Determination of chlorophyll and carotenoid content in Mediterranean riparian forest species using visible spectroscopy.
- 1Hydrobiology Group, Department of Systems and Natural Resources, Higher Technical School of Forestry, Forest and Natural Environment, Polytechnic University of Madrid, University City, 28040 Madrid, Spain.
- 2National Polytechnic Institute, Higher School of Economics, Plan de Agua Prieta 66, Plutarco Elías Calles, Miguel Hidalgo, 11350 Mexico City, Mexico.
Abstract
Leaf-level optical measurements are essential for monitoring Mediterranean riparian forests. This study used visible spectroscopy (400-750 nm) to determine and quantify leaf pigments in five species: Salix salviifolia, Fraxinus angustifolia, Alnus glutinosa, Populus nigra, and Prunus avium. We followed Hansmann's method for sample processing and quantified chlorophyll using Arnon's equation. We collected samples from sun-exposed leaves in spring under standardized conditions. Results indicated that Alnus glutinosa and Populus nigra exhibited the highest chlorophyll a concentrations [1.35 and 1.29 mg g⁻¹ (FM)], followed by Fraxinus angustifolia [1.17 mg g⁻¹(FM)], Salix salviifolia [0.61 mg g⁻¹(FM)], and Prunus avium [0.25 mg g⁻¹(FM)]. The chlorophyll a/b ratio exceeded 2.0 in most species, peaking in Salix salviifolia (2.90). These findings reveal significant functional differences in pigment composition, confirming the utility of this method for monitoring the physiological status of the vegetation in the Manzanares River, Spain.
Related
- Red–Blue and White Supplementary Light Increase Carotenoid Accumulation and Improve Fruit Quality in Satsuma Mandarin: Associations with Chlorophyll Content and Carotenogenic Gene Expression
- Cold acclimation of tomato plants is associated with differential expression of genes of the SlLHC family, carotenoid metabolism, and chlorophyll accumulation/degradation.
- Hybrid retrieval method for leaf chlorophyll content mapping of winter wheat from EnMAP spaceborne imaging spectroscopy data
- The caddisfly gut microbiome contributes to the consumption of riparian leaf litter within rivers
- Soil nitrogen dynamics in riparian zones of two Arctic rivers
BibTeX
@article{mena2026determination,
title = {{Determination of chlorophyll and carotenoid content in Mediterranean riparian forest species using visible spectroscopy.}},
author = {M Martínez Mena and M D L Soto Rosales and D García de Jalón},
journal = {Photosynthetica},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.32615/ps.2026.033},
url = {https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42974300},
note = {CC BY-NC-ND},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Determination of chlorophyll and carotenoid content in Mediterranean riparian forest species using visible spectroscopy.
AU - M Martínez Mena
AU - M D L Soto Rosales
AU - D García de Jalón
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/13
JO - Photosynthetica
DO - 10.32615/ps.2026.033
UR - https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42974300
AB - Leaf-level optical measurements are essential for monitoring Mediterranean riparian forests. This study used visible spectroscopy (400-750 nm) to determine and quantify leaf pigments in five species: Salix salviifolia, Fraxinus angustifolia, Alnus glutinosa, Populus nigra, and Prunus avium. We followed Hansmann's method for sample processing and quantified chlorophyll using Arnon's equation. We collected samples from sun-exposed leaves in spring under standardized conditions. Results indicated that Alnus glutinosa and Populus nigra exhibited the highest chlorophyll a concentrations [1.35 and 1.29 mg g⁻¹ (FM)], followed by Fraxinus angustifolia [1.17 mg g⁻¹(FM)], Salix salviifolia [0.61 mg g⁻¹(FM)], and Prunus avium [0.25 mg g⁻¹(FM)]. The chlorophyll a/b ratio exceeded 2.0 in most species, peaking in Salix salviifolia (2.90). These findings reveal significant functional differences in pigment composition, confirming the utility of this method for monitoring the physiological status of the vegetation in the Manzanares River, Spain.
SN - 0300-3604
SN - 1573-9058
ER -