scholarly journals Parameterization of the light absorption properties of chromophoric dissolved organic matter in the Baltic Sea and Pomeranian Lakes

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Justyna Meler ◽  
Piotr Kowalczuk ◽  
Mirosława Ostrowska ◽  
Dariusz Ficek ◽  
Monika Zabłocka ◽  
...  

Abstract. This study presents three alternative models for estimation of absorption properties of Chromophoric Dissolved Organic Matter, aCDOM(l). For this analysis we used a database containing 556 absorption spectra measured in 2006–2009 in different regions of the Baltic Sea (open and coastal waters, the Gulf of Gdańsk and the Pomeranian Bay), at river mouths, in the Szczecin Lagoon and also in three Pomeranian lakes in Poland – Lakes Obłęskie, Łebsko and Chotkowskie. Observed variability range of the CDOM absorption coefficient at 400 nm, aCDOM(400), contained within 0.15–8.85 m−1. The variability in aCDOM(l) was parameterized with respect to three orders of magnitude variability in the chlorophyll a concentration Chla (0.7–119 mg m−3). Chlorophyll a concentration and CDOM absorption coefficient, aCDOM(400) were correlated, and statistically significant, non-linear empirical relationship between those parameters was derived (R2 = 0.83). Based on observed co-variance between these parameters, we derived two empirical mathematical models that enabled to project the CDOM absorption coefficient dynamics in natural waters and reconstruct the completed CDOM absorption spectrum in the UV and visible spectral domains. The first model used the chlorophyll a concentration as the input variable. The second model used the aCDOM(400), as the input variable. Both models were fitted to power function and the second order polynomial function was used as the exponent. Regression coefficients for derived formulas were determined for wavelengths from 240 to 700 nm at 5 nm intervals . Both approximation reflected the real shape of the absorption spectra with low uncertainty. Comparison of these approximation with other models of light absorption by CDOM proved that proposed parameterizations were better (bias from −1.45 % to 62 %, RSME from 22 % to 220 %) for estimation CDOM absorption in optically complex waters of the Baltic Sea and lakes.

Ocean Science ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 12 (4) ◽  
pp. 1013-1032 ◽  
Author(s):  
Justyna Meler ◽  
Piotr Kowalczuk ◽  
Mirosława Ostrowska ◽  
Dariusz Ficek ◽  
Monika Zabłocka ◽  
...  

Abstract. This study presents three alternative models for estimating the absorption properties of chromophoric dissolved organic matter aCDOM(λ). For this analysis we used a database containing 556 absorption spectra measured in 2006–2009 in different regions of the Baltic Sea (open and coastal waters, the Gulf of Gdańsk and the Pomeranian Bay), at river mouths, in the Szczecin Lagoon and also in three lakes in Pomerania (Poland) – Obłęskie, Łebsko and Chotkowskie. The variability range of the chromophoric dissolved organic matter (CDOM) absorption coefficient at 400 nm, aCDOM(400), lay within 0.15–8.85 m−1. The variability in aCDOM(λ) was parameterized with respect to the variability over 3 orders of magnitude in the chlorophyll a concentration Chl a (0.7–119 mg m−3). The chlorophyll a concentration and aCDOM(400) were correlated, and a statistically significant, nonlinear empirical relationship between these parameters was derived (R2 =  0.83). On the basis of the covariance between these parameters, we derived two empirical mathematical models that enabled us to design the CDOM absorption coefficient dynamics in natural waters and reconstruct the complete CDOM absorption spectrum in the UV and visible spectral domains. The input variable in the first model was the chlorophyll a concentration, and in the second one it was aCDOM(400). Both models were fitted to a power function, and a second-order polynomial function was used as the exponent. Regression coefficients for these formulas were determined for wavelengths from 240 to 700 nm at 5 nm intervals. Both approximations reflected the real shape of the absorption spectra with a low level of uncertainty. Comparison of these approximations with other models of light absorption by CDOM demonstrated that our parameterizations were superior (bias from −1.45 to 62 %, RSME from 22 to 220 %) for estimating CDOM absorption in the optically complex waters of the Baltic Sea and Pomeranian lakes.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Malgorzata Stramska ◽  
Joanna Stoń-Egiert ◽  
Miroslawa Ostrowska ◽  
Jaromir Jakacki

