Phytoplankton responses to natural ultraviolet irradiance during early spring in the Weddell-Scotia Confluence: An experimental approach

Journal Article · Sat Dec 31 04:00:00 EST 1994 · Antarctic Journal of the United States

OSTI ID:181818

Ferreyra, G A ^[1]; Schloss, E R ^[2]; Neale, P J ^[3]

---

1. Universite du Quebec a Rimouski, Rimouski (Canada)
2. Insitute Antartico Argentino (Argentina)
3. Smithsonian Environmental Research Center, Edgewater, MD (United States); and others

In the last few years, antarctic stratospheric ozone thinning has resulted in an increase of ultraviolet (UV)-B radiation incident on the southern ocean surface waters. Recent investigations have suggested that the enhanced UV-B can decrease areal primary production in the southern oceans, but the exact reduction remains controversial (6-12 percent, 0.12-0.33 percent). One factor that can reduce long-term exposure to UV radiation is vertical mixing of the water column. Furthermore, several internal mechanisms have been suggested as possible strategies to minimize cell damage. The synthesis of photoprotective substances could reduce deleterious effects on microalgae physiology. Most of the experimental research deployed until now has focused on short-term exposure effects and has not considered the influence of irradiance under mixing conditions of the water column. During the austral spring 1993 the long-term (days) effects of natural UV radiation on phytoplankton physiology was studied using fixed and variable UV filters. Primary productivity and synthesis of photoprotective substances were measured. 11 refs., 2 figs.

• OSTI ID: 181818
• Journal Information: Antarctic Journal of the United States, Journal Name: Antarctic Journal of the United States Journal Issue: 5 Vol. 29; ISSN AJUSAF; ISSN 0003-5335
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

56 BIOLOGY AND MEDICINE
APPLIED STUDIES
ANTARCTIC REGIONS
BIOLOGICAL ADAPTATION
BIOLOGICAL RADIATION EFFECTS
PHYTOPLANKTON
PRODUCTIVITY
ULTRAVIOLET RADIATION
VARIATIONS