Impact of ultraviolet-B radiation on photosystem II activity and its relationship to the inhibition of carbon fixation rates for antarctic ice algae communities
- Univ. of California, Santa Barbara, CA (United States)
- Univ. of Amsterdam (Netherlands)
One goal of the Icecolors 1993 study was to determine whether or not photosystem II (PSII) was a major target site for photoinhibition by ultraviolet-B radiation (Q{sub UVB}, 280-320 nm) in natural communities. Second, the degree to which Q{sub UVB} inhibition of PSII could account for Q{sub UVB} effects on whole cell rates of carbon fixation in phytoplankton was assessed. On 1 October, 1993, at Palmer Station (Antarctica), dense samples of a frazil ice algal community were collected and maintained outdoors in the presence or absence of Q{sub UVB} and/or ultraviolet-A (Q{sub UVA}, 320-400 nm) radiation. The time of day course of UV inhibition of primary production was tracted. Over the day, {phi}{sub IIe}{degrees} declined due to increasing time-integrated dose exposure of Q{sub UVB}. The Q{sub UVB}-driven inhibition of {phi}{sub IIe}{degrees} increased from 4% in the early morning hours to a maximum of 23% at the end of the day. The Q{sub UVB} photoinhibition of PSII quantum yield did not recover by 6 h after sunset. In contrast, photoinhibition by Q{sub UVA} and photosynthetically available radiation (Q{sub PAR}, 400-700 nm) recovered during the late afternoon. Fluorescence-based estimates of carbon fixation rates were linearly correlated with measured carbon fixation. Fluorescence overestimated the observed Q{sub UVB} inhibition in measured carbon fixation rates. Researchers should be cautious in using fluorescence measurements to infer ultraviolet inhibition for rates of carbon fixation until there is a greater understanding of the coupling of carbon metabolism to PSII activity for natural populations. Despite these current limitations, fluorescence-based technologies represent powerful tools for studying the impact of the ozone hole on natural populations on spatial/temporal scales not possible using conventional productivity techniques. 55 refs., 11 figs., 2 tabs.
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE
- OSTI ID:
- 181884
- Journal Information:
- Journal of Phycology, Vol. 31, Issue 5; Other Information: PBD: Oct 1995
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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