Put out the light, and then put out the light

Author(s):  
J.A. Raven ◽  
J.E. Kübler ◽  
J. Beardall

The lowest photon flux density of photosynthetically active radiation at which O2-evolving marine photolithotrophs appear to be able to grow is some 10 nmol photon m−2 s−1, while marine non-O2-evolvers can grow at 4 nmol photon m−2 s−1, in both cases with the photon flux density averaged over the 24 hour L:D cycle. Constraints on the ability to grow at very low fluxes of photosynthetically active radiation fall into three categories. Category one includes essential processes whose efficiency is independent of the rate of energy input, but whose catalysts show phylogenetic variation leading to different energy costs for a given process in different taxa, e.g. light-harvesting complexes, RUBISCO and probably in the sensitivity of PsII to photodamage. The second category comprises essential processes whose efficiency decreases with decreasing energy input rate as a result of back-reactions independent of the energy input rate, e.g. charge recombination following charge separation by PsII and short-circuit H+ fluxes across the thylakoid membrane which decrease the fraction of pumped H+ which can be used in adenosine diphosphate phosphorylation. Category two also includes that component of protein turnover which cannot be related to replacement of polypeptides which were incorrectly assembled following uncorrected errors of transcription or translation, or which were damaged by processes whose rate increases with increasing energy input rate such as photodamage to PsII. The third category includes only O2-dependent damage to the D1 protein of PsII whose rate increases with a decreasing incident flux of photosynthetically active radiation. Processes in categories two and three are most likely to impose the lower limit on the photon flux density which can support photolithotrophic growth. The available literature, mainly on organisms which are not adapted to growth at very low photon flux densities, suggests that three major limitations (charge recombination in PsII, H+ leakage and slippage, and protein turnover) can individually impose lower limits in excess of 20 nmol photon m−2 s−1 on photolithotrophic growth. Furthermore, these three limitations are interactive, so that considering all three processes acting in series leads to an even higher predicted lower photon flux density limit for photolithotrophic growth.

Atmosphere ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 10 (4) ◽  
pp. 219
Author(s):  
William Wandji Nyamsi ◽  
Philippe Blanc ◽  
John A. Augustine ◽  
Antti Arola ◽  
Lucien Wald

A clear–sky method to estimate the photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) at the surface level in cloudless atmospheres is presented and validated. It uses a fast and accurate approximation adopted in several radiative transfer models, known as the k-distribution method and the correlated-k approximation, which gives a set of fluxes accumulated over 32 established wavelength intervals. A resampling technique, followed by a summation, are applied over the wavelength range [0.4, 0.7] µm in order to retrieve the PAR fluxes. The method uses as inputs the total column contents of ozone and water vapor, and optical properties of aerosols provided by the Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service. To validate the method, its outcomes were compared to instantaneous global photosynthetic photon flux density (PPFD) measurements acquired at seven experimental sites of the Surface Radiation Budget Network (SURFRAD) located in various climates in the USA. The bias lies in the interval [−12, 61] µmol m−2 s−1 ([−1, 5] % in values relative to the means of the measurements at each station). The root mean square error ranges between 37 µmol m−2 s−1 (3%) and 82 µmol m−2 s−1 (6%). The squared correlation coefficient fluctuates from 0.97 to 0.99. This comparison demonstrates the high level of accuracy of the presented method, which offers an accurate estimate of PAR fluxes in cloudless atmospheres at high spatial and temporal resolutions useful for several bio geophysical models.


2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
William Wandji Nyamsi ◽  
Phillipe Blanc ◽  
John A. Augustine ◽  
Antti Arola ◽  
Lucien Wald

Abstract. A method is described that estimates the photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) at ground level in cloud-free conditions. It uses a fast approximation of the libRadtran radiative transfer numerical model, known as the k-distribution method and the correlated-k approximation of Kato et al. (1999). LibRadtran provides irradiances aggregated over several fixed spectral bands and a spectral resampling is proposed followed by an aggregation in the range [400, 700] nm. The Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service (CAMS) produces daily estimates of the aerosol properties, and total column contents in water vapor and ozone that are input to the method. A comparison of the results is performed against instantaneous measurements of global Photosynthetic Photon Flux Density (PPFD) on a horizontal plane made in cloud-free conditions at seven sites of the Surface Radiation network (SURFRAD) in the USA in various climates. The bias ranges between −12 µmol m−2 s−1 (−1 % of the mean value at Desert Rock) and +61 µmol m−2 s−1 (+5 % at Penn. State Univ). The root mean square error ranges from 37 µmol m−2 s−1 (3 %) to 82 µmol m−2 s−1 (6 %). The coefficient of determination R2 ranges between 0.97 and 0.99. This work demonstrates the quality of the proposed method combined with the CAMS products.


