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Diel Patterns in Chlorophyll a Specific Absorption Coefficient and Absorption Efficiency Factor of Picoplankton

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Abstract

Diel patterns in the chlorophyll a specific absorption coefficient of surface picoplankton, a*pico (γ) (m2·[mg chlorophyll a]−1), were studied at 7 stations under daily cycle of in situ light condition in the western subarctic Pacific and Japan Sea. All the data were normalized by dividing the anomaly with daily averaged a*pico (γ). Opposite diel patterns were observed for the normalized a*pico (443) and a*pico (675) with maximum toward dawn or dusk and minimum toward midday at 4 stations under low-irradiance (LI) conditions and vice versa at 3 stations under high-irradiance (HI) conditions. The absorption efficiency factors at red absorption peak, Q a (675), were determined by reconstruction with intracellular chlorophyll a concentration and cell diameter. The normalized Q a (675) also showed diel pattern with maximum toward midday and minimum toward dawn or dusk under LI. The diel pattern in a*pico (675) and Q a (675) were primarily caused by changes in intracellular chlorophyll a concentration due to photoadaptation under LI. The diel pattern in a*pico (443) was influenced by pigmentation, as recognized by blue to red ratio [a*pico (443)/a*pico (675)] under HI. This study proposed that the opposite diel pattern in a*pico (γ) might occur for a wide range of algal species. The results presented here have important consequences for the interpretation of diel variations in optical properties observed in the open ocean.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratory of Biological Oceanography, Department of Environmental Engineering for Symbiosis, Faculty of Engineering, Soka University, Tangi-cho, Hachiouji, 192-8577, Japan

    Nobuaki Ohi & Satoru Taguchi

  2. Tohoku National Fisheries Research Institute, Shinhama-cho, Shiogama, 985-0001, Japan

    Hiroaki Saito

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  1. Nobuaki Ohi
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  2. Hiroaki Saito
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Correspondence to Nobuaki Ohi.

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Ohi, N., Saito, H. & Taguchi, S. Diel Patterns in Chlorophyll a Specific Absorption Coefficient and Absorption Efficiency Factor of Picoplankton. J Oceanogr 61, 379–388 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10872-005-0048-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10872-005-0048-9

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