Photosynthetic acclimation to dynamic changes in environmental conditions associated with deciduous overstory phenology in Daphniphyllum humile, an evergreen understory shrub

Photoprotective responses during photosynthetic acclimation in Daphniphyllum humile Maxim, an evergreen understory shrub that grows in temperate deciduous forests, were examined in relation to changes in light availability and temperature caused by the seasonal dynamics of canopy leaf phenology. Gradual increases in irradiance in the understory from summer to autumn as overstory foliage senesced were accompanied by increased concentrations of xanthophyll cycle pigments (VAZ) in understory leaves. The chlorophyll (Chl) a/b ratio in understory leaves also increased from summer to autumn, reflecting the change in ratio of the light-harvesting antenna to the reaction center. However, low temperatures following overstory leaf fall reduced Rubisco activity. In contrast, the photosynthetic capactiy of leaves of D. humile growing at the forest border, which was higher in summer than that of leaves of understory plants, decreased in autumn. In autumn, Fv/Fm ratios decreased and concentrations of zeaxanthin (Z) and especially antheraxanthin (A) increased in leaves of both forest-border and understory plants. Although VAZ was twice as high in leaves of forest-border than of understory plants, NPQ was similar in both. We conclude that leaves of understory plants are able to acclimate to seasonal changes in light and temperature by varying their photosynthetic and photoprotective functions, thereby taking advantage of the favorable light conditions caused by overstory leaf fall.