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Photosynthetic symbionts in Antarctic terrestrial ecosystems: the physiological response of lichen photobionts to drought and cold

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Abstract

Lichens form an important part of the biodiversity in terrestrial ecosystems of Antarctica where they represent the dominant vegetation. Previous studies on the genetic diversity of photobionts of lichens have indicated that clade S Trebouxia photobionts are the most widespread in continental Antarctica, predominantly in macrolichens. For the first time, a comparative study of the physiology of a variety of isolated Antarctic lichen photobionts (genus Trebouxia) was performed. Photosynthetic activity was examined by chlorophyll a fluorescence and correlated with freezing and desiccation under laboratory conditions and photosynthetic pigments were quantified in response to desiccation. Data were obtained from photobionts collected from the Antarctic regions of North Victoria Land, Coal Nunatak and Rothera Point, as well as from a European site (Gotland, Sweden). While the isolated algae reacted individually to stress treatments, they were highly susceptible to desiccation stress but could rapidly recover from freezing. Photobiont-specific physiological adaptations are considered to explain the dominance of clade S Trebouxia photobionts.

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Abbreviations

A:

Antheraxanthin

chl FY:

chlorophyll fluorescence yield

DEPS:

de-epoxidation status of the xanthophyll pool

F0 :

minimum chl FY in the dark-acclimatized state

FM :

maximum chl FY in the dark-acclimatized state

FV/FM :

maximum quantum yield of PS II

HPLC:

high performance liquid chromatography

NPQ:

non-photochemical quenching

PAM:

pulse-amplitude modulation

PS II:

photosystem II

ROS:

reactive oxygen species

SE:

standard error of the mean

TOM:

Trebouxia organic medium

V:

violaxanthin

Z:

zeaxanthin

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Acknowledgments

Special thanks are due to the BGR (Bundesanstalt für Geologie und Rohstoffe), Andreas Läufer and Detlef Damaske for inviting the second author to the expedition GANOVEX X and logistic support. The staff of the Gondwana Station is thanked for their invaluable help. Sample collection during GANOVEX X was financially supported by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (Ot 96/15–1), within the framework of the DFG Antarctic Priority Program 1158. Our special thanks are due to Eva Posthoff for her invaluable technical support. The results are included in the doctoral thesis of Andres Sadowsky. Thanks are also due to the anonymous reviewers for their helpful comments.

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  1. Institute of Botany, Heinrich-Heine-University, Universitaetsstrasse 1, 40225, Duesseldorf, Germany

    Andres Sadowsky & Sieglinde Ott

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  1. Andres Sadowsky
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  2. Sieglinde Ott
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Correspondence to Andres Sadowsky.

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Sadowsky, A., Ott, S. Photosynthetic symbionts in Antarctic terrestrial ecosystems: the physiological response of lichen photobionts to drought and cold. Symbiosis 58, 81–90 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13199-012-0198-7

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