Light and productivity of Antarctic phytoplankton during austral summer in an ice edge region in the Weddell-Scotia Sea
The photosynthesis-irradiance relationships (P-I curves) of natural plankton samples were studied in the Weddell Sea ice-edge zone, between Elephant Island and South Orkney Islands, during the austral summer of 1988–89. Three water bodies were distinguished in the region: Bellingshausen Sea waters m...
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Oxford University Press
1994
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fthighwire:oai:open-archive.highwire.org:plankt:16/3/233 2023-05-15T14:00:49+02:00 Light and productivity of Antarctic phytoplankton during austral summer in an ice edge region in the Weddell-Scotia Sea Figueiras, F.G. Pérez, F.F. Pazos, Y. Rios, A.F. 1994-01-01 00:00:00.0 text/html http://plankt.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/content/short/16/3/233 https://doi.org/10.1093/plankt/16.3.233 en eng Oxford University Press http://plankt.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/content/short/16/3/233 http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/plankt/16.3.233 Copyright (C) 1994, Oxford University Press ORIGINAL ARTICLES TEXT 1994 fthighwire https://doi.org/10.1093/plankt/16.3.233 2007-06-24T05:31:35Z The photosynthesis-irradiance relationships (P-I curves) of natural plankton samples were studied in the Weddell Sea ice-edge zone, between Elephant Island and South Orkney Islands, during the austral summer of 1988–89. Three water bodies were distinguished in the region: Bellingshausen Sea waters modified after flowing through Drake Passage and Bransfield Strait, Weddell Sea waters and Weddell Sea waters modified by melting. The stations situated in modified Bellingshausen waters showed a net phytoplankton composition which was different from that of the other two water bodies. Weddell Sea waters and Weddell Sea waters modified by melting of sea ice had the same net phytoplankton composition. In the area of modified Weddell Sea waters, there was an accumulation of phytoplankton in the upper 40 m (>4 mg Chl m−1). pB, and α were independent of depth, but varied between stations. The P-I parameters exhibited an east-west gradient with the maximum values in the Elephant Island region, where large diatoms were absent. The light-saturation parameter I k averaged 35 ± 13 μmol m−2 s−1. The mean irradiance of the upper mixed layer was 34±13 μmol m−2 s−1, thus virtually equal to I k . These results are discussed in the context of critical depth ( Z c, net compensation irradiance ( I n ) and depth of the upper mixed layer ( Z uml ). We suggest that the phytoplankton in the region is adapted to maximize its carbon uptake and growth rate at the mean irradiance of the upper mixed layer ( I uml ) in well-mixed zones. We also suggest that the light-saturation parameter ( I k ) could be the irradiance at which photosynthesis approximately compensates the total losses of the community ( I n ). Text Antarc* Antarctic Bellingshausen Sea Bransfield Strait Drake Passage Elephant Island Scotia Sea Sea ice South Orkney Islands Weddell Sea HighWire Press (Stanford University) Antarctic Weddell Sea Austral Drake Passage Scotia Sea Bellingshausen Sea Bransfield Strait Weddell South Orkney Islands ENVELOPE(-45.500,-45.500,-60.583,-60.583) Elephant Island ENVELOPE(-55.184,-55.184,-61.085,-61.085) Journal of Plankton Research 16 3 233 253 |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
HighWire Press (Stanford University) |
op_collection_id |
fthighwire |
language |
English |
topic |
ORIGINAL ARTICLES |
spellingShingle |
ORIGINAL ARTICLES Figueiras, F.G. Pérez, F.F. Pazos, Y. Rios, A.F. Light and productivity of Antarctic phytoplankton during austral summer in an ice edge region in the Weddell-Scotia Sea |
topic_facet |
ORIGINAL ARTICLES |
description |
