Photosynthetic pigments of the Siberian spruce needles in the middle taiga forests of the European North-East Russia

Abstract

The seasonal changes in content and ratio of chlorophylls and carotenoids in the Siberian spruce Picea obovata Ledeb. needles growing in bilberry, bilberry-sphagnum and polytric-sphagnum forest types in the middle taiga subzone of the European North-East were studied. The largest amount of chlorophyll in needles is accumulated towards late summer and autumn, the smallest one – in winter and is determined by forest growth and environmental conditions. А functional realignment of needle pigment of the spruce forests on boggy-podzolic soils was revealed. Edaphic environmental factors affect pigment complex of spruce needles. Excessive soil moisture content at particular vegetation periods in forest types on boggy-podzolic soils depresses pigment synthesis in needles. There exists a linear dependence of chlorophyll content in spruce needles from studied spruce communities on soil temperature during vegetation period. Yellow pigments in spruce needles was exposed to lower fluctuations during the growing season. The increase of the relative content of carotenoids having a protective role of the photosynthetic apparatus from damage by low temperatures was noted in the winter. The character of the seasonal dynamics of carotenoid in contrast to the chlorophyll in spruce studied phytocenoses was identical. Needles of Siberian spruce are characterized by stable accumulation of photosynthetic pigments belonging to the light-harvesting complex.

Keywords

• Siberian spruce Picea obovata Ledeb.
• chlorophyll
• carotenoids
• needles
• taiga
• north