Abstract

Photosynthesis of Colobanthus quitensis and mesoclimatic conditions of air temperature and light intensity during the growing season were investigated at 2,650 m in the central Chilean Andes. On three typical days of the growing period (January, March and May), CO2 exchange and chlorophyll fluorescence were measured. In addition, a series of fluorescence response curves with increasing light intensity at different temperatures were performed to estimate the propensity of Andean C. quitensis populations to be photoinhibited. Net Photosynthesis (Pn) was low (ca. 2.0 mmol CO2 m-2s-1) during the morning and noon in days with high photosynthetic active radiation (PAR, above 1,800 mmol photons m-2s-1). Pn increased in the afternoon (3.5-4.8 mmol CO2 m-2s-1) when PAR decreased to ca. 1,400 mmol photons m-2s-1 and leaf temperature were ca. 20