Maintaining photosynthetic integrity over carbon gain is a key adaptive mechanism among plant species in the trans-Himalayan region.

Authors

Sumit Jamwal, Manu Khajuria, Villayat Ali, Mohd Ali, Shafali Bhasin, Dhiraj Vyas

Published in

Plant science : an international journal of experimental plant biology. Pages 113394. Aug 22, 2026. Epub Aug 22, 2026.

Abstract

The cold desert ecosystem of the trans-Himalayan Ladakh region presents extreme micro-environmental challenges that shape plant physiological responses and ecological distribution. This study examined the photosynthetic performance and photoprotective mechanisms of four co-occurring plant species, viz. Christolea crassifolia, Nepeta floccosa, Rheum australe, Tanacetum gracile, and their comparison with a widely adapted native species, Lepidium latifolium to study the adaptive strategies supporting their ecological amplitude. L. latifolium exhibited significantly (p ≤ 0.05) lower P_N rates compared to the other plants, which may be a trade-off mechanism between carbon assimilation and photoprotection, thereby prioritizing tolerant mechanisms over maximizing photosynthesis. Despite its reduced carbon assimilation, it maintained a stable photochemical efficiency, indicating active photoprotective responses, including regulated energy dissipation (NPQ mediated by zeaxanthin, HY5, and PsbS), high water use efficiency (iWUE & eWUE), and sustained photosystem integrity at high altitudes. The decrease in various physiological processes including Fv/Fm, PIABS and electron transport (ETo/RC), suggested a conservative resource-use strategy that minimises photodamage and enhances physiological adaptation under fluctuating intense-radiation, low-temperature photooxidative environments. Our results suggested that the wide ecological amplitude of L. latifolium in Ladakh might be due to its capacity to promote resilience and adaptability in a variety of microhabitats by prioritizing photosystem protection above productivity. This study emphasizes the importance of photoprotective physiology in determining the plant spread at high altitudes.

PMID:
42632570
Bibliographic data and abstract were imported from PubMed on 23 Aug 2026.

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