The comparative UVB photobiology of Phaeocystis antarctica and selected species of Antarctic marine diatoms ...

• Main Author: Davidson, Andrew T
• Format: Thesis
• Language: unknown
• Published: University Of Tasmania 2023
• Subjects: Antarctic; Davis Station; Davis-Station; Southern Ocean; Antarc*; Antarctica; Sea ice
• Online Access: https://dx.doi.org/10.25959/23233709.v1; https://figshare.utas.edu.au/articles/thesis/The_comparative_UVB_photobiology_of_Phaeocystis_antarctica_and_selected_species_of_Antarctic_marine_diatoms/23233709/1

Stratospheric ozone protects the earth's surface from short wavelength UVB radiation. Over Antarctica, ozone concentrations presently fall to less than 30% of pre-ozone hole values during spring and ozone depletion persists into January and February. UVB reduces phytoplankton growth, primary production and survival in the upper 10-20 meters of the water column. Shallow phytoplankton blooms in the sea ice and marginal ice zone, which are responsible for much of the primary production in the Southern Ocean, appear vulnerable to damage by increased UV-B radiation. This thesis examines the effect of UVB radiation on Phaeocystis antarctica and selected species of Antarctic marine diatoms. The colonial stage in the life cycle of P. antarctica was found to possess high concentrations of UV-absorbing compounds but diatoms lacked significant concentrations of these compounds. Results from the laboratory using artificial sources of UVB, and obtained under natural solar radiation at Davis Station, Antarctica, showed ...