Physiological Responses of the Submerged Macrophyte Stuckenia pectinata to High Salinity and Irradiance Stress to Assess Eutrophication Management and Climatic Effects: An Integrative Approach

Stuckenia pectinata, a submerged macrophyte of eutrophic to hyper-eutrophic fresh brackish waters, faces management and climatic-forced increment salinity irradiance in Vistonis Lake (Greece) that may endanger its existence the ecosystem functioning. A pre-acclimated clone under low conditions was treated understand effects high on suite subcellular (chlorophyll fluorescence kinetics JIP-test, chlorophyll content) organismal (relative growth rate—RGR) physiological parameters. The responses indicated plant’s great photo-acclimation potential regulate number size reaction centers photosynthetic electron transport chain by dissipation excess energy heat. statistically significant interaction (p < 0.01) Chl a, b content acclimation through adjusting contents. However, no > 0.05) difference observed a/b ratio RGR, indicating species’ become acclimatized reallocating resources compensate for growth. Thus, regulation pigment photosystem II performance consisted primary strategy present future stressful due eutrophication ongoing climatic changes.