Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Variability of spectral absorption efficiency within living cells of Pyrocystis lunula (Dinophyta)

  • Published:
Marine Biology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

This study examines variability in the spectral absorption efficiency in various parts of living Pyrocystis lunula cells. changes in spectral absorption efficiency measured within cells are attributed to light-induced chloroplast migration as well as reorganization of cellular material during the process of asexual reproduction. During the dark cycle, major pigment peaks were well resolved in those spectra measured in the distal cytoplasmic strands where chloroplasts were concentrated. In contrast, the absorption efficiencies measured in the granular central area that did not contain chloroplasts decreased gradually from the blue to the red portions of the spectrum and are similar to those published for detrital particles. When chloroplasts migrated toward the center of the cell in response to light, absorption efficiency curves for the granular central area were flatter than the curves measured in cytoplasmic strands containing chloroplasts. This was due to the combined absorption properties of the central area and the chloroplasts. Absorption efficiency spectra were also flattened in aplanospores within the parent vegetative cells because of the concentration of cellular material into smaller areas. These findings suggest that shapes of spectral absorption curves measured for the major phytoplankton groups cannot be assumed to remain constant over time. Furthermore, changes in cell structure may account for some of the reported diel changes in beam attenuation and stimulated fluorescence in natural waters.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Ackleson SG, Cullen JJ, Brown J, Lesser M (1993) Irradiance-induced variability in light scatter from marine phytoplankton in culture. J Plankton Res 15:737–759

    Google Scholar 

  • Aiken J, Moore GF, Holligan PM (1992) Remote sensing of oceanic biology in relation to global climate change. J Phycol 28:579–590

    Google Scholar 

  • Balch WM, Abbott MR, Eppley RW (1989a) Remote sensing of primary production. I. A comparison of empirical and semi-analytical algorithms. Deep-Sea Res 36:281–295

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Balch WM, Eppley RW, Abbott MR (1989b) Remote sensing of primary production. II. A semi-analytical algorithm based on pigments, temperature and light. Deep-Sea Res 36:1201–1217

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Balch WM, Eppley RW, Abbott MR, Reid FMH (1989c) Bias in satellite-derived pigment measurements due to coccolithophores and dinoflagellates. J Plankton Res 11:575–581

    Google Scholar 

  • Bannister TT (1974) Production equations in terms of chlorophyll concentration quantum yield, and upper limit to production. Limnol Oceanogr 19:1–12

    Google Scholar 

  • Bidigare RR, Ondrusek ME, Morrow JH, Kiefer DA (1990) In vivo absorption properties of algal pigments. Ocean Optics (Bellingham, Wash) 10:90–302

    Google Scholar 

  • Bricaud A, Morel A, Prieur L (1983) Optical efficiency factors of some phytoplankton. Limnol Oceanogr 28:816–832

    Google Scholar 

  • Bricaud A, Stramski D (1990) Spectral absorption coefficients of living phytoplankton and nonalgal biogenous matter. A comparison between the Peru upwelling area and Sargasso Sea. Limnol Oceanogr 35:562–582

    Google Scholar 

  • Clark DK (1981) Phytoplankton pigment algorithms for NIMBUS-7 CZCS. In: Glower JFR (ed) Oceanography from space. Plenum Press, New York, pp 227–237

    Google Scholar 

  • Cleveland JS, Chamberlain WS, Morrow JH, Iturriaga R, Bidigare RR, Perry MJ, Siegel DA (1990) Estimation of the planktonic component of particulate light absorption. An evaluation of approaches. EOS Trans, Am geophys Un 71: p 109

    Google Scholar 

  • Cullen JJ, Lewis MR, Davis CO, Barber RT (1992) Photosynthetic characteristics and estimated growth rates indicate grazing is the proximate control of primary production in the Equatorial Pacific. J geophys Res 97:639–654

    Google Scholar 

  • Duysens LM (1956) The flattening of the absorption spectra of suspensions as compared to that of solutions. Biochem biophys Acta 9:1–12

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Geider RJ, Osborne BA (1987) Light absorption by a marine diatom: experimental observations and theoretical calculations of the package effect in a small Thalassiosira species. Mar Biol 96:299–308

