Underwater light climate and wavelength dependence of microalgae photosynthetic parameters in a temperate sea

Studying how natural phytoplankton adjust their photosynthetic properties to the quantity and quality of underwater light (i.e. light climate) is essential to understand primary production. A wavelength-dependent photoacclimation strategy was assessed using a multi-color pulse-amplitude-modulation chlorophyll fluorometer for phytoplankton samples collected in the spring at 19 locations across the English Channel. The functional absorption cross section of photosystem II, photosynthetic electron transport (PETλ) parameters and non-photochemical quenching were analyzed using an original approach with a sequence of three statistical analyses. Linear mixed-effects models using wavelength as a longitudinal variable were first applied to distinguish the fixed effect of the population from the random effect of individuals. Population and individual trends of wavelength-dependent PETλ parameters were consistent with photosynthesis and photoacclimation theories. The natural phytoplankton communities studied were in a photoprotective state for blue wavelengths (440 and 480 nm), but not for other wavelengths (green (540 nm), amber (590 nm) and light red (625 nm)). Population-detrended PETλ values were then used in multivariate analyses (partial triadic analysis and redundancy analysis) to study ecological implications of PETλ dynamics among water masses. Two wavelength ratios based on the microalgae saturation parameter Ek (in relative and absolute units), related to the hydrodynamic regime and underwater light climate, clearly confirmed the physiological state of microalgae. They also illustrate more accurately that natural phytoplankton communities can implement photoacclimation processes that are influenced by in situ light quality during the daylight cycle in temporarily and weakly stratified water. Ecological implications and consequences of PETλ are discussed in the context of turbulent coastal ecosystems.

The California Gold Rush: approaches to producing daguerreotype views. An examination of views in the Matthew R. Isenburg Collection at AMC Toronto

This thesis examines daguerreotypes of outdoor views made during the California Gold Rush from 1848 to 1856, now in the Matthew R. Isenburg Collection at AMC Toronto. The views were made for private commissions, public viewings, and as models for engraving. Daguerreotypists encountered a number of challenging working conditions in the field, different from those in galleries where portraits were taken. In analyzing 18 daguerreotypes from the Isenburg Collection, this thesis investigates how working conditions during the Gold Rush such as light, climate, and terrain, influenced daguerreotypists`s decisions when making views; these include the choice of camera apparatus, optics and aperture, variations in exposure times, and composition and vantage points. By considering the purposes of such views, and the photographer`s approaches to making them, the thesis explains the appearance of these early visual documents of the western American frontier.

The California Gold Rush: approaches to producing daguerreotype views. An examination of views in the Matthew R. Isenburg Collection at AMC Toronto

This thesis examines daguerreotypes of outdoor views made during the California Gold Rush from 1848 to 1856, now in the Matthew R. Isenburg Collection at AMC Toronto. The views were made for private commissions, public viewings, and as models for engraving. Daguerreotypists encountered a number of challenging working conditions in the field, different from those in galleries where portraits were taken. In analyzing 18 daguerreotypes from the Isenburg Collection, this thesis investigates how working conditions during the Gold Rush such as light, climate, and terrain, influenced daguerreotypists`s decisions when making views; these include the choice of camera apparatus, optics and aperture, variations in exposure times, and composition and vantage points. By considering the purposes of such views, and the photographer`s approaches to making them, the thesis explains the appearance of these early visual documents of the western American frontier.

The under-ice microbiome, a five-year study at Lake Tovel

<p>Little is known about changes in microbial abundance and community composition during persistent ice cover of lakes. Here, the under-ice 16S rRNA diversity was assessed for different pelagic layers and compared between years (2015, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020) at Lake Tovel (1177 m above sea level; Italy). Functional profiling of amplicon sequences variants (ASVs) was also done with Piphillin. Environmental parameters (chemistry, temperature, light climate, oxygen concentration) were linked to the observed diversity patterns. Despite relatively uniform temperature and chemistry profiles, the pelagic and hypolimnetic microbiome of different years were different as assessed by a Principal Coordinates Analysis. The under-ice light climate was a driving factor of the observed differences and related to different precipitations patterns. These results underline how a changing climate also influences life under ice.   </p>

Effects of Fine Sediment on Seagrass Meadows: A Case Study of Zostera muelleri in Pāuatahanui Inlet, New Zealand

Seagrass meadows are vulnerable to fine sediment (mud) pollution, with impacts usually attributed to reduction in submerged light. Here we tested two non-exclusive hypotheses, that mud particles (<63 µm) impact seagrasses through both (1) the light climate and (2) changes in substrate physico-chemistry. We tested these hypotheses in Pāuatahanui Inlet, New Zealand, by comparing seagrass presence, abundance, and health, together with light climate and substrate physico-chemistry at contrasting habitats where (1) seagrass used to thrive but no longer grows (historical seagrass), (2) seagrass still persists (existing seagrass) and (3) seagrass has been present recently, but not currently (potential seagrass). Historical seagrass substrate had significantly higher mud (35% average), bulk density (1.5 g cm−3), porewater ammonium concentration (65 µM), and a more reduced redox profile (negative redox at only 2 cm soil depth) as well as a lower light availability when submerged compared to other habitats, while total daily light exposure differed little between habitats. This suggests that failure of seagrass to recolonize historical seagrass habitat reflects substrate muddiness and consequent unfavorable rhizosphere conditions. Our results provide evidence for the multi-stressor effects of fine sediment on seagrasses, with substrate suitability for seagrass being detrimentally affected even where light exposure seems sufficient.

Shady business: the darkening of estuaries constrains benthic ecosystem function

Coastal intertidal soft-sediment habitats provide ecosystem services to millions of people worldwide, yet are under intense pressure from land-use change and sea-level rise (SLR). Both pressures interact to reduce light reaching the seafloor, thereby disrupting benthic primary producers and the ecosystem functions and services they provide. This study considers the implications of altered light climate on microphytobenthic (MPB) production in shallow estuaries. Continuous measurements of seafloor photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) were made over 9 mo on intertidal sandflats in 14 New Zealand estuaries spanning a turbidity gradient. A literature summary of benthic photosynthesis-irradiance curves was used to predict PAR limitation at sampling sites. Estimates of the proportion of time MPB would be light limited during emersion ranged from a median of 32-64% compared to a median of 55-100% during immersion. For estuaries close to 100% PAR limitation during immersion, emerged intertidal areas represent a refuge for MPB production which is vulnerable to SLR. Based on hypsometric curves (a representation of estuary bathymetry), the intertidal area of our study estuaries is predicted to decrease by 27-94% in response to SLR of 1.4 m. The combination of high PAR limitation during immersion and large losses of intertidal area will increase vulnerability to the loss of MPB production and the associated ecosystem services, which will push these ecosystems towards tipping points. The research highlights how the interplay between local and global scale stressors may ultimately trigger ecological collapse under future global change.