I. Genot et al., ROLE OF CHLOROPHYLL AND CARBOHYDRATE CONTENTS IN SURVIVAL OF POSIDONIA-OCEANICA CUTTINGS TRANSPLANTED TO DIFFERENT DEPTHS, Marine Biology, 119(1), 1994, pp. 23-29
Cuttings of the marine phanerogam Posidonia oceanica (L.) Delile were
collected and transplanted in January 1991 at four stations of differe
nt depths between 5 and 20 m in the underwater reserve at Monaco (1 ha
in area). From January to July, samples of the transplants were colle
cted to study the effect of depth on survival and on chlorophyll and c
arbohydrate concentrations. In the leaves, chlorophyll concentrations
were significantly lower (1.00 mg g(-1) dry wt) in cuttings taken from
5 m depth than in cuttings taken from 20 m (1.99 mg g(-1)). Transplan
tation of cuttings from 5 to 20 m or from 20 to 8 m did not significan
tly change the chlorophyll concentration in leaves for a period of 6 m
o after transplantation. Cutting and transplantation result in stress,
as indicated by a decrease in pigment concentration without change of
depth. However, the carbohydrate concentration in rhizomes from 5 m (
32 mg g(-1) dry wt), is significantly higher than in material from 20
m (17 mg g(-1)). Cuttings transplanted from 5 to 20 m lost most of the
ir carbohydrate reserves (reaching a minimum of 2.5 mg g(-1) in May);
cuttings transplanted from 20 to 8 m maintained higher reserves (with
a minimum of 20 mg g(-1) in June). This may explain why material trans
planted from 5 to 20 m exhibited only 52% survival, while material tra
nsplanted from 20 to 8 m displayed 80 to 92% survival. Material taken
from populations adapted to low light at 20 m is probably more resista
nt to transplantation stress, particularly when replanted at a higher
light intensity in shallow water.