环境强光诱导玉簪叶片光抑制的机制

为进一步阐述光抑制的强光诱导和发生机制, 该文以喜阴植物玉簪(Hosta spp.)为材料研究其光抑制发生规律及其与环境光强的关系。结果表明, 全日照和遮阴条件下玉簪叶片发育分别形成适应强光和弱光的形态特征; 与遮阴处理相比, 强光下生长的玉簪光合速率和叶绿素含量较低, 但两种处理叶片最大光化学效率差异很小, 证明强光下植株可以正常生长且光合机构未发生严重的光抑制。将遮阴处生长的植株转移到全日照下, 光合速率和最大光化学效率急剧下降; 荧光诱导动力学曲线发生明显改变, 而且光系统II供体侧和受体侧荧光产量的变化幅度分别达到24.3%和34.2%, 表明玉簪由弱光转入强光后光系统II发生不可逆失活, 且受体侧受到的伤害较供体侧更严重。因此, 作者认为环境光强骤然提高并超过玉簪生长光强时很容易诱导其光合机构发生严重的光抑制。该研究对于理解植物适应光环境的策略以及喜阴植物的优质栽培有重要意义。     

高浓度CO2培养条件下极大螺旋藻光抑制研究

以极大螺旋藻作为实验材料,研究了不同CO2浓度培养对螺旋藻光抑制和恢复的影响,结果表明由光抑制导致的光合速率下降,高浓度CO2比低浓度CO2培养程度小,在高浓度CO2条件下培养的极大螺旋藻,虽然在强光下也表现出光抑制,但与低浓度CO2相比,光合速率下降得较慢。这种现象在强光与弱光培养均存在,但强光培养时更明显。光抑制后的恢复实验表明,不同CO2浓度培养的极大螺旋藻,光系统光化学活性(Fv/Fm)在弱光下恢复较好,高光强、高浓度CO2培养的藻,恢复速度稍快;而在黑暗中,几乎没有恢复;在弱光和含氯霉素的条件下Fv/Fm均下降。由此可见,高CO2浓度可减轻极大螺旋藻的光抑制,但对其光抑制后的恢复影响不大。       

高浓度CO_2培养条件下极大螺旋藻光抑制研究

以极大螺旋藻作为实验材料 ,研究了不同 CO2 浓度培养对螺旋藻光抑制和恢复的影响 ,结果表明由光抑制导致的光合速率下降 ,高浓度 CO2 比低浓度 CO2 培养程度小 ,在高浓度 CO2 条件下培养的极大螺旋藻 ,虽然在强光下也表现出光抑制 ,但与低浓度 CO2 相比 ,光合速率下降得较慢。这种现象在强光与弱光培养均存在 ,但强光培养时更明显。光抑制后的恢复实验表明 ,不同 CO2 浓度培养的极大螺旋藻 ,光系统 光化学活性 (Fv/Fm)在弱光下恢复较好 ,高光强、高浓度 CO2 培养的藻 ,恢复速度稍快 ;而在黑暗中 ,几乎没有恢复 ;在弱光和含氯霉素的条件下 Fv/Fm均下降。由此可见 ,高 CO2 浓度可减轻极大螺旋藻的光抑制 ,但对其光抑制后的恢复影响不大。     

水淹对水芹叶片结构和光系统II光抑制的影响

通过探讨在水淹条件下水芹(Oenanthe javanica)叶片结构的变化以及出水对其光系统II功能和光抑制的影响, 阐明水芹光合机构在水淹条件下及出水后死亡的可能原因。结果表明: 水淹条件下新生沉水功能叶光系统II(PSII)最大光化学效率(Fv/Fm) 、电子传递活性与对照叶片差异很小, 但水淹使气生功能叶的Fv/Fm显著降低; 植株总生物量呈负增长趋势; 活体弱光条件下, 沉水叶出水后2小时叶片相对含水量(RWC)和Fv/Fm无显著变化; 中等光强和强光条件下其RWC和Fv/Fm迅速降低; 离体条件下, 5小时的中等光强对沉水叶的Fv/Fm影响不显著, 在随后的弱光下能恢复到出水时的初始状态; 强光能使沉水叶的Fv/Fm大幅降低, 且弱光下不能恢复到出水时的初始水平; 在解剖结构上, 水芹沉水叶的叶片总厚度、上下表皮厚度和气孔大小都显著低于气生叶, 而且沉水叶没有明显的栅栏组织分化, 但是沉水叶上表皮的气孔密度显著高于气生叶。研究结果表明, 水淹使水芹原气生叶PSII功能迅速衰退, 但对新生沉水叶片影响很小。水芹植株出水后, 沉水叶片结构变化使其在光下保水能力下降, 而强光导致了光合机构的光抑制和反应中心失活。田间条件下两者共同作用则加剧了对叶片光合机构的破坏, 进而致使其死亡。     

