Photosynthesis under copper excess: changes in the biochemical and biophysical factors in Silene paradoxa L. copper tolerant and sensitive populations

In this study, we compared two populations of S. paradoxa, respectively collected from a Cu-enriched soil and an uncontaminated one, to shed light on the differential effect of Cu excess on the photosynthetic machinery in tolerant and sensitive populations. Particular attention was addressed to the different photosynthetic factors (biochemical and biophysical) that could be differentially affected by Cu in the two contrasting populations.