Photoinhibition of photosynthesis under natural conditions in ivy (Hedera helix L.) growing in an understory of deciduous trees.

We investigated to what extent south-exposed leaves (E-leaves) of the evergreen ivy (Hedera helix L.) growing in the shadow of two deciduous trees suffered from photoinhibition of photosynthesis when leaf-shedding started in autumn. Since air temperatures drop concomitantly with increase in light levels, changes in photosynthetic parameters (apparent quantum yield, Φ i and maximal photosynthetic capacity of O2 evolution, Pmax; chlorophyll-a fluorescence at room temperature) as well as pigment composition were compared with those in north-exposed leaves of the same clone (N-leaves; photosynthetic photon flux density PPFD< 100 μmol · m(-2) · s(-2)) and phenotypic sun leaves (S-leaves; PPFD up to 2000 μmol · m(-2) · s(-1)).In leaves exposed to drastic light changes during winter (E-leaves) strong photoinhibition of photosynthesis could be observed as soon as the incident PPFD increased in autumn. In contrast, in N-leaves the ratio of variable fluorescence to maximum fluorescence (FV/FMm) and Φ i did not decline appreciably prior to severe frosts (up to -12° C) in January. At this time, Φ i was reduced to a similar extent in all leaves, from about 0.073 μmol O2 · μmol(-1) photons before stress to about 0.020. Changes in Φ i were linearly correlated with changes in fv/fm (r = 0.955). The strong reduction in FV/FM on exposure to stress was caused by quenching in FM. The initial fluorescence (F0), however, was also quenched in all leaves. The diminished fluorescence yield was accompanied by an increase in zeaxanthin content. These effects indicate that winter stress in ivy primarily induces an increase in non-radiative energy-dissipation followed by "photoinhibitory damage" of PSII. Although a pronounced photooxidative bleaching of chloroplast pigments occurred in January (especially in E-leaves), photosynthetic parameters recovered completely in spring. Thus, the reduction in potential photosynthetic yield in winter may be up to three times greater in leaves subjected to increasing light levels than in leaves not exposed to a changing light environment.