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DISTRIBUTION OF CARBON AMONG PHOTOSYNTHETIC END‐PRODUCTS IN PHYTOPLANKTON OF THE EASTERN CANADIAN ARCTIC 1
Author(s) -
Platt Trevor
Publication year - 1982
Publication title -
journal of phycology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.85
H-Index - 127
eISSN - 1529-8817
pISSN - 0022-3646
DOI - 10.1111/j.1529-8817.1982.tb03211.x
Subject(s) - phytoplankton , biology , arctic , irradiance , range (aeronautics) , photosynthesis , the arctic , algae , polar night , oceanography , ecology , botany , atmospheric sciences , nutrient , physics , materials science , quantum mechanics , composite material , geology
The distribution of 14 C among photosynthetic end‐products was examined in eastern Canadian arctic phytoplankton, with particular emphasis on the synthesis of lipids. The pattern of 14 C distribution for phytoplankton at each of three depths was generally similar among populations from 12 stations. About 18% of the total 14 C fixed was incorporated into lipids. At one station, phytoplankton were experimentally subjected to temperature and light conditions different from those in situ: lipid‐ 14 C did not exceed 30% of total 14 C fixed within the temperature range ‐1.0 to 6.0° C and irradiance range 1 to 700 W · m −2 . It is suggested that low temperatures and low light intensities, even when, maintained for prolonged periods, are not fully sufficient conditions for eliciting high relative rates of 14 C incorporation into lipids. It is possible that differences in species composition may be a factor accounting for different patterns of 14 C distribution between north and south polar phytoplankton under apparently similar environmental conditions.