The chlorophyll a content was measured at 62 oceanographic stations. At each station samples were collected from eight standard depths between the water surface and 150 m. Integrated values (chlorophyll α mg/m2) are used in the presentation of the results and discussion. The recorded quantities of chlorophyll α were rather high, amounting to as much as 634 mg/m2. The areas with high chlorophyll a content (> 200 mg/m2) were located in the region of the Anvers Island and Brabant Island, on the shelf around Joinville Island and opposite the Antarctic Sound, close to Clarence Island and beyond the regions recommended in the BIOMASS-SIBEX programme to the east and south of the South Orkney Islands. In the acetonie extracts of photosynthetizing pigments large quantities of phytoxanthin were found using the TLC method, what precludes the use of the Lorenzen method for determination of chlorophyll α and its degradation products.

The major aim of the study was to identify the relationships of photosynthetic pigments with elemental contents of plants exposed to various ambient air conditions. Lolium multiflorum L. plants were exposed at five sites varying in environmental characteristics, including potential air pollution levels. The effect of air pollution by trace elements on plants was examined. Selected trace elements (Pb, Cd, As, Ni, Cr), some macro-elements as well as chlorophyll content were measured after each of four series. The graphical visualization revealed groups of sites with similar response of elements and chlorophyll contents. Sites located outside the city were grouped into one, and two urban sites were grouped into another. The trace element contents were relatively low and, excluding Ni and As, did not reach toxic levels in dry mass of leaves. However, some relations could be noted, which indicates the sensitivity of the photosynthetic process even at low levels of trace elements in ambient air. Chlorophyll b was found to be more sensitive to most of the analyzed trace elements than chlorophyll a. The results revealed chlorophylls, K and Na as indicators of plant stress caused by trace elements present in ambient air, even at relatively low levels.

The oxygen and chlorophyll a contents. pH, temperature and transparency were studied in Lake Rzuno in the period from June 1998 - September I 999. This lake has a very strong thermal stratification and weaker oxygenic stratification. The degree of surface water saturation with oxygen was rather small (max. 136%) but the oxygen conditions in the whole Lake Rzuno were good because the total lack of oxygen is noted only in summer and only below 20 m depth. Whereas during autumn and spring circulation the oxygen concentration reaches 5 mg O, drn' al the bottom. The correlation between visibility of Secchi disc and chlorophyll a concentration featured high correlation indicator (r = -0.87). The awerage water transparency, low oxygen deficit and small changes in water reaction show that this lake has moderate eutrophic character.

Coarse-scale studies on chlorophyll a distribution in a region covering the Scotia Front zone showed an increased chlorophyll content and its deeper distribution at stations situated in the frontal zone. The sources of chlorophyll α were probably both the phytoplankton released from melting ice as well as spring bloom.

The aim of the study was the determination the effect of foliar application of growth regulator containing Ti (Tytanit®), on Lolium multiflorum morphometry, photosynthetic activity, chlorophyll content and chemical composition of dry matter. A pot experiment was carried out in a plant breeding room of Siedlce University, Poland, in 2019. The experimental units were as follows: I) control – plants sprayed with distilled water; II) plants sprayed with 0.02% Tytanit concentration; III) plants sprayed with 0.04% Tytanit concentration; IV) plants sprayed with 0.06% Tytanit concentration. The following parameters were determined: the shoots number, the number and the length of leaf blades, the length of roots, the dry weight of roots, the dry weight of plants per pot and the content of chlorophyll a and b in leaf blades. In addition, maximum and actual efficiency of the leaf photosystem, photochemical and non- photochemical quenching coefficients and the content of total protein, crude fibre, monosaccharides, crude fat, crude ash, Ca, Mg, P, K and the ratio of K/(Ca + Mg), and Ca/P in the dry matter of plants were determined. Used in controlled conditions, the regulator contributed to the growth of most morphological characteristics, improved photosynthetic activity, increased the concentration of chlorophyll a and b, and

The increasing salinity of water in reservoirs is caused by climate change. On the other hand, an increase in salinity promotes the group species, halophytes that tolerate or need NaCl for growth. The aim of this study was to identify the response of facultative halophytes’ photosynthetic apparatus efficiency ( PE) to water salinity. The study covered the spiny water nymph ( Najas marina L.) population in four mining subsidence reservoirs. Najas marina is a facultative halophyte which means that it can occur in both fresh and salt water. This plant has the characteristics of the species invasive, such as rapid biomass growth, and wide ecological tolerance. Water salinity, described by conductivity, in the reservoirs ranged from 646 to 3061 μS∙cm ^–1. PE was expressed in terms of chlorophyll a fluorescence parameters, which were collected in situ using a Pocket PEA device. Water parameters using a YSI ProDSS probe were identified. Data analysis was performed using OJIP test and s the non-parametric Spearman’s rank test (p ≤ 0.05). The relationship between chlorophyll a fluorescence parameters and water parameters showed that conductivity, salinity, water clarity, and nitrate content statistically significantly affected PE (p <0.05). Generally, the higher salinity e.g. more than 3000 μS∙m ^–1, supports PE of facultative halophyte at the stage of optimum development in the vegetation season.