玉米-花生间作对作物产量和光合作用光响应的影响

研究了玉米-花生间作对玉米、花生经济产量及功能叶片光合作用光响应的影响.结果表明：间作体系总体表现出明显的产量优势,2004和2005年分别为2 896和2 894 kg·hm^-2,土地利用率提高了14%～17%;玉米-花生间作提高了玉米功能叶片的光饱和点、光补偿点和强光时的光合速率,降低了花生功能叶片的光补偿点和光饱和点,但提高了花生表观量子效率和弱光时的光合速率.表明间作提高了玉米对强光和花生对弱光的利用能力,从而使间作体系表现出明显的产量优势.     

田间小麦叶片光合作用的光抑制不伴随D1蛋白的净降解

通过测定田间小麦（Ｔｒｉｔｉｃｕｍ ａｅｓｔｉｖｕｍ ）叶片Ｄ１蛋白的含量、光合放氧和叶绿素ａ 荧光,探讨了叶片光合作用的光抑制与Ｄ１蛋白净降解的关系。田间的小麦叶片受到晴天中午光照约３ ｈ 以后,表观光合量子效率（Φ）、光系统Ⅱ的光化学效率（Ｆｖ／Ｆｍ ）和初始荧光（Ｆ０）明显下降;若将叶片转入弱光下,这３个指标可在１ ｈ 内基本恢复;强光照射过程中Ｄ１蛋白的含量没有显著变化;Ｄ１蛋白合成抑制剂ＳＭ 使强光下叶片的慢驰豫的非光化学荧光猝灭（ｑＥ－ｓｌｏｗ ）明显增加;在弱光下恢复时引入链霉素（ＳＭ）不影响叶片光合功能的恢复;用二硫苏糖醇（ＤＴＴ）抑制叶黄素循环使中午强光照射后的叶片中Ｄ１蛋白的含量降低３０％ 左右。这些结果都表明,田间小麦叶片光合作用的光抑制不是由于Ｄ１蛋白的净降解,而是由于非辐射能量耗散的增加引起的。     

水淹对水芹叶片结构和光系统Ⅱ光抑制的影响

通过探讨在水淹条件下水芹（Oenanthe javanica）叶片结构的变化以及出水对其光系统II功能和光抑制的影响,阐明水芹光合机构在水淹条件下及出水后死亡的可能原因。结果表明：水淹条件下新生沉水功能叶光系统Ⅱ（PSⅡ）最大光化学效率（Fv/Fm）、电子传递活性与对照叶片差异很小,但水淹使气生功能叶的Fv/Fm显著降低;植株总生物量呈负增长趋势;活体弱光条件下,沉水叶出水后2小时叶片相对含水量（RWC）和Fv/Fm无显著变化;中等光强和强光条件下其RWC和Fv/Fm迅速降低;离体条件下,5小时的中等光强对沉水叶的Fv/Fm影响不显著,在随后的弱光下能恢复到出水时的初始状态;强光能使沉水叶的Fv/Fm大幅降低,且弱光下不能恢复到出水时的初始水平;在解剖结构上,水芹沉水叶的叶片总厚度、上下表皮厚度和气孔大小都显著低于气生叶,而且沉水叶没有明显的栅栏组织分化,但是沉水叶上表皮的气孔密度显著高于气生叶。研究结果表明,水淹使水芹原气生叶PSⅡ功能迅速衰退,但对新生沉水叶片影响很小。水芹植株出水后,沉水叶片结构变化使其在光下保水能力下降,而强光导致了光合机构的光抑制和反应中心失活。田间条件下两者共同作用则加剧了对叶片光合机构的破坏,进而致使其死亡。     

