The Effect of Photoacclimation on Photosynthetic Energy Storage Efficiency, Determined by Photoacoustics

Abstract

Photosynthesis rates in phytoplankton depend on light intensity and its spectral composition, however their relation changes with photoacclimation. During the photoacclimation process algal cells optimize their har-vesting and utilization of available light through series of related physical, biophysical, biochemical and physiological changes. These changes result in the ability of phytoplankton to survive under dim light when transported to the depth of the water column and avoid photodynamic damage when exposed to the intense radiation at the surface. Any reduction in the efficiency of light utilization results in decreased rates of pho-tosynthesis rate and slow growth. We present here the study of changes in photosynthetic energy storage efficiency of three phytoplankton species upon photoacclimation to low and high light, as measured by photo-acoustics. Our results illustrate the power of photoacoustics as a tool in aquatic ecology and in the physiological research of phytoplankton.