Environmental and Experimental Botany最新文献

{"title":"Iron deficiency specifically activated anthocyanin accumulation in out pericarp of red-fleshed kiwifruit (Actinidia chinensis)","authors":"Yuan-Qiang Zhang ,&nbsp;Xue-Mei Lu ,&nbsp;Yu-Ping Man ,&nbsp;Qi-Qi Chen ,&nbsp;Yuan Liu ,&nbsp;Jian Wang ,&nbsp;Shi-Hao Chen ,&nbsp;Wen-Jie Zhang ,&nbsp;Jin-Hu Wu ,&nbsp;Yan-Chang Wang","doi":"10.1016/j.envexpbot.2025.106145","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.envexpbot.2025.106145","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The typical feature of red-fleshed <em>Actinidia chinensis</em> is the radical redness of the locules in the inner pericarp. However, in commercial orchards, we observed that kiwifruit on vines exhibiting leaf chlorosis symptoms also showed an extension of reddish flesh to the outer pericarp. The mechanisms linking anthocyanin accumulation in the outer pericarp of kiwifruit with leaf chlorosis remain poorly understood. Through establishment of the field and callus treatment experiments under iron deficiency, we analyzed element contents, fruit quality and differentially expressed genes, and confirmed that iron deficiency contributes to both the anthocyanin accumulation in the outer pericarp and the chlorosis symptoms in the leaves and fruit. Additionally, we found that genes involved in anthocyanin biosynthesis, as well as <em>MYB75</em>, were significantly activated, with <em>MYB75</em> playing a key role in activating many of these genes. Two <em>DELLA</em> proteins of GA pathway were significantly induced, while <em>LBD37like,</em> a repressor of anthocyanin pathway, was inhibited by iron deficiency. A lot of iron transporters and storage proteins related to iron deficiency responses were identified in the over-reddened fruit. These discoveries enhance our understanding of anthocyanin regulation under iron deprivation and provide insights into how fruit responds to iron deficiency.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11758,"journal":{"name":"Environmental and Experimental Botany","volume":"233 ","pages":"Article 106145"},"PeriodicalIF":4.5,"publicationDate":"2025-04-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143823762","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Nitrogen allocation and trade-off among growth and defense strategies of ornamental herbaceous plants exposed to increasing ozone concentrations","authors":"Ning Yang ,&nbsp;Samuele Risoli ,&nbsp;Chunlan Liu ,&nbsp;Qing Qiao ,&nbsp;Lorenzo Cotrozzi ,&nbsp;Elisa Pellegrini ,&nbsp;Cristina Nali ,&nbsp;Caihong Li ,&nbsp;Feixiang Zheng ,&nbsp;Mengyao Ma ,&nbsp;Yuanxin Ding","doi":"10.1016/j.envexpbot.2025.106139","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.envexpbot.2025.106139","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Nitrogen (N) allocation and trade-offs across primary and secondary metabolic pathways help to evaluate plant adaptive capacity to harsh environmental conditions. Tropospheric ozone (O₃) is a major concern for ecosystem health, particularly in highly polluted cities like those of China. Here, <em>Salvia splendens</em>, <em>Zinnia elegans</em> and <em>Helianthus annuus</em> plants were exposed to ambient air (AA), moderate (AA+40 ppb, AA+40) and elevated (AA+80 ppb, AA+80) O₃ concentrations to explore interspecific differences in N allocation and O₃-response strategies. Photosynthetic rate (A) of <em>S. splendens</em> increased at 15 and 32 days from the beginning of the exposure (FBE; +24 % on average) under AA+ 40, whereas decreased in <em>Z. elegans</em> under both AA+ 40 and AA+ 80 (-24 %, on average, at 15 days FBE), and in <em>H. annuus</em> under AA+ 80 (-18 % at 32 days FBE). AA+ 80 reduced N based on leaf area (N_area) in all the three species. In addition, in <em>S. splendens</em>, AA+ 40 promoted N allocation to photosynthesis (N_photo; +10 % at 32 days FBE) and decreased the N allocation to cell wall (N_CW, -24 % throughout the entire exposure period), whereas in <em>Z. elegans</em> N_photo was decreased at 15 and 48 days FBE (-38 %, on average) and no change was reported in N_CW. Differently, both N_photo and N_CW decreased under AA+ 80 in all the three species. AA+40 maintained or improved the biomass production of <em>S. splendens</em> and <em>Z. elegans</em>, whereas <em>H. annuus</em> growth was inhibited. Overall, <em>S. splendens</em> and <em>Z. elegans</em> better adapted to AA+ 40 compared to <em>H. annuus</em>, which was attributed to increased contributions of N_photo and N to chemical defense, highlighting species-specific strategies in adapting to O₃-stress conditions.