The depletion of natural resources such as freshwater and cropland makes it necessary to find a new solution for sustainable food production. Aquaponic systems seem to be a great alternative to traditional agriculture, however, there are still many unknowns that need to be explored. It is already known how fish stocking affects water quality in aquaponic systems, but not how it affects the plants’ growth, and especially on chlorophyll fluorescence. In this study, we examined how the density of 0, 2, 4, 8, and 16 stocking fish in five aquaria affects lettuce growth. The first tank was only a hydroponic system with plants but without fish (control). In the remaining four aquaria – 2, 4, 8 and 12 specimens of common carp fry with an average weight of 20 grams (average 8.5–33.2 g) were placed in the aquaponic growing system. Physicochemical analysis of water was conducted to determine the levels of pH, electrical conductivity ( EC), N-NO ₃, N-NO ₂, N-NH ₄, P-PO ₄, O ₂ and physiological parameters of plants (nitrogen balance index – NBI, chlorophyll content index – CCI, quantum yield – QY, flavonoid content – Flv) were analysed. The results showed that fish stocking density has different effects on plant physiological parameters, but in most cases, was insignificant. It seems that the greater number of fishes and higher density indirectly causes growth inhibition (lower photosynthetic efficiency) due to the increase of N-NO ₃ and a decrease of O ₂ in the water.

At the northern border of pack ice the study on chlorophyll a content, density of cells, species composition and domination in samples from the drifting ice floes and from brash ice was carried out. 102 taxa of algae were found in the pack ice. In the study area algal taxa were rather uniformly distributed. In different ice layers the qualitative composition of diatom assemblages was similar and usually the diatom Nitzschia cylindrus was dominant and most frequent. Chlorophyll a content (from 0.12 to 334.5 mg m-3) and the density of cells (from 0.3 to 362 x l0 6 cm) varied strongly in various habitats. Ice floes near the northern pack ice border contained low values of chlorophyll a (mean value 0.50 ±0.28 mg m-3) . However, brash sea ice originating from ice floes, contained 142.4 ±117.5 mg m-3 of chlorophyll α in visibly discoloured and 30.1 ±24.3 mg m~3 of chlorophyll α in not visibly discoloured parts on average. The range of chlorophyll α content and the presence of characteristic species allow to distinguish brash sea ice infiltration assemblage of diatoms.

Chlorophyll a content and the density and species composition of algae were determined in drifting sea ice north of the Elephant Island (between 54-56°W and 60°30'—61°00'S) at the end of October 1986. In yellow-brownish pieces of brash ice the amount of chlorophyll α was on average 203.5 ± 149.9 mg m-3 at the density of algal cells of 255.7+137.8-103 in cm3. In not visibly discoloured ice the respective values were about 80 times lower, and in surface water about 700 times lower. 69 algal taxa were recorded in the samples, almost all of which were diatoms. Nitzschia cylindrus dominated in all the samples. A comparison of species composition in the investigated habitats revealed that the highest species similarities occurred between samples collected in discoloured ice, lower in the uncoloured ice and the lowest ones in water.

Salt stress is one of the main factors disturbing the physiology of organisms, including epigeic lichens inhabiting roadsides, due to de-icing salts used in winter seasons. The aim of the research was to study the effect of acute salt stress in various doses on the chlorophyll fluorescence parameters of chlorolichens, i.e., Cladonia furcata, C. mitis, Diposchistes muscorum, and cyanolichens, i.e., Peltigera didactyla, and P. rufescens, which naturally grow inland in the vicinity of roads. We also aimed to study changes in the photosynthetic efficiency of lichens over time and their responses to rainfall simulations in the days following exposure to salt stress to test whether liquid water supply improves photosynthetic efficiency. Salt stress led to a reduction of it in cyanolichens in most experimental groups, while in chlorolichens only treatment with 2.9-3.9M NaCl solutions significantly decreased F_V/F_M. Exposure to acute salt stress significantly affected fluorescence transient curves in all studied species. With respect to chlorolichens, a marked decrease of FM was observed and the flattened shape of the transient curves after treatment with the highest salt doses was the most apparent. Significantly greater disturbances were observed in cyanolichens in which the induction curve lost its sigmoid characteristics after treatment with solutions with a concentration greater than 0.35M. Furthermore, in all lichen species, increased values of ABS/RC and DI ₀/RC and decreases in PI _ABS, ET ₀/RC and TR0/RC as well as quantum yields and efficiencies were observed. Simulated rainfall resulted in a significant increase in the photosynthetic efficiency of chlorolichens to a level corresponding to healthy lichens almost throughout the duration of the whole experiment. On the contrary, in the case of cyanolichens, significant increases in F_V/F_M after water treatment were found only after exposure to low salt doses and, at the latest, 24 h after the stress. Although many cyanobacteria developed adaptations to survive in highly saline environments, cyanobionts present in inland lichen species seem to be highly susceptible to salt stress. We concluded that the time when rainfall occurs after exposure to salt stress is a crucial factor affecting the potential regeneration of PSII efficiency. Regeneration after rainfall is an important aspect for epigeic lichens occurring near roadsides, where, during the winter season, they are exposed to de-icing salt for a long time, and rainfall may partially compensate for their disturbances and increase their photosynthetic efficiency, enhancing the possibility of survival.