基于叶绿素荧光成像及荧光参数分布特征的叶片光合异质性定量分析

植物叶片光合作用具有高度的空间异质性,叶绿素荧光成像技术为叶片光合异质性的研究提供了便利,但叶片光合异质性的定量分析并没有得到广泛应用。本文利用ImagingPAM叶绿素荧光成像系统,获得 中亚热带地区越冬期小叶榕（Ficus microcarpa）阳生叶和阴生叶的叶绿素荧光参数图像,并利用仪器的分析软件对其进行分析,定量比较了阳生叶和阴生叶的光合异质性特征。研究发现：越冬期小叶榕阳生叶的光合异质性和光抑制程度明显高于阴生叶,变异系数可作为光合异质性的定量指标。低温强光导致阳生叶坏死率（P_LN）达4.30%,并有53.30%的区域处于严重光抑制（0<F_v/F_m<0.627）,但仍有42.27%的区域仅为轻度光抑制（0.627≤ F_v/F_m<0.800）。而低温弱光并未造成阴生叶坏死和严重光抑制。通过对光系统Ⅱ（PSⅡ）的实际光合效率 （Y（Ⅱ））、调节性能量耗散的量子产额（Y（NPQ））和非调节性能量耗散的量子产额（Y（NO））荧光参数异质性的定量分析表明,阳生叶具有相对较高的光化学能力,阴生叶则具有相对较高的热耗散能力;冬季强光虽然会导致小叶榕阳生叶PSⅡ严重激发压积累,存在严重光抑制的潜在风险,但其致死面积并不大,叶片中仍存在一定面积低激发压的低风险区,而低温弱光下的阴生叶则主要以低风险区域为主。     

外源Ca2+对高温强光胁迫下小麦叶绿体D1蛋白磷酸化及光系统Ⅱ功能的影响

用10 mmol·L^-1 CaCl₂溶液预处理灌浆期小麦叶片,以水预处理为对照,然后将预处理植株进行高温强光（35 ℃,1600 μmol·m^-2·s^-1）胁迫,测定胁迫处理过程中小麦旗叶光合电子传递速率、净光合速率、叶绿素荧光参数及D₁蛋白的变化,以研究外源Ca²⁺对高温强光胁迫下小麦叶片类囊体膜D₁蛋白磷酸化和PSⅡ功能的影响.结果表明：CaCl₂溶液预处理使小麦叶片在高温强光逆境下PSⅡ反应中心发生可逆失活,有效抑制了高温强光下D₁蛋白的净降解,保持了较高的D₁蛋白磷酸化水平,暗恢复后PSⅡ反应中心活性迅速恢复,全链电子传递速率和PSⅡ电子传递速率恢复至对照水平,维持了较高的PSⅡ原初光化学效率（F_v/F_m）、实际光化学效率(Ф_PSⅡ)、光化学猝灭系数（q_P）和净光合速率（P_n）.表明外源Ca²⁺通过调节小麦叶绿体D₁蛋白的周转,促进了PSⅡ的正常运转,减轻了高温强光胁迫对叶片光合机构的损伤.     

光波动频率影响黄瓜幼苗光合作用的机制

自然条件下环境光强往往是波动的,但波动光变化频率影响植物光合作用的机制尚不清楚.为了探讨植物光合作用对波动光频率的响应及机制,本文以黄瓜为材料,对植物生长、叶绿素含量、气体交换、叶绿素荧光以及抗氧化酶进行了研究.结果显示,相对于弱光(T4),强光下(T1, T2和T3)黄瓜株高、生物量、叶面积和比叶重均明显较高,但波动频率增加(T2, T3)能够导致这些参数值降低.强光与弱光处理相比其叶绿素总量较低,且随着波动光频率的提高叶绿素含量轻微下降.强光下的光合速率和气孔导度均高于弱光,不过随着强光波动频率增加,两者呈下降趋势.荧光诱导动力学的结果显示,尽管各处理间光系统Ⅱ(PSⅡ)最大光化学效率没有明显差异,但波动频率较大时黄瓜的PSⅡ的电子传递活性略有降低;而且增加强光波动频率还导致光系统Ⅱ天线转化效率(Fv′/Fm′)明显降低和非光化学猝灭(NPQ)大幅增加.此外,强光下黄瓜的酶促抗氧化系统的主要酶活性高于弱光,但波动光频率提高能够降低其活性.因此,提高波动光的频率不仅导致黄瓜光合能力下降,还导致其主要抗氧化酶的活性降低,所以增强的热耗散可能是其应对波动光下过剩激发能的重要机制.此外,本文还对黄瓜适应波动强光和稳态强光的差异进行了讨论.     

