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Light history-dependent respiration explains the hysteresis in the daily ecosystem metabolism of seagrass

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Abstract

Oxygen flux between aquatic ecosystems and the water column is a measure of ecosystem metabolism. However, the oxygen flux varies during the day in a “hysteretic” pattern: there is higher net oxygen production at a given irradiance in the morning than in the afternoon. In this study, we investigated the mechanism responsible for the hysteresis in oxygen flux by measuring the daily pattern of oxygen flux, light, and temperature in a seagrass ecosystem (Zostera muelleri in Swansea Shoals, Australia) at three depths. We hypothesised that the oxygen flux pattern could be due to diel variations in either gross primary production or respiration in response to light history or temperature. Hysteresis in oxygen flux was clearly observed at all three depths. We compared this data to mathematical models, and found that the modification of ecosystem respiration by light history is the best explanation for the hysteresis in oxygen flux. Light history-dependent respiration might be due to diel variations in seagrass respiration or the dependence of bacterial production on dissolved organic carbon exudates. Our results indicate that the daily variation in respiration rate may be as important as the daily changes of photosynthetic characteristics in determining the metabolic status of aquatic ecosystems.

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Acknowledgments

MPA’s contribution to this work was funded by a University of Queensland Engineering, Architecture and Information Technology (UQ EAIT) Strategic Fellowship. PSM was funded by the University of Queensland Collaboration and Industry Engagement Fund (UQ CIEF).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Chemical Engineering, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD, 4072, Australia

    Matthew P. Adams, Paul S. Maxwell & Katherine R. O’Brien

  2. NSW Office of Environment and Heritage, 59 Goulburn Street, Sydney, NSW, 2000, Australia

    Angus J. P. Ferguson

  3. Healthy Waterways, 200 Creek Street, Spring Hill, QLD, 4004, Australia

    Paul S. Maxwell

  4. Mathematical Sciences School, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, QLD, 4000, Australia

    Brodie A. J. Lawson

  5. Marine Spatial Ecology Lab, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD, 4072, Australia

    Jimena Samper-Villarreal

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  1. Matthew P. Adams
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  2. Angus J. P. Ferguson
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Adams, M.P., Ferguson, A.J.P., Maxwell, P.S. et al. Light history-dependent respiration explains the hysteresis in the daily ecosystem metabolism of seagrass. Hydrobiologia 766, 75–88 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10750-015-2444-5

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