Studio della biodiversità fotosintetica di diverse specie vegetali presenti all'Orto Botanico di Padova

Photosynthetic biodiversity plays a crucial role in understanding how plants adapt to different environmental conditions. This study investigates the photosynthetic activity of numerous plant species at the Padua Botanical Garden using an instrument called “MultispeQ” for field measurements. The “MultispeQ” measures environmental conditions such as light intensity, temperature, relative humidity, pressure, and leaf temperature. It also assesses key plant phenotypes, including fluorescence-based photosynthetic parameters like maximum quantum efficiency (Fv’/Fm’) and non-photochemical quenching (NPQ), as well as leaf chlorophyll content. Initially, we validated measurement reproducibility by comparing data obtained by two independent “MultispeQ” devices and also between “MultispeQ” and a “Pulse-Amplitude-Modulation (PAM) imaging”. Next, we evaluated photosynthetic activity in four Oleaceae species (Fraxinus ornus, Ligustrum ovalifolium, Olea europaea, and Syringa vulgaris) adapted to various environmental conditions, such as different light exposure and water availability, and grown in different position of the Botanical Garden. Finally, we included 79 species, strategically selected across the phylogenetic spectrum of Viridiplantae (Embryophyta). Our findings confirm the reliability of “MultispeQ” data and demonstrates that for the Oleaceae family there is a significant acclimation signal in Syringa vulgaris when exposed to sunlight, making it similar to olive trees, which are naturally adapted to sunlight environments. Notably, broader phylogenetic analysis indicates no significant differences in photosynthetic activity among the diverse species analyzed, highlighting the intricate nature of photosynthetic adaptation through the plant biodiversity. This research outlines the complexity and variability of these adaptations and emphasizing the importance of studying a wide range of species to better understand how they can adjust their photosynthetic activity to different environments.