Revised: June 23, 2021; Accepted: June 25, 2021; Prepublished online: July 22, 2021; Published: December 17, 2021  Show citation

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ZHAO, Z.F., LIU, Z.Y., QIN, S., WANG, X.H., SONG, W.L., LIU, K., ... ZHONG, Z.H. (2021). Impacts of low pH and low salinity induced by acid rain on the photosynthetic activity of green tidal alga Ulva prolifera . Photosynthetica, 59(4), 468-477. doi: 10.32615/ps.2021.036
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