MULTILEVEL ANALYSIS OF PLASTID PIGMENT LOCATION IN DESERT PLANTS

We conducted a comparative analysis of plastid pigment content in 46 s pecies of desert plants of the Gobi desert belonging to four anatomica l types: mesophytes, sclerophytes, succulents, and succulents with the coronary syndrome. Content of chlorophyll and carotenoids (per unit o f leaf weight) was determined and calculated per partial volumes of ch lorenchyma, chloroplasts, and grana thylakoids. Pigment content is sho wn to be significantly greater in mesophytes and sclerophytes than in succulents at all levels of organization of the photosynthetic apparat us. These differences are established already at the grana level and a re presumed to be associated with characteristics of the biology and o rigin of these types of plants.