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Habitat-specific differences in adaptation to light in freshwater diatoms

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Abstract

The growth and physiological characteristics of eight strains of diatoms isolated from aquatic habitats with differing water column characteristics were studied under varying light intensities to compare adaptations to low and high light intensity. Diatoms isolated from different habitats were grouped into low light-adapted (LLA) and high light-adapted (HLA) diatoms based on their differences in growth and photoacclimation characteristics. LLA diatoms had higher growth rates and higher photosynthetic activity at relatively lower light intensities (2, 12.5, and 25 μmol photons m−2 s−1) compared to relatively higher light intensities (60 and 80 μmol photons m−2 s−1). HLA diatoms had higher growth rates and higher photosynthetic activity at relatively higher light intensities (60 and 80 μmol photons m−2 s−1) compared to relatively lower light intensities (2, 12.5 and 25 μmol photons m−2 s−1). LLA diatoms responded to high light by enhancing non-photochemical quenching (NPQ) while HLA diatoms responded to low light mainly by increasing chlorophyll a content. Habitat-specific differences in adaptation to light in diatoms led to differences in light intensity for the formation of diatom blooms in low-light ecosystems and high-light ecosystems. Based on the results of this study, we suggest that the adaptability of diatoms to local habitat conditions should be considered in order to understand the photosynthetic characteristics of these diatom species.

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Acknowledgments

The authors thank Dr. J.S. Owen for the valuable comments and for editing the manuscript and an anonymous reviewer and editor for their constructive suggestions. This work was supported by the National High Technology Research and Development Program of China (Grant No. 2012ZX07105-004), Huazhong Agricultural University Scientific & Technological Self-innovation Foundation (No.52902-0900205040) and Hubei Project for Research and Development (No. 2008BCA004).

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  1. College of Fisheries, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, China

    Pengling Shi

  2. Donghu Experimental Station of Lake Ecosystems, State Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology and Biotechnology, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430072, China

    Pengling Shi, Hong Shen, Wenjing Wang, Qiang Yang & Ping Xie

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Shi, P., Shen, H., Wang, W. et al. Habitat-specific differences in adaptation to light in freshwater diatoms. J Appl Phycol 28, 227–239 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10811-015-0531-7

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