    Google Scholar 

  • Gordon HR, Brown OB, Evans RH, Brown JW, Smith RC, Baker KS, Clark DK (1988) A semianalytic radiance model of ocean colour. J geophys Res 93:10909–10924

    Google Scholar 

  • Guillard RRL (1975) Culture of phytoplankton for feeding marine invertebrates. In: Smith WL, Chanley MH (eds) Culture of marine invertebrate animals. Plenum Press, New York, pp 29–60

    Google Scholar 

  • Harris GP (1980) The relationship between chlorophyll a fluorescence, diffuse attenuation changes and photosynthesis in natural phytoplankton populations. J Plankton Res 2:109–127

    Google Scholar 

  • Harris GP, Piccinin BB (1977) Photosynthesis by natural phytoplankton populations. Arch Hydrobiol 80:405–457

    Google Scholar 

  • Haupt W (1973) Role of light in chloroplast movement. BioSci 23:289–296

    Google Scholar 

  • Hoepffner N, Sathyendranath S (1992) Bio-optical characteristics of coastal waters: absorption spectra of phytoplankton and pigment distributon in the western North Atlantic. Limnol Oceanogr 37:1660–1679

    Google Scholar 

  • Iturriaga R, Siegel DA (1988) Discrimination of the absorption properties of marine particulates using a microphotometric technique. Ocean Optics (Bellingham, Wash) 10:277–287 (Proc Soc Photoopt Instrumn Engnrs)

    Google Scholar 

  • Iturraga R, Siegel DA (1989) Microphotometric characterization of phytoplankton and detrital absorption properties in the Sargasso Sea. Limnol Oceanogr 34:1706–1726

    Google Scholar 

  • Jeffrey SW, Sielicki M, Haxo FT (1975) Chloroplast pigment patterns in dinoflagellates. J Phycol 11:374–384

    Google Scholar 

  • Kiefer DA (1973) Chlorophyll a fluorescence in marine centric diatoms: response of chloroplasts to light and nutrient stress. Mar Biol 23:39–46

    Google Scholar 

  • Kiefer DA, Mitchell BG (1983) A simple, steady state description of phytoplankton growth based on absorption cross section quantum efficiency. Limnol Oceanogr 28:770–776

    Google Scholar 

  • Kirk JTO (1983) Light and photosynthesis in aquatic ecosystems. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge

    Google Scholar 

  • Kishino M, Takahashi M, Okami N, Ichimura S (1985) Estimation of the spectral absorption coefficients of phytoplankton in the sea. Bull mar Sci 37:634–642

    Google Scholar 

  • Lewis MR, Ulloa O, Platt T (1988) Photosynthetic action, absorption and quantum yield spectra for a natural population of Oscillatoria in the North Atlantic. Limnol Oceanogr 30:794–806

    Google Scholar 

  • Marra J, Dickey T, Chamberlin WS, Ho C, Granata T, Kiefer DA, Langdon C, Smith R, Baker K, Bidigare R, Hamilton M (1992) Estimation of seasonal primary production from moored optical sensors in the Sargasso Sea. J geophys Res 97:7399–7412

    Google Scholar 

  • Mitchell BG (1990) Algorithms for determining the absorption coefficient of aquatic particulates using quantitative filter techniques (QFT). Ocean Optics (Bellingham, Wash) 10:137–147 (Proc Soc Photo-opt Instrumn Engnrs)

    Google Scholar 

  • Mitchell BG, Kiefer DA (1988) Chlorophyll a specific absorption and fluorescence excitation spectra for light-limited phytoplankton. Deep-Sea Res 35:639–663

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Morel A (1978) Available, usable, and stored radiant energy in relation to marine photosynthesis. Deep-Sea Res 25:673–688

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Morel A, Bricaud A (1981) Theoretical results concerning light absorption in a discrete medium, and application to specific absorption of phytoplankton. Deep-Sea Res 28A:1375–1393

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Morrow JH, Chamberlin WS, Kiefer DA (1989) A two-component description of spectral absorption by marine particles. Limnol Oceanogr 34:1500–1509

    Google Scholar 

  • Nelson NB, Prézelin BB (1990) Chromatic light effects and physiological modeling of absorption properties of Heterocapsa pygmaea (=Glenodinium sp.). Mar Ecol Prog Ser 63:37–46

