Abstract: Leaf discs from the pot-cultured seedlings of tree species and understory shrub species in a natural subtropical forest were treated with methyl viologen (MV) solution under low light or high light illumination. The degradation of chlorophyll and the leakage rate of electrolytes through membrane were enhanced by the increasing MV concentration and prolonged time of treatment. Membrane injury was more serious than oxidative bleaching of chlorophyll under the same condition. When leaf discs were subjected to short term (1 h) exposure of MV-photooxidation in high light (1 300 μmol·m-2·s-1), a pronounced decrease of Fv/Fm, ФPSⅡ and qp, as well as △A505, △A320 and ratio of qp/qN were observed in all tested species, which were accompanied by the increase of qN, KD and Fo. It demonstrated that photooxidation led to PSⅡ inactivation expressing in the reduction of the number of PS Ⅱ centre undergoing a stable charge separation and efficiency of the primary photochemical efficiency and noncyclic electron transport of PS Ⅱ. Partial excitation energy might dissipate via the useful nonphotochemical fluorescence quenching, but the lowering of △A505 was not consistent with the elevation of qN. Understory shrub Psychotria rubra Poir., Ardisia quinquegona BI. Showed more susceptibility to photooxidation than the upper canopy tree species Schima superba Gardn. et Champ., Castanopsis fissa (Champ.) ex Benth. ) Rend. et Wils. and Syzygium rehderianum Merr. et Perry.

Key words: Photooxidation, Membrane injury, PSⅡ inactivation, Subtropical woody plants, Methyl viologen