Physiological behaviour of Arthrospira (Spirulina) maxima during acclimation to changes in irradiance

The physiological behaviour of Arthrospira (Spirulina) maxima during acclimation to sudden changes in irradiance from high (HL) to low light (LL) and vice versa was studied by following parameters concerning growth rate, pigment, carbohydrate and protein cell contents. Applying first order kinetics, the specific acclimation rates for the parameters considered were calculated. During HL to LL shift, pigments increased to compensate for a reduction in growth irradiance in order to maintain relatively high growth rates, whereas carbohydrates decreased at the highest rate. The synthesis of phycobiliproteins proceeded at a rate similar or little higher than that of chlorophyll a, indicating their importance in the light harvesting at low irradiance. During LL to HL shift, carbohydrate biosynthesis was increased, whereas pigment and protein cell contents decreased. The kinetic analysis suggested that the pigment decrease could be accounted for both by dilution through growth and in vivo degradation. During this transition, the initially high cell pigment content gave rise to a very heavy carbohydrate synthesis, which for a short time, after the shift to HL conditions, overshot the final steady-state. In the same period the specific growth rate also increased notably, overshooting the μmax. The acclimation rates of the measured parameters were faster during LL to HL transition then during the reverse. The physiological response of A. maxima during the acclimation to sudden irradiance shifts points out the ability of this cyanobacterium to alter light harvesting and highlights again the key role of carbohydrates when the cells underwent an energy crisis during down-shift. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Light acclimation at the end of the growing season in two broadleaved oak species

The ability of plants to increase their net CO₂ assimilation rate in response to increased irradiance is due to morphological and physiological changes, which might be related to their shade tolerance and leaf ontogeny, but few studies have considered morphology and physiology. Two sympatric oak species (the shade-tolerant Q. petraea and the comparatively shade-intolerant Q. pyrenaica) were grown in hydroponic solution in low-light (LL) and high-light (HL) conditions. 5 months after leaf expansion under these conditions, half of the LL plants were transferred to high light (TLH). Transfer of Q. pyrenaica, from low- to high light led to photoinhibition and after 21 days in higher light there was little acclimation of the maximum rate of carboxylation (V_Cmax) or the maximum rate of electron transport (J_max). Q. pyrenaica TLH plants showed lower stomatal conductance at all times compared to plants growing in LL. Stomatal closure was the main limitation to photosynthesis after transfer in Q. pyrenaica. The increase in evaporative demand upon TLH did not affect hydraulic conductivity of Q. pyrenaica. In contrast, the more shade-tolerant Q. petraea showed a greater degree of acclimation of gas exchange in TLH than Q. pyrenaica and two weeks after transfer gas-exchange rates were as high as in LL plants. In Q. petraea, the most important changes occurred at the level of leaf biochemistry with significant increase in V_Cmax that decreased the J_max/V_Cmax ratio below values recorded in HL plants. However, this potential increase in photosynthesis was at least partially hamstrung by a decrease in internal conductance, which highlights the importance of internal conductance in acclimation to higher light in mature leaves. Neither oak species reached the photosynthetic rates of HL plants; however a trend towards leaf acclimation was observed in Q. petraea while the transfer was harmful to the leaves of Q. pyrenaica developed in the shade.     

THE KINETICS OF THE PHOTOACCLIMATION RESPONSE OF NANNOCHLOROPSIS SP. (EUSTIGMATOPHYCEAE): A STUDY OF CHANGES IN ULTRASTRUCTURE AND PSU DENSITY

In this study we report the kinetics of photoacclimation of the unicellular alga Nannochloropsis sp. grown under high light (HL), and subsequently transferred to low light (LL). We examined the changes in ultrastructural features, pigmentation, and photosynthetic parameters over short intervals until the LL steady state was reached. The ultrastructural changes were followed by quantitative morphometric measurements of transmission electron micrographs. We found that the increase in the relative volume of the chloroplast during acclimation to LL (twofold) was accompanied by an increase in number of stacks (twofold) and in the surface area of thylakoids per cell (2.5-fold). The increase in photosynthetic unit (PSU) density was about 2.15-fold. Maximal density was about 84 PSU·μm⁻² in LL cells, and minimal density was 39 PSU·μm⁻² in HL cells. The HL/LL ratio of the in vivo optical absorption cross-section of PSU (σ_PSU) was 2.8, whereas in the in vivo optical absorption cross-section of the cell (σ_cell), the trend of change was in the opposite direction: 1.7-fold higher in LL-acclimated cells than in HL-acclimated cells. We propose a partial sequence of the photoacclimation processes based on our data and the derived rate constants.     