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11758,"journal":{"name":"Environmental and Experimental Botany","volume":"233 ","pages":"Article 106139"},"PeriodicalIF":4.5,"publicationDate":"2025-04-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143807345","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Seasonal patterns between wood formation and non-structural carbohydrate in two conifers with distinct life-history traits","authors":"Nipeng Qian ,&nbsp;Linxu Wang ,&nbsp;Gangdun Li ,&nbsp;Chunchao Dong ,&nbsp;Qijing Liu ,&nbsp;Guang Zhou","doi":"10.1016/j.envexpbot.2025.106141","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.envexpbot.2025.106141","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Understanding the dynamics of wood formation and non-structural carbohydrates (NSCs) in trees is essential for unraveling mechanisms underlying carbon allocation and storage. While temperature is widely acknowledged as a key driver of growth initiation in temperate trees, the relative contributions of air and soil temperatures remain poorly quantified. In addition, the role of temperature in regulating the cessation of wood formation has received limited attention. In this study, we monitored intra-annual wood formation of <em>Picea koraiensis</em> and <em>Larix olgensis</em> across an altitudinal gradient and assessed seasonal variation in NSC concentrations in leaves, xylem, and phloem in Changbai Mountain. Growth onset was delayed by 3.3 per 100 m increase in altitude for <em>Picea</em> and 2.5 days for <em>Larix</em>. <em>Picea</em> initiated growth earlier and ceased later than <em>Larix</em>, reflecting species-specific phenological strategies. Growth onset was primarily driven by cumulative thermal conditions, particularly growing degree days, whereas cold degree days emerged as the sole temperature-related factor significantly associated with growth cessation. Despite contrasting seasonal patterns of NSC dynamics between deciduous <em>Larix</em> and evergreen <em>Picea</em>, the mobilization of NSCs was closely synchronized with cambial activity in both species. Starch concentrations reached their annual minima, and sugar concentrations peaked during periods of maximum width of cell enlargement and wall thickening, suggesting a conserved physiological mechanism for carbon utilization during xylem development. These findings reveal the interplay between temperature, phenology, and NSC dynamics in regulating xylem growth and carbon allocation. By elucidating these processes, this study advances our understanding of how temperate forests may respond to shifting climatic conditions.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11758,"journal":{"name":"Environmental and Experimental Botany","volume":"233 ","pages":"Article 106141"},"PeriodicalIF":4.5,"publicationDate":"2025-04-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143815047","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Integration of phytohormone signaling under abiotic stress","authors":"Marcia Margis-Pinheiro,&nbsp;Ian C. Dodd,&nbsp;Christine Foyer,&nbsp;Nelson Saibo,&nbsp;Zhiyong Wang","doi":"10.1016/j.envexpbot.2025.106111","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.envexpbot.2025.106111","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":11758,"journal":{"name":"Environmental and Experimental Botany","volume":"232 ","pages":"Article 106111"},"PeriodicalIF":4.5,"publicationDate":"2025-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143738885","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Influence of sulphate and other anions on leaf apoplastic pH and stomatal closure in Vicia faba under salinity stress","authors":"Philipp Meyer ,&nbsp;Maximilian Hendgen ,&nbsp;Christoph-Martin Geilfus","doi":"10.1016/j.envexpbot.2025.106140","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.envexpbot.2025.106140","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Salinity-induced stress perceived at plant roots elicits complex systemically orchestrated physiological responses in plants, with ionic imbalances and osmotic pressures playing pivotal roles in modulating stomatal regulation. This