Quantum yield estimates of phytoplankton on the Grand Banks for use in production models
Seasonal estimates of water-column quantum yield (4,) for carbon fixation have been computed for continental shelf waters off Newfoundland. Mean values of &. showed a two-sixfold variation from spring through summer. A shift in distribution of normalized quantum yield (i.e. &j&,,,) towar...
| Main Authors: | , |
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| Format: | Text |
| Language: | English |
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| Online Access: | http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/summary?doi=10.1.1.505.6681 http://www.aslo.org/lo/toc/vol_37/issue_6/1271.pdf |
| Summary: | Seasonal estimates of water-column quantum yield (4,) for carbon fixation have been computed for continental shelf waters off Newfoundland. Mean values of &. showed a two-sixfold variation from spring through summer. A shift in distribution of normalized quantum yield (i.e. &j&,,,) toward lower values in the upper 20 m suggested the frequent occurrence of light saturation. The estimated spccihc absorption coefficient for phytoplankton (ap,, Chl-‘) also varied seasonally. Net plankton had a lower specific absorption (spring) than the nanoplankton which dominate the postbloom season (summer-fall) on the Grand Banks. A good correlation between surface incident photosynthetically available radiation (PAR) and &/&,ax allows a reasonable prediction of mean water-column quantum yield &. Seasonal estimates of 4,. and a,,,, which essentially parame-terize the light-harvesting and photosynthetic capabilities of phytoplankton, could be used to refine satellite production models based on remote sensing. Optical properties of the upper ocean, the penetration of photosynthetically available radiation (PAR) to depth, and phytoplank- |
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