Developmental acclimation of the thylakoid proteome to light intensity in Arabidopsis

Photosynthetic acclimation, the ability to adjust the composition of the thylakoid membrane to optimise the efficiency of electron transfer to the prevailing light conditions, is crucial to plant fitness in the field. While much is known about photosynthetic acclimation in Arabidopsis, to date there has been no study that combines both quantitative label-free proteomics and photosynthetic analysis by gas exchange, chlorophyll fluorescence and P700 absorption spectroscopy. Using these methods we investigated how the levels of 402 thylakoid proteins, including many regulatory proteins not previously quantified, varied upon long-term (weeks) acclimation of Arabidopsis to low (LL), moderate (ML) and high (HL) growth light intensity and correlated these with key photosynthetic parameters. We show that changes in the relative abundance of cytb₆f, ATP synthase, FNR2, TIC62 and PGR6 positively correlate with changes in estimated PSII electron transfer rate and CO₂ assimilation. Improved photosynthetic capacity in HL grown plants is paralleled by increased cyclic electron transport, which positively correlated with NDH, PGRL1, FNR1, FNR2 and TIC62, although not PGR5 abundance. The photoprotective acclimation strategy was also contrasting, with LL plants favouring slowly reversible non-photochemical quenching (qI), which positively correlated with LCNP, while HL plants favoured rapidly reversible quenching (qE), which positively correlated with PSBS. The long-term adjustment of thylakoid membrane grana diameter positively correlated with LHCII levels, while grana stacking negatively correlated with CURT1 and RIQ protein abundance. The data provide insights into how Arabidopsis tunes photosynthetic electron transfer and its regulation during developmental acclimation to light intensity.     

Photosynthetic acclimation in the context of structural constraints to carbon export from leaves

The potential role of foliar carbon export features in the acclimation of photosynthetic capacity to differences and changes in light environment was evaluated. These features included apoplastic vs. symplastic phloem loading, density of loading veins, plasmodesmatal frequency in intermediary cells, and the ratio of loading cells to sieve elements. In initial studies, three apoplastic loaders (spinach, pea, Arabidopsis thaliana) exhibited a completely flexible photosynthetic response to changing light conditions, while two symplastic loaders (pumpkin, Verbascum phoeniceum), although able to adjust to different long-term growth conditions, were more limited in their response when transferred from low (LL) to high (HL) light. This suggested that constraints imposed by the completely physical pathway of sugar export might act as a bottleneck in the export of carbon from LL-acclimated leaves of symplastic loaders. While both symplastic loaders exhibited variable loading vein densities (low in LL and high in HL), none of the three apoplastic loaders initially characterized exhibited such differences. However, an additional apoplastic species (tomato) exhibited similar differences in vein density during continuous growth in different light environments. Furthermore, in contrast to the other apoplastic loaders, photosynthetic acclimation in tomato was not complete following a transfer from LL to HL. This suggests that loading vein density and loading cells per sieve element, and thus apparent loading surface capacity, play a major role in the potential for photosynthetic acclimation to changes in light environment. Photosynthetic acclimation and vein density acclimation were also characterized in the slow-growing, sclerophytic evergreen Monstera deliciosa. This evergreen possessed a lower vein density during growth in LL compared to HL and exhibited a more severely limited potential for photosynthetic acclimation to increases in light environment than the rapidly-growing, mesophytic annuals.     

Acclimation of rice photosynthesis to irradiance under field conditions

Acclimation to irradiance was measured in terms of light-saturated photosynthetic carbon assimilation rates (P(max)), Rubisco, and pigment content in mature field-grown rice (Oryza sativa) plants in tropical conditions. Measurements were made at different positions within the canopy alongside irradiance and daylight spectra. These data were compared with a second experiment in which acclimation to irradiance was assessed in uppermost leaves within whole-plant shading regimes (10% low light [LL], 40% medium light [ML], and 100% high light [HL] of full natural sunlight). Two varieties, japonica (tropical; new plant type [NPT]) and indica (IR72) were compared. Values for Rubisco amount, chlorophyll a/b, and P(max) all declined from the top to the base of the canopy. In the artificial shading experiment, acclimation of P(max) (measured at 350 microL L(-1) CO(2)) occurred between LL and ML for IR72 with no difference observed between ML and HL. The Rubisco amount increased between ML and HL in IR72. A different pattern was seen for NPT with higher P(max) (measured at 350 microL L(-1) CO(2)) at LL than IR72 and some acclimation of this parameter between ML and HL. Rubisco levels were higher in NPT than IR72 contrasting with P(max). Comparison of data from both experiments suggests a leaf aging effect between the uppermost two leaf positions, which was not a result of irradiance acclimation. Results are discussed in terms of: (a) acclimation of photosynthesis and radiation use efficiency at high irradiance in rice, and (b) factors controlling photosynthetic rates of leaves within the canopy.     