study investigates how different anions (Cl^–, NO^3–, SO₄^2–, and PO₄^3–) influence root and leaf apoplastic pH (pH_apo) and stomatal closure in <em>Vicia faba</em> under saline conditions. Using a microscopy-based real-time pH_apo imaging approach, we demonstrate that transient alkalinisation in the leaf apoplast is anion-specific and varies with leaf maturity, with Cl^– and NO^3– eliciting stronger pH_apo increases than SO₄^2– and PO₄^3–. Notably, the root apoplast pH remained unaffected by short-term salinity, highlighting that the alkalinisation is localised to the shoot and likely linked to xylem-translocated ionic effects. Findings reveal that stomatal aperture reductions occurred across treatments regardless of the magnitude of apoplastic alkalinisation. Among the anions studied, SO₄^2– displayed unique regulatory potential, suggesting a role in stomatal behaviour. These results provide new insights into the interplay between ionic stress, apoplastic pH regulation, and stomatal responses, offering potential targets for improving salinity tolerance in crops.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11758,"journal":{"name":"Environmental and Experimental Botany","volume":"233 ","pages":"Article 106140"},"PeriodicalIF":4.5,"publicationDate":"2025-03-31","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143799203","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Targeted expression of OsHMA3 driven by the OsYSL16 promoter decreases Cd accumulation in grains","authors":"Meng Zhao ,&nbsp;Yong Yang ,&nbsp;Tian-Long Han ,&nbsp;Jia-Shi Peng ,&nbsp;Ji-Ming Gong ,&nbsp;Shuan Meng","doi":"10.1016/j.envexpbot.2025.106138","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.envexpbot.2025.106138","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Reducing cadmium (Cd) levels in rice grains through genetic improvement is an effective strategy for rice production in Cd-contaminated soils. In this study, we developed transgenic rice lines from Zhongzao39, featuring targeted expression of <em>OsHMA3</em> driven by the <em>OsYSL16</em> promoter. We conducted a comparative analysis to evaluate the phenotypic and physiological responses of transgenic rice lines versus wild-type (WT) plants under Cd treatment. Under 0.1, 1, and 10 μM Cd treatment conditions, transgenic rice plants exhibited a reduction of over 30 % in shoot Cd content. Notably, at 10 μM Cd treatment, Cd levels in the xylem sap of transgenic rice plants were significantly lower than those in WT plants. Additionally, shoot fresh weight and dry weight of the transgenic lines were increased by more than 60 %, while the corresponding root fresh weight and dry weight increased by 22.6–29.7 %. Furthermore, levels of hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂), malondialdehyde (MDA), and activities of peroxidase (POD) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) were significantly lower in the transgenic lines compared to WT plants. Importantly, expression levels of <em>OsCAL1</em>, <em>OsIRT1</em>, <em>OsIRT2</em>, <em>OsNRAMP1</em>, and <em>OsHMA2</em> in the roots of transgenic rice plants were significantly reduced compared to those in WT plants. The Cd contents in grains and leaves, as well as the transport of Cd from leaves to grains, were significantly lower in the transgenic rice plants, achieving a reduction in grain Cd content of over 70 %. Together, these results indicate that <em>OsHMA3</em> expression driven by the <em>OsYSL16</em> promoter effectively inhibits Cd translocation from roots to shoots and from leaves to grains, ultimately reducing Cd accumulation in grains. This provides a novel strategy for rice cultivation in Cd-contaminated soils, enhancing food safety and agricultural sustainability.