Seasonal variation in crassulacean acid metabolism by the aquatic isoetid Littorella uniflora.

The seasonal temperature acclimation in crassulacean acid metabolism (CAM) and photosynthetic performance were investigated in the aquatic isoetid, Littorella uniflora. Plants were collected monthly from January to September, and CAM capacity and photosynthesis rates were measured at 5, 10, 15, and 20 °C. Seasonal acclimation was observed for CAM (Q(10) range: 0.6-1.8), and CAM was optimised close to ambient temperature throughout the season. Thus, in winter acclimated L. uniflora, the short-term response to raised temperature resulted in a decline in CAM capacity. Even though the ambient CAM increased from winter to spring/summer, CAM was present in cold acclimated plants, thus indicating an ecophysiological role for CAM even in winter. Similar to CAM, seasonal acclimation was observed in the light and carbon-saturated photosynthesis (Q(10) values ranged from 1.4 to 2.3), and the photosynthetic capacity was generally higher during the winter at all temperatures, indicating compensatory investments in the photosynthetic apparatus. Thus, L. uniflora displayed seasonal temperature acclimation with respect to both CAM and photosynthesis. The estimated in situ contribution of CAM to the carbon budget in L. uniflora was independent of season and varied from 23 to 46 %. A positive correlation between photosynthetic capacity and CAM capacity (both measured in the lab at temperature close to ambient temperature) was found, and the ratio of CAM activity to photosynthetic capacity was higher in summer compared with winter plants. Overall, the results from the present study support the suggested role of CAM as a carbon conserving mechanism of importance for survival in a carbon-limited habitat.