GLIDER MEASUREMNETS OF
PHYTOPLANKTON PHYSIOLOGY
IN PALMER DEEP
What can a physiology approach tell us
about the Palmer deep populations?
*f
Quantum efficiency of ……..
Absorption
Spectrally averaged absorption
700nm
 a( ) * Eo( )d
Irradiance
0.00
0.00 0.20 0.40 0.60 0.80 1.00
a ph  400nm
 Eo( )d
400nm
oxygen
60.00
dEd ( )
  K d ( ) Ed ( )
dz
Energy that is into the cell
Varies cell pigmentation, light history,
and size

carbon
fixation
Low
Dep t h (m )

Fluorescence
or charge
separation
700nm
20.00
40.00
80.00
~ 1%
100.00
Energy into the ocean
Varies with depth according to the IOPs
IOPs with radiative transfer eqns describe the AOPS
High
Photosynthesis = PAR *
Scalar visible irradiance
growth
Efficiency of converting energy into
End product (electrons, oxygen, carb
Varies with end product and physiolo
F0  a ph  FII  PAR 
kf
k f  kd  k p
Fm  a ph  FII  PAR 
Fm  F0
Fm

kf
k f  kd
kp
k f  kd  k p
Depth (m)
0
100
-64.8
Latitude
Deep Canyon
-63.9
Longitude
-64.95
-64.4
-0.6
-0.4
Temperature (Celsius)
0.8
1.0
Depth (m)
0
100
-64.8
Latitude
Deep Canyon
-64.95
33.4
-63.9
Longitude
-64.4
33.6
Salinity
34.2
34.4
Depth (m)
0
100
-64.8
Latitude
Deep Canyon
-64.95
0
0.1
-63.9
Longitude
-64.4
Maximum quantum yield (Fv/Fm)
0.6
0.7
Depth (m)
0
100
-64.8
Latitude
Deep Canyon
-64.95
0
5
-63.9
Longitude
-64.4
Fluorescence-zero (volts)
20
25
Fluorescence rise
Integrated area is
reflection of the absorption
cross-section
Other useful indices
FLUORESCENCE INDUCTION
Photons
Low
light
cells
High
light
cells
Photo-acclimation
Time
Flash is on
RC2
Depth (m)
0
100
-64.8
Latitude
-63.9
-64.95
50
Longitude
-64.4
Sigma PSII
350
Fl
14C
Based on Moline et al. 1998
fmax (mol C mol photons absorbed-1)
Rough seas
Antarctic
0.125
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
0.105
8
0.085
0.065
9
4
5
6
10
0.045
11
0.025
20
21
0.005
23
13
15
7 16
14
50
22
3
19 18
17
100
Arabian Sea (SW Monsoon)
Arabian Sea (Inter Monsoon)
Arabian Sea (NE Monsoon)
Antarctic (Bransfield-Bellingshausen water)
Antarctic (Bransfield-Weddell water)
Antarctic (Ice-Edge water)
Antarctic (Weddell-Scotia Confluence waters)
Antarctic (Bellingshausen Cold water)
Antarctic (Bellingshausen Warm water)
Antarctic (Transitional Weddell Water)
Antarctic (Palmer Station)
Canary Islands (Fall)
NE Atlantic Subtropical Gyre (Fall)
NW Atlantic Subtropical Gyre (Fall)
Gulf Stream (Fall)
NW Atlantic Continental Shelf (Fall)
Canary Islands (Spring)
NE Atlantic Subtropical Gyre (Spring)
NW Atlantic Subtropical Gyre (Spring)
Gulf Stream (Spring)
NW Atlantic Continental Shelf (Spring)
Southern California Bight
New Jersey Coastal Region
12
1
Oligotrohic
seas
2
150
200
250
300
Ek(PAR) (μmol photons m-2 s-1)
350
CONCLUSIONS
There is spatial variability in the biomass and the physiology
Healthiest phytoplankton are found at the edge of the canyon associated
with the warmer bottom temperatures
Populations appear to dark light adapted
Photosystem II saturates earlier than carbon fixation