title: Photosynthetic response of two seaweed species along an urban pollution gradient: evidence of selection of pollution-tolerant species.
abstract: Urbanization leads to the expansion of ephemeral seaweed species and the decline of important perennial, canopy-forming seaweed species. Understanding the mechanisms that lead to these changes is a current challenge. In the present study, laboratory assays and field transplantations were performed with two seaweed species: the perennial, canopy-forming seaweed Sargassum stenophyllum and the ephemeral seaweed Ulva lactuca. Photosynthetic efficiency was assessed using modulated chlorophyll fluorometry. Brief exposure to urban waters does not appear to be a major stressor to the photosynthetic efficiency of either species. However, after 26 days of transplantation in urban waters, S. stenophyllum declined, whereas U. lactuca had enhanced photosynthetic efficiency. This difference reflects their divergent abilities to regulate the energy distribution at the PSII and shows that urban stressors alter these mechanisms. Our results provide evidence of the physiological causes for the decline of Sargassum species and the expansion of Ulva species in impacted urban areas.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Biologia, Universidade Federal Rural de Pernambuco, Área de Botânica, R Dom Manoel de Medeiros, Dois Irmãos, 52171-900 Recife, PE, Brazil. fscherner@yahoo.com
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Scherner
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bonomi Barufi
authors.forename: P A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Horta
mesh_terms: D000222:Adaptation, Physiological / Q000502:physiology*; D002734:Chlorophyll / Q000378:metabolism; D017753:Ecosystem; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D010788:Photosynthesis / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D012624:Seaweed / Q000502:physiology*; D014507:Urbanization
chemical_list: D002734:Chlorophyll