1984 ◽  
Vol 14 (6) ◽  
pp. 830-832 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robert D. Marquard ◽  
James W. Hanover

Differences in fecundity and tree size of white spruce (Piceaglauca (Moench) Voss) were observed within a mixed Picea plantation differentially shaded by a hardwood stand. To relate environmental factors to tree height and fecundity, the plantation was divided into four regions based on the time of the day each region first received direct solar radiation. Thirty percent of the white spruce in the most shaded and 76% in the sunniest region flowered. Photon flux density, spectral quality, and ambient temperature were measured throughout the plantation. Trees in the most shaded region were significantly shorter and received 18% less photosynthetically active radiation than trees in the sunniest region. Photon flux density within the plantation best explained differences in fecundity and tree size.


2000 ◽  
Vol 355 (1402) ◽  
pp. 1489-1498 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kevin Oxborough ◽  
Neil R. Baker

Photoinactivation of photosystem II (PS II) is a light–dependent process that frequently leads to breakdown and replacement of the D1 polypeptide. Photoinhibition occurs when the rate of photoinactivation is greater than the rate at which D1 is replaced and results in a decrease in the maximum efficiency of PS II photochemistry. Down regulation, which increases non–radiative decay within PS II, also decreases the maximum efficiency of PS II photochemistry and plays an important role in protecting against photoinhibition by reducing the yield of photoinactivation. The yield of photoinactivation has been shown to be relatively insensitive to photosynthetically active photon flux density (PPFD). Formation of the P680 radical (P680 + ), through charge separation at PS II, generation of triplet–state P680 ( 3 P680*), through intersystem crossing and charge recombination, and double reduction of the primary stable electron acceptor of PS II (the plastoquinone, Q A ) are all potentially critical steps in the triggering of photoinactivation. In this paper, these processes are assessed using fluorescence data from attached leaves of higher plant species, in the context of a Stern–Volmer model for downregulation and the reversible radical pair equilibrium model. It is shown that the yield of P680 + is very sensitive to PPFD and that downregulation has very little effect on its production. Consequently, it is unlikely to be the trigger for photoinactivation. The yields of 3 P680* generated through charge recombination or intersystem crossing are both less sensitive to PPFD than the yield of P680 + and are both decreased by downregulation. The yield of doubly reduced Q A increases with incident photon flux density at low levels, but is relatively insensitive at moderate to high levels, and is greatly decreased by downregulation. Consequently, 3 P680* and doubly reduced Q A are both viable as triggers of photoinactivation.


2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (8) ◽  
pp. 932
Author(s):  
Megumi Yamashita ◽  
Mitsunori Yoshimura

A knowledge of photosynthetic photon flux density (PPFD: μmol m−2 s−1) is crucial for understanding plant physiological processes in photosynthesis. The diffuse component of the global PPFD on a short timescale is required for the accurate modeling of photosynthesis. However, because the PPFD is difficult to determine, it is generally estimated from incident solar radiation (SR: W m−2), which is routinely observed worldwide. To estimate the PPFD from the SR, photosynthetically active radiation (PAR: W m−2) is separated from the SR using the PAR fraction (PF; PAR/SR: unitless), and the PAR is then converted into the PPFD using the quanta-to-energy ratio (Q/E: μmol J−1). In this procedure, PF and Q/E are considered constant values; however, it was reported recently that PF and Q/E vary under different sky conditions. Moreover, the diffuse ratio (DR) is needed to distinguish the diffuse component in the global PAR, and it is known that the DR varies depending on sky conditions. Ground-based whole-sky images can be used for sky-condition monitoring, instead of human-eye interpretation. This study developed a methodology for estimating the global and diffuse PPFD using whole-sky images. Sky-condition factors were derived through whole-sky image processing, and the effects of these factors on the PF, the Q/E of global and diffuse PAR, and the DR were examined. We estimated the global and diffuse PPFD with instantaneous values using the sky-condition factors under various sky conditions, based on which the detailed effects of the sky-condition factors on PF, Q/E, and DR were clarified. The results of the PPFD estimations had small bias errors of approximately +0.3% and +3.8% and relative root mean square errors of approximately 27% and 20% for the global and diffuse PPFD, respectively.


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