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11758,"journal":{"name":"Environmental and Experimental Botany","volume":"233 ","pages":"Article 106138"},"PeriodicalIF":4.5,"publicationDate":"2025-03-31","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143761206","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Responses of photosynthesis and respiration of wheat leaves to elevated CO2 are not constrained by soil nitrogen","authors":"Qi Liu ,&nbsp;Ding Ming Zheng ,&nbsp;Qiao Yu Yan ,&nbsp;Xuming Wang ,&nbsp;Huixing Kang ,&nbsp;Lei Li ,&nbsp;Xiao Ying Gong","doi":"10.1016/j.envexpbot.2025.106132","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.envexpbot.2025.106132","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Low nitrogen (N) availability could attenuate the enhancement of leaf photosynthesis under elevated CO₂ concentration (eCO₂), but there is still conflicting evidence. Moreover, the response of leaf respiration to eCO₂ and N supplementation is not well understood. To explore the effects of eCO₂ and N availability on leaf photosynthesis and respiration, wheat plants (<em>Triticum aestivum</em> L.) were grown under ambient (420 μmol mol⁻¹) and elevated (840 μmol mol⁻¹) CO₂ concentrations in combination with low (2 mmol L⁻¹) and high N (8 mmol L⁻¹ nitrate) treatments. We found that eCO₂ decreased leaf N content but significantly increased the net photosynthesis rate (<em>A</em>_n) of young leaves by c. 10 % under both N levels, and there was no significant interaction between eCO₂ and N treatments on <em>A</em>_n. eCO₂ decreased the <em>A</em>_n of old leaves, which may be due to the accelerated leaf senescence at eCO₂. Leaf respiration in the light (<em>R</em>_L) and darkness (<em>R</em>_Dk) decreased under eCO₂ in both N treatments for both leaf age classes, and eCO₂ amplified the increase in leaf respiration with leaf N. Our results showed that the response of photosynthesis to eCO₂ was not limited by soil N availability, and eCO₂ modulated the relationship between leaf respiration and leaf [N], providing implications for understanding and modeling CO₂ fertilization.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11758,"journal":{"name":"Environmental and Experimental Botany","volume":"233 ","pages":"Article 106132"},"PeriodicalIF":4.5,"publicationDate":"2025-03-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143734562","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"A wheat NAC transcription factor, TaNAC018-7D, regulates seed dormancy and germination by binding to the GA biosynthesis gene TaGA7ox-A1","authors":"Wenlu Chen,&nbsp;Chenchen Wang,&nbsp;Qishi Zhuang,&nbsp;Wei Liu,&nbsp;Renjie Wang,&nbsp;Jinhao Chen,&nbsp;Xinyi Xu,&nbsp;Yanan Yan,&nbsp;Huihui Xu,&nbsp;Chuanxi Ma,&nbsp;Cheng Chang,&nbsp;Haiping Zhang","doi":"10.1016/j.envexpbot.2025.106130","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.envexpbot.2025.106130","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Pre-harvest sprouting (PHS) reduces grain yield and quality and poses a serious threat to global wheat production. Seed dormancy and germination are closely related to PHS resistance. However, the intricate regulatory processes governing seed dormancy and germination remain largely unknown. Here, we reported that a NAC transcription factor gene (<em>TaNAC018–7D</em>) is highly expressed in weak-dormancy wheat cultivar Jing 411 compared with a strong-dormancy landrace Hongmangchun 21 during seed germination. Germination tests revealed that <em>TaNAC018–7D</em> negatively regulates seed dormancy and positively mediates germination in transgenic lines of <em>Arabidopsis</em> and rice, and wheat mutants induced by ethyl methane sulfonate in the Jing 411 background. Subcellular localization analysis indicated that TaNAC018–7D is located in the nucleus and cytoplasm. Physiological, biochemical, and molecular experiments indicated that TaNAC018–7D interacts with the promoter of the GA biosynthesis gene <em>TaGA7ox-A1</em> and activates its expression, thereby shortening seed dormancy and promoting germination. In summary, this study provides a new target gene for improving wheat PHS resistance, and improves the understanding of the complex regulatory network of PHS resistance.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11758,"journal":{"name":"Environmental and Experimental Botany","volume":"233 ","pages":"Article 106130"},"PeriodicalIF":4.5,"publicationDate":"2025-03-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143726000","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Red, blue and far-red light affect strawberry plant development and fruit quality without changing the susceptibility to Botrytis cinerea infection","authors":"Hua Li ,&nbsp;Dorthe H. Larsen ,&nbsp;Rob E. Schouten ,&nbsp;Diede de Jager ,&nbsp;Xinhe Huang ,&nbsp;Salem Agboyinu ,&nbsp;Mengxiao Wang ,&nbsp;Ric C.H. de Vos ,&nbsp;Jan A.L. Van Kan ,&nbsp;Leo F.M. Marcelis ,&nbsp;Ernst