<p>Potential influences of various environmental factors on phytoplankton growth rates in the Baltic Sea are discussed. Our focus is on quantitative comparisons of growth rates of two phytoplankton functional types, diatoms and cyanobacteria. Growth rates are calculated as a function of quanta absorbed by phytoplankton. This in turn depends on phytoplankton exposition to light, which was simulated to represent realistic conditions encountered in the Baltic Sea in summer. In addition, phytoplankton absorption capability was characterized by absorption coefficients derived from measurements on phytoplankton mono-cultures isolated from the Baltic Sea. Estimated exposition of phytoplankton to photosynthetically available radiation (PAR) in surface waters can change about five times in case of the same solar surface insolation and water turbidity, solely due to changes in the mixed layer depth from 2 to 20 meters. When additionally changes in water turbidity are considered, phytoplankton PAR exposition can change by one order of magnitude. Light exposition and absorption properties of phytoplankton determine the effectiveness of light absorption. In our simulations for the same species of phytoplankton, changes in light exposition resulted in differences of an order of magnitude of absorbed quanta. The importance of accounting for absorptive properties is underlined through comparisons of the number of quanta absorbed by different phytoplankton types in the same environmental conditions. The effectiveness of light absorption translates to different growth rates achieved by each phytoplankton type. Our results support the notion that knowledge about phytoplankton absorption properties and light exposition is crucial when modeling phytoplankton in the Baltic Sea. Further progress is currently hindered by a lack of systematic information about maximum phytoplankton growth rates and their responses to specific environmental conditions for different functional types. Such information should be inferred in the future in specially designed laboratory experiments, that encompass realistic ranges of phytoplankton exposition to light, nutrients, temperatures and other conditions.</p><p><br>This work has been funded by the National Science Centre (contract number: 2017/25/B/ST10/00159 entitled: “Numerical simulations of biological-physical interactions and phytoplankton cycles in the Baltic Sea”) and by the statutory funds of IOPAN.</p>


2015 ◽  
Vol 12 (20) ◽  
pp. 6181-6203 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. J. Paul ◽  
L. T. Bach ◽  
K.-G. Schulz ◽  
T. Boxhammer ◽  
J. Czerny ◽  
...  

Abstract. Ocean acidification is expected to influence plankton community structure and biogeochemical element cycles. To date, the response of plankton communities to elevated CO2 has been studied primarily during nutrient-stimulated blooms. In this CO2 manipulation study, we used large-volume (~ 55 m3) pelagic in situ mesocosms to enclose a natural summer, post-spring-bloom plankton assemblage in the Baltic Sea to investigate the response of organic matter pools to ocean acidification. The carbonate system in the six mesocosms was manipulated to yield average fCO2 ranging between 365 and ~ 1230 μatm with no adjustment of naturally available nutrient concentrations. Plankton community development and key biogeochemical element pools were subsequently followed in this nitrogen-limited ecosystem over a period of 7 weeks. We observed higher sustained chlorophyll a and particulate matter concentrations (~ 25 % higher) and lower inorganic phosphate concentrations in the water column in the highest fCO2 treatment (1231 μatm) during the final 2 weeks of the study period (Phase III), when there was low net change in particulate and dissolved matter pools. Size-fractionated phytoplankton pigment analyses indicated that these differences were driven by picophytoplankton (< 2 μm) and were already established early in the experiment during an initial warm and more productive period with overall elevated chlorophyll a and particulate matter concentrations. However, the influence of picophytoplankton on bulk organic matter pools was masked by high biomass of larger plankton until Phase III, when the contribution of the small size fraction (< 2 μm) increased to up to 90 % of chlorophyll a. In this phase, a CO2-driven increase in water column particulate carbon did not lead to enhanced sinking material flux but was instead reflected in increased dissolved organic carbon concentrations. Hence ocean acidification may induce changes in organic matter partitioning in the upper water column during the low-nitrogen summer period in the Baltic Sea.


2015 ◽  
Vol 14 (5) ◽  
pp. 1025-1038 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jonna Piiparinen ◽  
Sara Enberg ◽  
Janne-Markus Rintala ◽  
Ruben Sommaruga ◽  
Markus Majaneva ◽  
...  

Variety of mycosporine-like amino acids, chromophoric dissolved organic matter and deposited atmospheric particles provide UV-protection for sea-ice organisms.


2016 ◽  
Vol 13 (9) ◽  
pp. 2815-2821 ◽  
Author(s):  
Federico Baltar ◽  
Catherine Legrand ◽  
Jarone Pinhassi

Abstract. Extracellular enzymatic activities (EEAs) are a crucial step in the degradation of organic matter. Dissolved (cell-free) extracellular enzymes in seawater can make up a significant contribution of the bulk EEA. However, the factors controlling the proportion of dissolved EEA in the marine environment remain unknown. Here we studied the seasonal changes in the proportion of dissolved relative to total EEA (of alkaline phosphatase (APase), β-glucosidase (BGase), and leucine aminopeptidase (LAPase)), in the Baltic Sea for 18 months. The proportion of dissolved EEA ranged between 37 and 100, 0 and 100, and 34 and 100 % for APase, BGase, and LAPase, respectively. A consistent seasonal pattern in the proportion of dissolved EEA was found among all the studied enzymes, with values up to 100 % during winter and  <  40 % during summer. A significant negative relation was found between the proportion of dissolved EEA and temperature, indicating that temperature might be a critical factor controlling the proportion of dissolved relative to total EEA in marine environments. Our results suggest a strong decoupling of hydrolysis rates from microbial dynamics in cold waters. This implies that under cold conditions, cell-free enzymes can contribute to substrate availability at large distances from the producing cell, increasing the dissociation between the hydrolysis of organic compounds and the actual microbes producing the enzymes. This might also suggest a potential effect of global warming on the hydrolysis of organic matter via a reduction of the contribution of cell-free enzymes to the bulk hydrolytic activity.


2006 ◽  
Vol 51 (5) ◽  
pp. 2300-2307 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pirjo Kuuppo ◽  
Pauliina Uronen ◽  
Anika Petermann ◽  
Timo Tamminen ◽  
Edna Granéli

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