Acclimation of the intertidal red alga Bangiopsis subsimplex (Stylonematophyceae) to salinity changes

Abstract

The effect of salinity on growth, photosynthetic performance and osmotic acclimation was investigated in the eulittoral red algal species Bangiopsis subsimplex (Stylonematophyceae). The strain grew in a broad salinity range between 1 and 70 psu showing optimum growth between 10 and 50 psu. The saturation point Ik of the photosynthesis irradiance curves ranged between 153 and 83 μmol photons m- 2 s- 1 at all salinities and indicates an adaptation of B. subsimplex to moderate radiation conditions. Adjustments on the photosynthetic level (non-photochemical quenching) were sufficient to prevent damage to the photosynthetic apparatus as Fv/Fm values were constantly high (> 0.7) even when grown at..