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Photosynthetic Pigments in Native Plants of the Taiga Zone at the European Northeast Russia

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Abstract

The content and composition of photosynthetic pigments in 160 plant species representing the native flora of the taiga zone in European Northeast Russia were investigated. The amounts and proportions of chlorophylls and carotenoids were shown to depend on plant species, life form, and the attribution of plants to particular geographical and ecological–coenotic groups. On the whole, terrestrial plants of the taiga zone accumulated relatively low amounts of chlorophyll: 2–6 mg/g dry wt. The chlorophyll content in leaves of herbaceous species was 1.5 times larger than in woody plants. The relative content of light-harvesting (antenna) chlorophyll accounted for 55–65% of the total pool of green pigments. The vegetation of the Subpolar Ural mountains, comprising a substantial proportion of arctic and arctic–alpine species, was characterized by the chlorophyll/carotenoid ratio equal to 3. In plants inhabiting the middle Vychegda basin, where boreal species dominated, the chlorophyll/carotenoid ratio was 35% higher than in the Subpolar Ural mountains plants. Despite significant interspecific differences in the content of photosynthetic pigments, the relative content of carotenoids tended to increase in the row: boreal–hypoarctic–arctic and arctic–alpine species. This trend indicates the increasing protective role of carotenoids along with the passage of plants to the north.

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Funding

This work was supported by the state program А17-117033010038-7 for the Institute of Biology, Komi Research Center, Ural Branch, Russian Academy of Sciences, and by the program АААА-А18-118012290132-0 for the Ural Branch, Russian Academy of Sciences.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Biology, Komi Research Center, Ural Branch, Russian Academy of Sciences, 167982 , Syktyvkar, Russia

    O. V. Dymova & T. K. Golovko

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  1. O. V. Dymova
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  2. T. K. Golovko
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Correspondence to O. V. Dymova.

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The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest. This article does not contain any studies involving animals or human participants performed by any of the authors.

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Translated by A. Bulychev

Abbreviations:

A + AA—arctic and arctic–alpine (plants); ANOVA—analysis of variance; B—boreal (species); Car—carotenoids; Chl—chlorophyll; Hyp—hypoarctic; LHC—light-harvesting complex; PSA—photosynthetic apparatus.

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Dymova, O.V., Golovko, T.K. Photosynthetic Pigments in Native Plants of the Taiga Zone at the European Northeast Russia. Russ J Plant Physiol 66, 384–392 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1134/S1021443719030038

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