Diurnal changes in the bio-optical properties of the phytoplankton in the Alborán Sea (Mediterranean Sea) |
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| Authors: | Jesús M Mercado Teodoro Ramírez Dolores Corts Marta Sebastin Andreas Reul Begoa Bautista |
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| Institution: | aInstituto Español de Oceanografía, Centro Oceanográfico de Málaga, Puerto Pesquero s/n. Apdo. 285, 29640 Fuengirola (Málaga), Spain;bDepartamento de Ecología, Universidad de Málaga, Campus de Teatinos, 29071-Málaga, Spain |
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| Abstract: | The changes in the phytoplankton absorption properties during a diurnal cycle were investigated at one station located in the north-western area of the Alborán Sea. The experiment was performed in spring when the water column was strongly stratified. This hydrological situation permitted the establishment of a deep chlorophyll a (chl a) fluorescence maximum (DFM) which was located on average close to the lower limit of the mixed layer and the nutricline. The relative abundance of pico-phytoplankton (estimated as its contribution to the total chl a) was higher in the surface, however, micro-phytoplankton dominated the community at the DFM level. Chl a specific absorption coefficient (a*(λ)) also varied with optical depth, with a* (the spectrally average specific absorption coefficient) decreasing by 30% at the DFM depth with respect to the surface. A significant negative correlation between the contribution of the micro-phytoplankton to the total chl a and a* was obtained indicating that a* reduction was due to changes in the packaging effect. Below the euphotic layer, a* increased three-fold with respect to the DFM, which agrees with the expected accumulation of accessory pigments relative to chl a as an acclimation response to the low available irradiance. The most conspicuous change during the diurnal cycle was produced in the euphotic layer where the chl a concentration decreased significantly in the afternoon (from a mean concentration of 1.1 μg L−1 to 0.7 μg L−1) and increased at dusk when it averaged 1.4 μg L−1. In addition, a* and the blue-to-red absorption band ratio increased in the afternoon. These results suggest that a*(λ) diurnal variability was due to increase in photo-protective and accessory pigments relative to chl a. The variation ranges of a*(λ) at 675 and 440 nm (the absorption peaks in the red and blue spectral bands, respectively) in the euphotic layer were 0.01–0.04 and 0.02–0.10 m2 mg−1 chl a, respectively. Approximately 30% out of this variability can be attributed to the diurnal cycle. This factor should therefore be taken into account in refining primary production models based on phytoplankton light absorption. |
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| Keywords: | daily cycle light absorption nutrients phytoplankton Mediterranean Sea Alborá n Sea |
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