A COMPARISON OF AIR AND WATER AS ENVIRONMENTS FOR PHOTOSYNTHESIS BY THE INTERTIDAL ALGA FUCUS-SPIRALIS (PHAEOPHYTA)

The response of photosynthesis and respiration of the intertidal brown alga Fucus spiralis L. to light and temperature at ambient and elevated concentrations of inorganic carbon was investigated. The light‐saturated rate of photosynthesis was greater in air at 15° C and 20° C, but greater in water at 10° C. Light compensation point and Ik was about 50% lower under submerged relative to emerged conditions, whereas the initial slope of photosynthesis versus irradiance was higher, except at 20° C. Under both submerged and emerged conditions light‐saturated photosynthesis was limited to a similar degree (78%, and 65%, respectively) by the availability of inorganic carbon at naturally occuring concentrations. In air, slight desiccation at tissue water contents of about 96% to 92% caused a stimulation in the rate of net photosynthesis to 110–148% of fully hydrated fronds. At lower water contents the rate of net photosynthesis declined linearly with decreasing water content and became zero at a water content of about 15%. Dark respiration declined linearly with tissue water content and remained positive to a water content of 8%. Upon reimmersion the fronds showed a complete recovery within 35 min following desiccation to a water content of 20–30%. Thus F. spiralis seems to be very tolerant to desiccation. Since F. spiralis photosynthesizes effectively in air, even at a higher rate than in water as long as it has not lost a large proportion of its water in desiccation, the alternating exposure to air may be beneficial by increasing the daily carbon gain compared to a fully submerged situation. Copyright © 1990, Wiley Blackwell. All rights reserved