Phytoplankton morphological response to the underwater light conditions in a vegetated wetland

Abstract

This study analyses the influence of the underwater light climate on the morphometric characteristics of the phytoplankton at the population and community levels. The differences in light conditions across the floodplain were mainly defined by the patchiness of floating macrophytes and humic acids concentration. A morphometric response at the community level to the underwater PAR was registered. Sites with strong light constraints were characterised by non-flagellated organisms or with a small proportion of unicellular flagellates. Short organisms (<10 μm) with a unit volume of less than 1,000 μm³ and a high surface:volume ratio (S/V >2) were the morphotypes related to poorly illuminated environments. Moreover, the organisms showed forms more slender under these limiting conditions. This pattern was different to that registered in well-illuminated sites where longer and larger organisms, with a smaller S/V and frequently flagellated, coexisted with the previously mentioned organisms. The autotrophic picoplankton, the smallest phytoplankton fraction, revealed lower abundances at sites with higher humic substances. Short term morphological changes were additionally studied for the dominant species by means of mesocosm experiments simulating different light climates. Intraspecific morphological plasticity was observed with respect to the filament length and the vacuolization of cells.