Morphological and physiological acclimation of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Catalpa bungei</Emphasis> plantlets to different light conditions

This study was performed to evaluate the ecophysiological acclimation of Catalpa bungei plantlets to different light conditions. We hypothesized that the acclimation of old and newly developed leaves to both increasing and decreasing irradiance should follow different patterns. The growth, photosynthesis, chlorophyll (Chl) content, and Chl fluorescence response were examined over a range of light treatments. The plants were grown under fixed light intensities of 80% (HH), 50% (MM), 30% (LL) of sun light and transferring irradiance of 80% to 50% (HM), 80% to 30% (HL), 30% to 50% (LM) and 30% to 80% (LH). For old leaves, light-saturation point, photosynthetic capacity, dark respiration rate of LH were lower than that of HH, while HL were higher than LL, indicating that light-response parameters were affected by the original growth light environment. Initial fluorescence increased and variable fluorescence decreased in LH and LM after transfer, and the PSII damage was more serious in LH than that in LM, and could not recover within 30 d. It suggested that the photoinhibition damage and recovery time in old leaves was related to the intensity of light after transfer. For the newly emerged leaves with leaf primordia formed under the same light environment, a significant difference was observed in leaf morphology and pigment contents, suggesting that previous light environment exhibited carry-over effect on the acclimation capacity to a new light environment. Our result showed that thinning and pruning intensity should be considered in plantation management, because great changes in light intensity may cause photoinhibition in shade-adapted leaves.     

Performance and Photosynthetic Ecophysiology of Three Photo-Types of Dioscorea zingiberensis under Differing Light Intensities

Abstract: The performance and photosynthetic ecophysiology of three photo-types of Dioscorea zingiberensis were studied. The three types are designated DzTL, DzTM and DzTH, according to their adaptation to low (LL), medium (ML) and high (HL) light intensities, respectively. Under LL (23 - 55 μmol m^-2 s^-1) and simulated natural light (SNL), DzTM grows well with increased longevity, and green leaves which are unspotted; while its leaves became small, light yellow and short-lived under HL (550 - 850 μmol m^-2 s^-1). In contrast, under LL the leaves of DzTH were very large, spotted, light yellow and short-lived; while they were small, green and long-lived under HL. Under HL, DzTH had a much higher chlorophyll content than DzTM. Under LL, DzTM and DzTL had a higher Chl content than DzTH. Among the three types, DzTM had the highest peroxidase activity. DzTL had a higher electron transport rate (ETR), maximal quantum yield (MQY) and effective quantum yield (EQY) than DzTH and DzTL under LL, while DzTH had higher ETR, MQY and EQY than the other two types under ML and HL. Therefore, three different photo-types can be characterized according to their adaptation to LL, ML and HL: DzTL, DzTM and DzTH, respectively.     

Plasticity and acclimation to light reflected in temporal and spatial changes of small-scale macroalgal distribution in a stream

The small-scale distribution pattern of macroalgae in the river Ilm, in Germany was monitored. These patterns were then related to abiotic factors and tested to discover whether the distribution of the common macroalgae, Cladophora glomerata (L.) Kütz. and Vaucheria sp., was linked to differences in their photosynthetic plasticity. Cladophora glomerata revealed higher maximum photosynthetic electron transport rates after acclimation to high light (HL) compared with low light (LL) acclimated samples. By contrast, Vaucheria sp. did not acclimate to different growth light conditions. The photosynthetic performance of both algae also varied according to diurnal conditions. High light caused a reversible decrease of the dark-adapted quantum yield (F(v)/F(m)) in C. glomerata and a concomitant reversible decrease of the light-adapted quantum yield (DeltaF/F'(m)). In Vaucheria sp., F(v)/F(m) remained mostly unchanged over the day, whereas DeltaF/F'(m) decreased during the morning at low light. Photosynthetic pigments confirmed acclimational differences between the species. HL C. glomerata showed increased chlorophyll a:chlorophyll b ratios, and higher amounts of xanthophyll-cycle pigments compared with LL samples, whereas Vaucheria sp. did not reveal differences between the light treatments. While preferences for substrate size, water velocity, and depth are similar for C. glomerata and Vaucheria sp., the physiological responses to light conditions are different. It is concluded that light conditions significantly affect the small-scale spatial distribution of macroalgae and that fitness is enhanced in species with a higher plasticity in photosynthetic acclimation in unstable environments.