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The effects that ultraviolet radiation (UVR, 280 to 400 nm) and photosynthetically active radiation (PAR, 400 to 700 nm) had on early life stages of Mastocarpus stellatus and Chondrus crispus were studied to determine if differences in UVR tolerance could influence their recruitment success on the upper eulittoral shores of Helgoland (North Sea). Photosynthesis, germination capacity, DNA damage and carpospore repair were measured after exposures to different time lengths and intensities of PAR + UV-A + UV-B, PAR + UV-A or PAR alone, and also after recovery in low white light. Germination and photosynthesis of the low light adapted carpospores of both species were inhibited as PAR was increased. Supplemental UV-A and UV-B had a small additional effect on the F v /F m of M. stellatus but this effect was more pronounced in C. crispus. However, photosynthesis of both species significantly recovered after 48 h. Carpospore viability in C. crispus was more sensitive than in M. stellatus to UVR, while a higher dose was needed to achieve 50% germination inhibition in M. stellatus. Furthermore, UV-B-induced DNA damage, measured as cyclobutane-pyrimidine dimers (CPDs), was less in M. stellatus spores, which also exhibited an efficient DNA repair mechanism compared with C. crispus. In contrast, growth and chlorophyll a contents in young gametophytes of both species were not affected by repeated UV exposures. Higher total carotenoid was measured in plants exposed to UVR, indicating a photoprotection role, because photosynthesis completely acclimated to UVR after 3 d. Furthermore, DNA damage was not detected on mature fronds of both species when exposed to the full solar spectrum. Therefore, the susceptibility of carpospores to UVR could influence species recruitment to the upper eulittoral zone.

Stratospheric ozone depletion and the concomitant increase in irradiance of ultraviolet-B radiation (UVB) at the earth's surface represent major threats to terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. In costal rocky shore environments, seaweeds constitute a group of organisms of particular significance to ecosystem function. Thus, impairment of seaweed performance by UVB-exposure may result in severe changes in the functioning of coastal ecosystems. Here we present our view on how UVB radiation affects seaweed physiology and ecology and, thus, shapes the coastal environment by affecting the spatial, species and functional structure of seaweed communities.

Measurements of photosynthesis, germination capacity and assessment of DNA damage were carried out in the laboratory to determine the effect of different conditions of ultraviolet (W) and photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) on zoospores of various large brown algae collected on Spitsbergen (Svalbard, High Arctic) and Tarifa (Cbdiz, southern Spain). Results were correlated to in situ light conditions and indicated that zoospores suffer photoinhibition of photosynthesis, loss of viability and DNA damage in relation to the growth depth of parental sporophytes. At both sites, germination capacity of zoospores in species collected in deep waters was more strongly mpaired after exposure to the same UV doses than in species from shallower waters. In general, zoospores exposed to PAR+UVA+UVB showed higher mortality rates than after exposure to PAR+UVA or PAR alone. For Larmnana digitata from Spitsbergen, it was found that the loss of zoospore viability is the result of DNA damage and photodamage of the photosynthetic apparatus. UVB irradiances occurring in southern Spain at water depths shallower than 7 m prevented the germination of spores of deep water Laminariales from this region.

Depth distribution of kelp species in Helgoland (North Sea) is characterized by occurrence of Laminaria digitata in the upper sublittoral, whereas L . saccharina and L . hyperborea dominate the mid and lower sublittoral region. Laminaria digitata is fertile in summer whereas both other species are fertile in autumn/winter. To determine the light sensitivity of the propagules, zoospores of L. digitata , L . saccharina and L . hyperborea were exposed in the laboratory to different exposure times of photosynthetically active radiation (PAR; 400-700 nm), PAR + UVA radiation (UVAR; 320-400 nm) and PAR + UVAR + UVB radiation (UVBR; 280-320 nm). Optimum quantum yield of PSII and DNA damage were measured after exposure. Subsequently, recovery of photosynthetic efficiency and DNA damage repair, as well as germination rate were measured after 2 and 3 d cultivation in dim white light. Photosynthetic efficiency of all species was photoinhibited already at 20 m m m m mol photons m ----2 s ----1 PAR, whereas UV radiation (UVR) had a significant additional effect on photoinhibition. Recovery of the PSII function was observed in all species but not in spores exposed to irradiation longer than 4 h of PAR + UVA + UVB and 8 h of PAR + UVA. The amount of UVB-induced DNA damage measured as cyclobutane-pyrimidine dimers (CPDs) increased with exposure time and highest damage was detected in the spores of lower subtidal L . hyperborea relative to the other two species. Significant removal of CPDs indicating repair of DNA damage was observed in all species after 2 d in low white light especially in the spores of upper subtidal L . digitata . Therefore, efficient DNA damage repair and recovery of PSII damage contributed to the germination success but not in spores exposed to 16 h of UVBR. UV absorption of zoospore suspension in L . digitata is based both on the absorption by the zoospores itself as well as by exudates in the medium. In contrast, the absorption of the zoospore suspension in L . saccharina and L . hyperborea is based predominantly on the absorption by the exudates in the medium. This study indicates that UVR sensitivity of zoospores is related to the seasonal zoospore production as well as the vertical distribution pattern of the large sporophytes.

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