Abstract
Coralline algae (CA) are globally distributed and fulfil many important roles within coastal ecosystems. In this study, photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) measured for 616 days at 2 and 10 m in a temperate subtidal kelp forest in southern New Zealand provided context to photosynthesis vs. irradiance relationships for, and pigment concentrations of, an articulated coralline alga, Arthrocardia sp. and a crustose coralline species assemblage within the Hapalidiales order. The maximum photosynthetic rate Pmax of the Arthrocardia sp. (20.38 ± 2.38 µmol O2. gDW−1 h−1) was significantly higher than the Pmax of crustose coralline spp. (3.72 ± 0.74 µmol O2. gDW−1 h−1) at the same 2 m stratum. Pigment concentration of Arthrocardia sp. was significantly higher than that of crustose coralline spp. at the same depth, while pigment concentration of crustose coralline spp. at 2 and 10 m were not significantly affected by depth. The photosynthetic characteristics of these coralline algae represent a shade acclimated organism with low saturation irradiance (all Ek < 100 µmol photons m−2 s−1). Despite sevenfold difference in average daily dose between 2 and 10 m there was no significant effect of depth on the photosynthetic performance of crustose coralline algae measured. The lack of evidence for acclimation to low light could be because periods of clear water provide enough light to maintain photosynthesis, lower energetic requirements of species found at depth or constraints on the synthesis of photosynthetic pigments at greater depth.
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Acknowledgements
We gratefully thank Sean Heseltine, Michelle Liddy, Emma Kearney, Eugene Leahy, Anna Kluibenschedl, Peri Subritzky, Jack Hall, and Niall Pearson for assistance with field work. Doug Mackie, Dave Wilson, Linda Groenewegen, Reuben Pooley for supporting in the laboratory. Brenton Twist and Prof. Wendy Nelson for identifying coralline algae species. Tuan Nguyen for commenting to improve this manuscript. Kim Currie for organizing the field trips funded by the Coastal acidification: Rate, Impacts and Management (CARIM) project. We acknowledge the Taiāpure committee’s support of research in the East Otago Taiāpure. HTTN was supported by the Vietnamese Government Scholarship (911 Project) and a University of Otago Postgraduate Publishing Bursary.
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Nguyen, H.T.T., Pritchard, D.W., Desmond, M.J. et al. Coralline photosynthetic physiology across a steep light gradient. Photosynth Res 153, 43–57 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11120-022-00899-7
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11120-022-00899-7