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Photobiology of sea ice algae during initial spring growth in Kangerlussuaq, West Greenland: insights from imaging variable chlorophyll fluorescence of ice cores

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Abstract

We undertook a series of measurements of photophysiological parameters of sea ice algae over 12 days of early spring growth in a West Greenland Fjord, by variable chlorophyll fluorescence imaging. Imaging of the ice–water interface showed the development of ice algae in 0.3–0.4 mm wide brine channels between laminar ice crystals in the lower 4–6 mm of the ice, with a several-fold spatial variation in inferred biomass on cm scales. The maximum quantum yield of photosynthesis, F v /F m, was initially low (~0.1), though this increased rapidly to ~0.5 by day 6. Day 6 also saw the onset of biomass increase, the cessation of ice growth and the time at which brine had reached <50 psu and >−2 °C. We interpret this as indicating that the establishment of stable brine channels at close to ambient salinity was required to trigger photosynthetically active populations. Maximum relative electron transport rate (rETRmax), saturation irradiance (E k) and photosynthetic efficiency (α) had also stabilised by day 6 at 5–6 relative units, ~30 μmol photons m−2 s−1 and 0.4–0.5 μmol photons m−2 s−1, respectively. E k was consistent with under-ice irradiance, which peaked at a similar value, confirming that daytime irradiance was adequate to facilitate photosynthetic activity throughout the study period. Photosynthetic parameters showed no substantial differences with depth within the ice, nor variation between cores or brine channels suggesting that during this early phase of ice algal growth cells were unaffected by gradients of environmental conditions within the ice. Variable chlorophyll fluorescence imaging offers a tool to determine how this situation may change over time and as brine channels and algal populations evolve.

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Abbreviations

E d :

Incident downwelling irradiance of PAR (μmol photons m−2 s−1)

E d(λ):

Incident downwelling irradiance at wavelength λ (μmol photons m−2 s−1 nm−1)

E i :

Downwelling irradiance of PAR immediately under the snow and ice cover (μmol photons m−2 s−1)

E k :

Irradiance above which photosynthesis is light saturated (μmol photons m−2)

DIC:

Dissolved inorganic carbon (μmol L−1 or mmol L−1)

F :

Current fluorescence yield of light-adapted sample

F o F m :

Minimal and maximal fluorescence yield of dark-adapted sample, respectively

\( F_{\text{m}}^{\prime} \) :

Maximal fluorescence yield of light-adapted sample

F v :

(F m − F o)

PAR:

Photosynthetically active radiation—defined as within the 400–700 nm waveband (μmol photons m−2 s−1)

PSI and PSII:

Photosystems I and II

rETR and rETRmax :

Relative rate of electron transport between PSII and PSI (units), and maximum thereof

RLC:

Rapid light curve

Y(II):

\( \left( {F_{\text{m}}^{\prime}-F} \right)/F_{\text{m}}^{\prime} \) quantum yield of PSII under prescribed irradiance

α:

Slope of irradiance versus rETR as irradiance approaches zero ((μmol photons m−2 s−1)−1)

σa :

The absorption cross section area of photosynthetic pigments

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Acknowledgements

We are grateful to the staff of Kangerlussuaq International Science Support for logistical assistance and kind hospitality in Greenland and to Julie Jacobi Jonstrup for species identifications. This study was funded by the Carlsberg Foundation.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Gateway Antarctica, Private Bag 4800, Christchurch, New Zealand

    Ian Hawes

  2. Department of Bioscience, Marine Ecology, Aarhus University, 8000, Aarhus C, Denmark

    Lars Chresten Lund-Hansen, Réka Borzák & Inge Buss

  3. Department of Bioscience, Plant Biology, Aarhus University, 8000, Aarhus C, Denmark

    Brian K. Sorrell

  4. Department of Civil Engineering, Arctic Technology Centre, Technical University of Denmark, Kemitorvet, 2800 Kgs, Lyngby, Denmark

    Morten Holtegaard Nielsen

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  1. Ian Hawes
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  2. Lars Chresten Lund-Hansen
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  3. Brian K. Sorrell
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  4. Morten Holtegaard Nielsen
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  5. Réka Borzák
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Correspondence to Brian K. Sorrell.

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Hawes, I., Lund-Hansen, L.C., Sorrell, B.K. et al. Photobiology of sea ice algae during initial spring growth in Kangerlussuaq, West Greenland: insights from imaging variable chlorophyll fluorescence of ice cores. Photosynth Res 112, 103–115 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11120-012-9736-7

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