ADAPTIVE PROPERTIES OF THE PLANT PIGMENT SYSTEMS

Analysis of the contents and organization of pigments in leaves of mor e than 60 plant species from different natural habitats revealed that the majority of plants from extreme regions had a low pigment content. The arctic plants contained 40-60 % less chlorophyl (Chl) than the sa me species in the temperate zone. The desert plants had an extremely l ow pigment content. Owing to high amount of total carotenoids (Car), t he arctic and high montane plants had the lowest ratios Chl/Car. The p art of Chl belonging to light-harvesting (LH)-antenna varied less than the total amounts. The majority of investigated arctic plants had a s maller amount of Chl and larger part of it in the LH-antenna than plan ts of the temperate zone. The pigment apparatus of high montane plants was distinguished by very high Car content probably serving as protec tant against photodamage: in their photosystems 1 and 2 there was 4-5 times more beta-carotene than in the plants of other zones.