High midday temperature stress has stronger effects on biomass than on photosynthesis: A mesocosm experiment on four tropical seagrass species.

ABSTRACT: The effect of repeated midday temperature stress on the photosynthetic performance and biomass production of seagrass was studied in a mesocosm setup with four common tropical species, including Thalassia hemprichii, Cymodocea serrulata, Enhalus acoroides, and Thalassodendron ciliatum. To mimic natural conditions during low tides, the plants were exposed to temperature spikes of different maximal temperatures, that is, ambient (29-33°C), 34, 36, 40, and 45°C, during three midday hours for seven consecutive days. At temperatures of up to 36°C, all species could maintain full photosynthetic rates (measured as the electron transport rate, ETR) throughout the experiment without displaying any obvious photosynthetic stress responses (measured as declining maximal qua

SUBMITTER: George R 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5938440 | biostudies-literature | 2018 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature