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An in situ study of photosynthetic oxygen exchange and electron transport rate in the marine macroalga Ulva lactuca (Chlorophyta)

journal contribution
posted on 2023-05-18, 02:03 authored by Longstaff, BJ, Kildea, T, Runcie, JW, Cheshire, A, Dennison, WC, Catriona HurdCatriona Hurd, Kana, T, Raven, JA, Larkum, AWD
Direct comparisons between photosynthetic O2 evolution rate and electron transport rate (ETR) were made in situ over 24 h using the benthic macroalga Ulva lactuca (Chlorophyta), growing and measured at a depth of 1.8 m, where the midday irradiance rose to 400–600 μmol photons m−2 s−1. O2 exchange was measured with a 5-chamber data-logging apparatus and ETR with a submersible pulse amplitude modulated (PAM) fluorometer (Diving-PAM). Steady-state quantum yield ((Fm′−Ft)/Fm′) decreased from 0.7 during the morning to 0.45 at midday, followed by some recovery in the late afternoon. At low to medium irradiances (0–300 μmol photons m−2 s−1), there was a significant correlation between O2 evolution and ETR, but at higher irradiances, ETR continued to increase steadily, while O2 evolution tended towards an asymptote. However at high irradiance levels (600–1200 μmol photons m,sup>−2 s−1) ETR was significantly lowered. Two methods of measuring ETR, based on either diel ambient light levels and fluorescence yields or rapid light curves, gave similar results at low to moderate irradiance levels. Nutrient enrichment (increases in [NO3], [NH4+] and [HPO42-] of 5- to 15-fold over ambient concentrations) resulted in an increase, within hours, in photosynthetic rates measured by both ETR and O2 evolution techniques. At low irradiances, approximately 6.5 to 8.2 electrons passed through PS II during the evolution of one molecule of O2, i.e., up to twice the theoretical minimum number of four. However, in nutrient-enriched treatments this ratio dropped to 5.1. The results indicate that PAM fluorescence can be used as a good indication of the photosynthetic rate only at low to medium irradiances.

History

Publication title

Photosynthesis Research

Volume

74

Pagination

281-293

ISSN

0166-8595

Department/School

Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies

Publisher

Kluwer Academic Publ

Place of publication

Van Godewijckstraat 30, Dordrecht, Netherlands, 3311 Gz

Rights statement

Copyright 2002 Kluwer Academic Publishers

Repository Status

  • Restricted

Socio-economic Objectives

Expanding knowledge in the biological sciences