Effects of iron stress on chromatic adaptation by natural phytoplankton communities in the Southern Ocean

• Published in: Marine Ecology Progress Series
• Main Authors: van Leeuwe, M.A., Timmermans, K.R., Witte, H.J., Kraay, G.W., Veldhuis, M.J.W., de Baar, H.J.W.
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: 1998
• Subjects: iron; chromatic adaptation; antarctic phytoplankton; CHLOROPHYLL-A FLUORESCENCE; EQUATORIAL PACIFIC-OCEAN; BLUE-GREEN LIGHT; PHAEODACTYLUM-TRICORNUTUM; PHOTOSYNTHETIC APPARATUS; MARINE-PHYTOPLANKTON; CHEMICAL-COMPOSITION; SCOTIA SEAS; WEDDELL SEA; GROWTH; Antarctic; Pacific; Southern Ocean; Weddell; Weddell Sea; Antarc*
• Online Access: https://hdl.handle.net/11370/5dc2a789-337d-490f-a9f4-05eaca989394; https://research.rug.nl/en/publications/5dc2a789-337d-490f-a9f4-05eaca989394; https://doi.org/10.3354/meps166043; https://pure.rug.nl/ws/files/14977211/1998MarEcolProgServLeeuwe.pdf

Effects of iron stress on chromatic adaptation were studied in natural phytoplankton communities collected in the Pacific region of the Southern Ocean. Iron enrichment experiments (48 to 72 h) were performed, incubating plankton communities under white, green and blue light respectively, with and without addition of 2 nM Fe. Pigment ratios were affected by iron addition only to a minor extent. The pigment composition as dictated by the light conditions was similar for both the iron-enriched and the unamended bottles. Upon iron addition, phytoplankton auto-fluorescence, as estimated by flow cytometry, decreased markedly, indicating iron stress of the endemic phytoplankton community. It was concluded that iron did not control chromatic adaptation via the pigment composition, but exerted a clear effect on the efficiency of electron transfer.