Environmental Stressors Modulating Seasonal and Daily Carbon Dioxide Assimilation and Productivity in Lessonia spicata

Macarena Troncoso; FLEMING, ZOE LOUISE; Félix L. Figueroa; Nathalie Korbee; Ronald Durán; Camilo Navarrete; Cecilia Rivera; Paula S. M. Celis-Plá

doi:10.3390/plants14152341

Environmental Stressors Modulating Seasonal and Daily Carbon Dioxide Assimilation and Productivity in Lessonia spicata

Journal

Plants

ISSN

2223-7747

Date Issued

2025-07-29

Author(s)

Macarena Troncoso

FLEMING, ZOE LOUISE

Facultad de Ingeniería

Félix L. Figueroa

Nathalie Korbee

Ronald Durán

Camilo Navarrete

Cecilia Rivera

Paula S. M. Celis-Plá

Type

journal-article

DOI

10.3390/plants14152341

URL

https://hdl.handle.net/123456789/11452

Abstract

Carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions due to human activities are responsible for approximately 80% of the drivers of global warming, resulting in a 1.1 °C increase above pre-industrial temperatures. This study quantified the CO2 assimilation and productivity of the brown macroalgae Lessonia spicata in the central Pacific coast of Chile, across seasonal and daily cycles, under different environmental stressors, such as temperature and solar irradiance. Measurements were performed using an infra-red gas analysis (IRGA) instrument which had a chamber allowing for precise quantification of CO2 concentrations; additional photophysiological and biochemical responses were also measured. CO2 assimilation, along with the productivity and biosynthesis of proteins and lipids, increased during the spring, coinciding with moderate temperatures (~14 °C) and high photosynthetically active radiation (PAR). Furthermore, the increased production of photoprotective and antioxidant compounds, including phenolic compounds, and carotenoids, along with the enhancement of non-photochemical quenching (NPQ), contribute to the effective photoacclimation strategies of L. spicata. Principal component analysis (PCA) revealed seasonal associations between productivity, reactive oxygen species (ROSs), and biochemical indicators, particularly during the spring and summer. These associations, further supported by Pearson correlation analyses, suggest a high but seasonally constrained photoacclimation capacity. In contrast, the reduced productivity and photoprotection observed in the summer suggest increased physiological vulnerability to heat and light stress. Overall, our findings position L. spicata as a promising nature-based solution for climate change mitigation.

Cite this document

Troncoso, M., Fleming, Z. L., Figueroa, F. L., Korbee, N., Durán, R., Navarrete, C., Rivera, C., & Celis-Plá, P. S. M. (2025). Environmental stressors modulating seasonal and daily carbon dioxide assimilation and productivity in lessonia spicata. Plants, 14(15), 2341. https://doi.org/10.3390/plants14152341