Pepperdine University Pepperdine Digital Commons Featured Research Undergraduate Student Research 2014 Measuring Photosynthesis to Evaluate Photoprotection by Anthocyanins in Malosma laurina Jorge Bojorkez-Calderon Pepperdine University Hannah Imson Pepperdine University Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.pepperdine.edu/sturesearch Part of the Biology Commons Recommended Citation Bojorkez-Calderon, Jorge and Imson, Hannah, "Measuring Photosynthesis to Evaluate Photoprotection by Anthocyanins in Malosma laurina" (2014). Pepperdine University, Featured Research. Paper 113. https://digitalcommons.pepperdine.edu/sturesearch/113 This Research Poster is brought to you for free and open access by the Undergraduate Student Research at Pepperdine Digital Commons. It has been accepted for inclusion in Featured Research by an authorized administrator of Pepperdine Digital Commons. For more information, please contact [email protected], [email protected], [email protected]. Measuring Photosynthesis to Evaluate Photoprotection by Anthocyanins in Malosma laurina Jorge Bojorkez-Calderon & Hannah Imson Pepperdine University, Seaver College Abstract Materials and Methods Conclusion The purpose of this investigation was to • Laurel Sumac (Malosma laurina) • Flow = 300 µmol m-2 s-1 There were several significant differences observe the differences between the identified between the red and green • Juvenile red and green leaf photosynthetic rates and photo-protection of • CO2 = 400 µmol/mol leaves of Malosma laurina. While the young, red, juvenile leaves of Malosma • Li-6400XT Portable Photosynthesis photosynthetic rates of the green leaves laurina, and compare it to young, green System • Temperature = 23ºC averaged 20, the photosynthetic rate of the leaves. To accomplish this, the open-system much younger red leaves averaged 4. of Li-6400 XT was brought out into the field In order to determine whether or not anthocyanins play an essential role in the photoprotection This significant difference is due to the to a shrub of Malosma laurina that was of Malosma laurina, photosynthesis was measured using the Li-6400XT Portable Photosynthesis presence of anthocyanin, which absorbs flourishing and had both red and green System. Constant variables were used to determine any changes in the leaf’s ability to enable excess light and various energies of light leaves present. Then, data of fluorescence, the process of photosynthesis. The only variable that was increased throughout the experiment photosynthetic rate, and conductance was was the amount of photons (Quantum), which was increased in increments of 200 µmol m-2 s-1 at lower frequencies than chlorophyll can taken from both red leaves and green from 1000 to 2000 µmol m-2 s-1. All data was collected on Pepperdine’s campus. absorb. Therefore, our group can leaves, and the photosynthetic rates were conclude that the presence of anthocyanin compared. Through this investigation, we is very effective in the photoprotection of were able to quantify that in young, red Results the juvenile leaves. leaves, which had anthocyanin, the photosynthetic rate was lower when 22 4 s) compared to the young, green leaves on the s) 2 2 References same plant. 21 3.5 mol/m 1. Bilger, W., & Björkman, O. (1990). Role of the mol/m µ µ xanthophyll cycle in photoprotection elucidated by measurements of light-induced absorbance changes, Introduction 20 fluorescence and photosynthesis in leaves of Hedera 3 canariensis. Photosynthesis Research, 25(3), Anthocyanin, like chlorophyll, is a pigment 173-185. 19 molecule present in plants. However, while 2. Merzlyak, M. N., & Chivkunova, O. B. (2000). Light- chlorophyll reflects green light, anthocyanin 2.5 stress-induced pigment changes and evidence for Photosynthesis( reflects red light, a much lower frequency, Photosynthesis( anthocyanin photoprotection in apples. Journal of Photochemistry and Photobiology B: Biology, 55(2), and therefore absorbs less energy. Pigment 18 500 1000 1500 2000 2500 500 1000 1500 2000 2500 2 155-163. 2 PPFD (µmol/m s) molecules are very involved in PPFD (µmol/m s) 3. Pratt, R. B., Ewers, F. W., Lawson, M. C., Jacobsen, photosynthesis in that they absorb the FIGURE 1: Shows the linear relationship of green leaves and FIGURE 2: Shows the linear relationship of red leaves and the A. L., Brediger, M. M., & Davis, S. D. (2005). energy needed to push those reactions the rate of photosynthesis as photons (or sunlight) is increased. rate of photosynthesis as photons (or sunlight) is increased. Mechanisms for tolerating freeze–thaw stress of two evergreen chaparral species: Rhus ovata and forward, and carotenoids and anthocyanins TABLE 1: Summarizes Malosma laurina (Anacardiaceae). American Journal Quantum Green Leaf – Photosynthesis Red Leaf – Photosynthesis the data collected out of Botany, 92(7), 1102-1113. function to take absorb excess sunlight in the field for both (µmol m-2 s-1) (µmol m-2 s-1) (µmol m-2 s-1) leaves in one plant of (Bliger and Björkman 1990). Anthocyanins Malosma laurina 1000 18.6 2.57 1200 19.5 3.07 in particular, have also been speculated to protect again UV damage (Merzlyak and 1400 20.2 3.47 Acknowledgements 1600 20.6 3.50 Chivkunova 2000). 1800 21.1 3.71 We would like to thank the Natural Science 2000 21.4 3.85 Malosma laurina, also known as laurel Division at Pepperdine University for their sumac, utilizes this pigment molecule to ongoing support during this experiment and help defend against the Mediterranean-like Discussion for lending us their equipment. We would environmental conditions it faces. The also like to thank Dr. Stephen Davis for his juvenile leaves of Malosma are easily After establishing the linear relationship between the production of photosynthesis and the undivided attention during our initial stages of identified by their rich red color and soft amount of photons received by a leaf, we were able to determine the rate of photosynthesis planning. We truly hope this experiment leaves, while the mature leaves are tougher between a green leaf and a red leaf found in the same plant of Malosma laurina (figure 1 and 2). incorporates a big concept the biology of and green colored. Upon further statistical analysis, we decided to execute the Student t-test and compared the two plants. Thank you! groups to determine the significance of producing anthocyanins. The Student t-test along with an Through the use of Li-6400 XT, the objective ANOVA analysis, under equal variance, gave us a p-value of 0.001, lower than an alpha set at of our group is to determine the difference in 0.05, making it statistically significant. The statistical analysis allowed for us to accept our photo-protection levels between the red, hypothesis, which makes logical sense. Since red leaves tend to have higher anthocyanins, red juvenile leaves and the green, juvenile pigmentation, they utilize most of their energy protecting themselves from harmful UV light (both leaves of Malosma laurina. We will be A and B rays) (Pratt et al. 2005). Green leaves can be thought as more mature, which causes observing the differences in photosynthetic them to utilize the majority of their resources activating the process of photosynthesis. If you look rates, as well as the various fluorescence at the data found in table 1, you can already determine that green leaves are working values. We expect to see lower significantly harder, approximately 5-6 times harder, to convert light into energy. photosynthetic rates in the red leaves. .