Drought significantly impacts the growth and yield of forage grasses, particularly its effect on Dactylis glomerata photosynthetic apparatus during the initial phase of development remains largely unknown. This study investigated the effects of drought on physiological parameters of various D. glomerata varieties. The seedlings obtained after seed germination under optimal and simulated drought conditions by PEG 6000 (three variants) were planted in small pots filled with garden substrate. Over a span of 42 days, the plants were initially kept well-watered (70% capillary water capacity, CWC), after which half of the seedlings from each variant were subjected to drought. This drought stress was applied during the tillering phase for 12 days. Subsequently, the plants were rehydrated (at 70% CWC) and allowed to recover for 14 days. Throughout both drought and recovery periods, measurements were taken. Leaf chlorophyll fluorescence parameters were assessed, and the JIP-test analysis was utilised to provide detailed insights into the functionality of D. glomerata photosynthetic apparatus under drought stress and post-recovery conditions. Several parameters were identified as indicative of the plants’ sensitivity to drought, such as performance indices PI _ABS and PI _tot, along with quantum yield parameters Ψ _E0, φ _E0, and φ _P0. The results highlighted that var. Minora and Tukan exhibited greater tolerance to water deficit when compared to the other varieties studied. They showed a large increases in PIABS and PItot values after drought stress as well as after the re-watering (recovery period) compared to control plants. This suggests their potential for better adaptation to drought conditions.

Abiotic stressors contribute to growth restriction and developmental disorders in plants. Early detection of the first signs of changes in plant functioning is very important. The objective of this study was to identify chlorophyll fluorescence parameters that change under phosphorus deficiency stress in cucumber. In this work, a trail to study the early changes caused by phosphorus deficiency in cucumber plants by analysing their photosynthetic performance is presented. Chlorophyll- a fluorescence (ChF) parameters were measured every 7 days for a period of 28 days. Measurements were made separately on young and old leaves and on cucumber fruit. Parameters that decreased during the stress were: p2G, PI _abs, PI _total, RE_o/CS _o, and TR_o/CS_o. P deficiency decreased total electron carriers per RC ( EC_o/RC), yields ( TR_o/ABS ( F_v/F_m), ET_o/TR_o, RE_o/ET_o, ET_o/ABS and RE_o/ABS), fluxes ( RE_o/RC and RE_o/CS_o) and fractional reduction of PSI end electron acceptors, and damaged all photochemical and non-photochemical redox reactions. Principal component analysis revealed a group of ChF parameters that may indicate early phosphorus deficiency in cucumber plants. Our results are used in the discovery of sensitive bioindicators of phosphorus deficiency in cucumber plants. Most JIP test parameters are linked to mathematical equations, so we recommend using of advanced statistical tools, such as principal component analysis, which should be considered very useful for stress identification. It has also been shown to be more effective in multivariate methods compared to univariate statistical methods was demonstrated.

The vitality of lichens and their growth depend on the physiological status of both the fungal and algal partner. Many epiphytic lichens demonstrate high specificity to a habitat type and hygrophilous species are, as a rule, confined to close-to-natural forest complexes. Tolerance to desiccation stress and the rate of photosynthesis activation upon thallus hydration vary between species. Analyzes of chlorophyll fluorescence and photosynthesis efficiency have been widely applied to determine the viability of lichens. The aim of this study was to determine the activation photosynthesis rate upon hydration in epiphytic lichens exposed to short-term desiccation stress and to find potential links between their activation pattern and ecological properties. The results proved that even highly sensitive hygrophilous lichens, i.e., Cetrelia cetrarioides, Lobaria pulmonaria, Menegazzia terebrata, do not exhibit any delay in the restart of the photosynthesis process, compared to mesophytic or xerophytic ones. All examined lichens achieved nearly 100% of their maximum photosynthetic efficiency just one hour after they had been supplied with a relatively small quantity of water. Moreover, the increase in photosynthesis efficiency, measured at 20-minute intervals upon hydration, started from a relatively high level. In addition, the differences in the content of photosynthetic pigments and water holding capacity between species did not affect the general pattern of activation, which is comparable across various lichens. It can be concluded that healthy hygrophilous lichens do not require long hydration time to regain a high level of photosynthesis efficiency after a short rainless period. This fact supports the idea of applying chlorophyll fluorescence analysis in the field to assess vitality of lichens and the condition of their natural habitat.