J. Woltering","doi":"10.1016/j.envexpbot.2025.106133","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.envexpbot.2025.106133","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Light regulates plant development, fruit quality characteristics and pathogen defense through primary and secondary metabolism. We investigated the effects of light spectrum on plant development, the levels of primary and secondary metabolites and fungal susceptibility in strawberry fruit harvested in turning and red ripe stages. Strawberry plants were grown in a climate chamber under different red (R) to blue (B) light ratios with and without ∼50 μmol m^–2 s^–1 additional far-red (FR) light. A total photosynthetic photon flux density (PPFD) of ∼180 μmol m^–2 s^–1 was applied with a 16 h day length. Low R to B light ratios resulted in lower levels of sucrose but higher levels of ascorbic acid, proanthocyanidin, (<em>E</em>)-2-hexenal and (<em>Z</em>)-3-hexenol in fruit. No effects of R to B ratios on plant morphology, flowering time and fruit set were observed. Additional FR light increased plant height, accelerated flower and fruit formation; decreased levels of ascorbic acid and anthocyanins but increased levels of soluble sugar and strawberry flavor-related volatiles. Fruit susceptibility to <em>B. cinerea</em> was not affected by the light treatments.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11758,"journal":{"name":"Environmental and Experimental Botany","volume":"233 ","pages":"Article 106133"},"PeriodicalIF":4.5,"publicationDate":"2025-03-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143726002","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Physiological response of the endemic Mediterranean seagrass, Posidonia oceanica to multiple stresses","authors":"Judit Garcia ,&nbsp;Tania Mesa ,&nbsp;Sabina Villadangos ,&nbsp;Gaspar Fuster ,&nbsp;Sergi Munné-Bosch","doi":"10.1016/j.envexpbot.2025.106131","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.envexpbot.2025.106131","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The endemic Mediterranean marine angiosperm, <em>Posidonia oceanica</em>, stands out for being a biostructuring seagrass species with a great importance in trophic relations and coastal erosion protection. This study aimed to understand the physiological response of this emblematic seagrass to multiple stresses, with an emphasis on evaluating the acclimatory capacity of juvenile leaves to low temperatures during winter in three sites with a contrasting exposure to heavy metals of anthropogenic origin in the Mediterranean coast near Cadaqués (NE Spain). Heavy metal concentrations together with multiple physiological stress markers, including the capacity of photo- and antioxidant protection and the extent of lipid peroxidation, were evaluated. Shoots from the three studied sites accumulated foliar concentrations of heavy metals that were higher than reference threshold values, especially for Cu, which showed a decreasing concentration gradient from the coast to the open sea. The maximum photochemical efficiency of Photosystem II (PSII) (<em>F</em>_v/<em>F</em>_m ratio) of juvenile leaves was sensitive to low temperatures, despite values attained did not indicate damage to PSII, which was confirmed with studies of recovery of the <em>F</em>_v/<em>F</em>_m ratio and the absence of symptoms of photo-oxidative stress. However, the presence of heavy metals seemed to negatively influence PSII photochemistry, as sites with the highest Cu concentrations also showed the lowest <em>F</em>_v/<em>F</em>_m ratios during spring, even though water temperature had already warmed. <em>F</em>_v/<em>F</em>_m values attained were not recoverable after an extended dark acclimation period, thus indicating damage to PSII. Heavy metals did not seem to exert a negative synergistic effect with low temperatures but rather affected the physiological performance of newly produced juvenile leaves during spring. Despite the great capacity of this species to adapt to multiple stresses, results underscore the need to urgently reduce the current human footprint on seagrass meadows in the Mediterranean basin.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11758,"journal":{"name":"Environmental and Experimental Botany","volume":"233 ","pages":"Article 106131"},"PeriodicalIF":4.5,"publicationDate":"2025-03-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143726001","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}