ORIGINAL RESEARCH article
Front. Plant Sci.
Sec. Aquatic Photosynthetic Organisms
Thermal stress impairs photophysiology and redox balance in the kelp Lessonia spicata
Provisionally accepted
- Universidad de Playa Ancha, Valparaíso, Chile
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Climate change is driving significant warming in marine ecosystems, with profound consequences for macroalgae, which are key primary producers in temperate coastal habitats. Under the IPCC's moderate emission scenario SSP2-4.5, sea surface temperatures are expected to rise by ~2.7 °C by the end of the century, potentially altering the physiology, abundance, and distribution of habitat-forming species, such as Lessonia spicata (Ochrophyta). In this study, we experimentally assessed the physiological and biochemical responses of L. spicata to short-term thermal stress under laboratory-controlled conditions that simulate near-future ocean warming. Macroalgae were exposed for 14 days to two temperature regimes: a control at 15 °C and a treatment at 18 °C (+3 °C), consistent with IPCC projections. Elevated temperature reduced maximum quantum yield of photosystem II (Fv/Fm) and the maximum electron transport rate (ETRmax) and increased non-photochemical quenching (NPQmax), consistent with photochemical impairment and enhanced energy dissipation. Pigments declined while ROS and MDA increased and antioxidant capacity decreased, indicating redox imbalance. Together, these results reveal the rapid onset of photophysiological inhibition and oxidative stress in L. spicata under moderate warming, providing an ecophysiological baseline for understanding its thermal tolerance and resilient to climate change.
Keywords: Kelp physiology, Photoprotection, Reactive Oxygen Species, antioxidant capacity, phenolics compunds
Received: 20 Oct 2025; Accepted: 28 Nov 2025.
Copyright: © 2025 Navarrete, Troncoso, Lavergne, Molina and Celis-Plá. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
* Correspondence: Paula S.M. Celis-Plá
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