The photosynthesis-irradiance relationships (P-I curves) of natural plankton samples were studied in the Weddell Sea ice-edge zone, between Elephant Island and South Orkney Islands, during the austral summer of 1988–89. Three water bodies were distinguished in the region: Bellingshausen Sea waters modified after flowing through Drake Passage and Bransfield Strait, Weddell Sea waters and Weddell Sea waters modified by melting. The stations situated in modified Bellingshausen waters showed a net phytoplankton composition which was different from that of the other two water bodies. Weddell Sea waters and Weddell Sea waters modified by melting of sea ice had the same net phytoplankton composition. In the area of modified Weddell Sea waters, there was an accumulation of phytoplankton in the upper 40 m (>4 mg Chl m−1). pB, and α were independent of depth, but varied between stations. The P-I parameters exhibited an east-west gradient with the maximum values in the Elephant Island region, where large diatoms were absent. The light-saturation parameter I k averaged 35 ± 13 μmol m−2 s−1. The mean irradiance of the upper mixed layer was 34±13 μmol m−2 s−1, thus virtually equal to I k . These results are discussed in the context of critical depth ( Z c, net compensation irradiance ( I n ) and depth of the upper mixed layer ( Z uml ). We suggest that the phytoplankton in the region is adapted to maximize its carbon uptake and growth rate at the mean irradiance of the upper mixed layer ( I uml ) in well-mixed zones. We also suggest that the light-saturation parameter ( I k ) could be the irradiance at which photosynthesis approximately compensates the total losses of the community ( I n ). |
format |
Text |
author |
Figueiras, F.G. Pérez, F.F. Pazos, Y. Rios, A.F. |
author_facet |
Figueiras, F.G. Pérez, F.F. Pazos, Y. Rios, A.F. |
author_sort |
Figueiras, F.G. |
title |
Light and productivity of Antarctic phytoplankton during austral summer in an ice edge region in the Weddell-Scotia Sea |
title_short |
Light and productivity of Antarctic phytoplankton during austral summer in an ice edge region in the Weddell-Scotia Sea |
title_full |
Light and productivity of Antarctic phytoplankton during austral summer in an ice edge region in the Weddell-Scotia Sea |
title_fullStr |
Light and productivity of Antarctic phytoplankton during austral summer in an ice edge region in the Weddell-Scotia Sea |
title_full_unstemmed |
Light and productivity of Antarctic phytoplankton during austral summer in an ice edge region in the Weddell-Scotia Sea |
title_sort |
light and productivity of antarctic phytoplankton during austral summer in an ice edge region in the weddell-scotia sea |
publisher |
Oxford University Press |
publishDate |
1994 |
url |
http://plankt.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/content/short/16/3/233 https://doi.org/10.1093/plankt/16.3.233 |
long_lat |
ENVELOPE(-45.500,-45.500,-60.583,-60.583) ENVELOPE(-55.184,-55.184,-61.085,-61.085) |
geographic |
Antarctic Weddell Sea Austral Drake Passage Scotia Sea Bellingshausen Sea Bransfield Strait Weddell South Orkney Islands Elephant Island |
geographic_facet |
Antarctic Weddell Sea Austral Drake Passage Scotia Sea Bellingshausen Sea Bransfield Strait Weddell South Orkney Islands Elephant Island |
genre |
Antarc* Antarctic Bellingshausen Sea Bransfield Strait Drake Passage Elephant Island Scotia Sea Sea ice South Orkney Islands Weddell Sea |
genre_facet |
Antarc* Antarctic Bellingshausen Sea Bransfield Strait Drake Passage Elephant Island Scotia Sea Sea ice South Orkney Islands Weddell Sea |
op_relation |
http://plankt.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/content/short/16/3/233 http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/plankt/16.3.233 |
op_rights |
Copyright (C) 1994, Oxford University Press |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1093/plankt/16.3.233 |
container_title |
Journal of Plankton Research |
container_volume |
16 |
container_issue |
3 |
container_start_page |
233 |
op_container_end_page |
253 |
_version_ |
1766270154478452736 |