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Diel variations in the photosynthetic parameters of coastal marine phytoplankton
Author(s) -
MacCaull Wendy A.,
Platt Trevor
Publication year - 1977
Publication title -
limnology and oceanography
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.7
H-Index - 197
eISSN - 1939-5590
pISSN - 0024-3590
DOI - 10.4319/lo.1977.22.4.0723
Subject(s) - diel vertical migration , phytoplankton , photosynthesis , environmental science , oceanography , ecology , rhythm , atmospheric sciences , biology , geology , botany , nutrient , physics , acoustics
The diel variations in the assimilation number, P m B , of natural assemblages of coastal marine phytoplankton were examined and a working model proposed to characterize the apparent diel rhythm. No rhythm could be distinguished for the initial slope of the light saturation curve, α , although α and P m B were highly correlated and the daily and hourly variations in α were as great as those in P m B . Diel variations in the derived parameter I k (≡ P m B /α ) were described by a model similar to that proposed for P m B . The rhythm P m B was found to have a significant effect on the estimation of daily productivity. Correlations with environmental covariates support the hypothesis that the photosynthetic rhythms observed in the field result both from intrinsic oscillations within the phytoplankton cells and from varying environmental factors.