    Google Scholar 

  • Nelson NB, Prézelin BB, Bidigare RR (1993) Phytoplankton light absorption and the package effect in California coastal waters. Mar Ecol Prog Ser 94:217–227

    Google Scholar 

  • Nelson JR, Robertson CY (1993) Detrital spectral absorption: laboratory studies of visible light effects on phytodetritus absorption, bacterial spectral signal, and comparison to field measurements. J mar Res 51:181–207

    Google Scholar 

  • Nultsch W, Pfau J (1979) Occurrence and biolgical role of light-induced chromatophore displacements in seaweeds. Mar Biol 51:77–82

    Google Scholar 

  • Rivkin RB, Swift E, Biggley WH, Voytek MA (1984) Growth and carbon uptake by natural populations of oceanic dinoflagellates Pyrocystis noctiluca and Pyrocystis fusiformis. Deep-Sea Res 31:353–367

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Roesler CS, Perry MJ, Carder KL (1989) Modeling in situ phytoplankton absorption from total absorption spectra in productive inland marine waters. Limnol Oceanogr 34:1510–1523

    Google Scholar 

  • Siegel DA, Dickey TD, Washburn L, Hamilton MK, Mitchell BG (1989) Optical determination of particulate abundance and production variations in the oligotrophic ocean. Deep-Sea Res 36:211–222

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Smith RC, Marra J, Perry MJ, Baker KS, Swift E, Busky E, Kiefer DA (1989) Estimation of a photon budget for the upper ocean in the Sargasso Sea. Limnol Oceanogr 34:1673–1693

    Google Scholar 

  • SooHoo JB, Kiefer DA, Collins DJ, McDermid IS (1986) In vivo fluorescence excitation and absorption spectra of marine phytoplankton. I. Taxonomic characteristics and responses to photoadaptation. J Plankton Res 8:197–214

    Google Scholar 

  • Stramski D (1990) Artifacts in measuring absorption spectra of phytoplankton collected on a filter. Limnol Oceanogr 35:1804–1809

    Google Scholar 

  • Stramski D, Dickey TD (1992) Variability of bio-optical properties of the upper ocean associated with diel cycles in phytoplankton populations. J geophys Res 97:17873–17887

    Google Scholar 

  • Stramski D, Reynolds RA (1993) Diel variations in the optical properties of a marine diatom. Limnol Oceanogr 38:1347–1364

    Google Scholar 

  • Swift E, Biggley WH, Seliger HH (1973) Species of oceanic dinoflagellates in the genera Dissodinium and Pyrocystis: interclonal and interspecific comparisons of the color and photon yield of bioluminescence. J Phycol 9:420–426

    Google Scholar 

  • Swift E, Durbin EG (1971) Similarities in the asexual reproduction of the oceanic dinoflagellates, Pyrocystis fusiformis, Pyrocystis lunula, and Pyrocystis noctiluca. J Phycol 7:89–96

    Google Scholar 

  • Swift E, Taylor WR (1967) Bioluminescence and chloroplast movement in the dinoflagellate Pyrocystis lunula. J Phycol 3: 77–81

    Google Scholar 

  • Topperwein F, Hardeland R (1980) Free-running circadian rhythm of plastid movement in individual cells of Pyrocystis lunula (Dinophyta). J interdiscip Cycle Res 11:325–329

    Google Scholar 

  • Yentsch CS (1962) Measurement of visible light absorption by particulate matter in the ocean. Limnol Oceanogr 7:207–217

    Google Scholar 

  • Yentsch CS, Phinney DA (1989) A bridge between ocean optics and microbial ecology. Limnol Oceanogr 34:1694–1705

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, Florida Medical Entomology Laboratory, University of Florida, 200 9th Street S.E., 32962, Vero Beach, Florida, USA

    F. C. Stephens

Authors
  1. F. C. Stephens
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Additional information

Communicated by N.H. Marcus, Tallahassee

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Stephens, F.C. Variability of spectral absorption efficiency within living cells of Pyrocystis lunula (Dinophyta). Marine Biology 122, 325–331 (1995). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00348946

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00348946

Keywords

Search

Navigation