Vertical distributions and photosynthetic action spectre of two oceanic picophytopianlcters,Prochlorococcus marinus andSynechococcus sp.

Abstract

Two picophytoplankters,Prochlorococcus marinus andSynechococcus sp., were isolated from the bottom of the euphotic zone (150 m depth) in the western Pacifie Ocean. The concentration ofP. marinus at this depth was more than 10⁴ cells ml⁻¹ while that ofSynechococcus sp. was less than 10² cells ml⁻¹. TheP. marinus isolate has a high divinyl-chlorophylla:b ratio similar to that of the Mediterranean strain, while theSynechococcus sp. isolate is of the phycourobilinrich type. The growth rate ofP. marinus was higher thanSynechococcus sp. when both were cultured under weak blue-green to blue-violet light (ca. 2 μE m⁻² s⁻¹). While the chlorophyll-specific absorption spectra showed higher values inSynechococcus sp., the photosynthetic action spectre revealed thatP. marinus was able to use blue-violet light, whereasSynechococcus sp. was able to use blue-green light, more efficiently for photosynthesis. The photosynthetic quantum yield ofP. marinus was higher than that ofSynechococcus sp. at any wavelength between 400 and 700 nm. The calculated in situ photosynthesis rates per Gell volume forP. marinus were estimated to be higher than forSynechococcus sp. at 50 and 150 m depth. These results indicate thatP. marinus photosynthetically surpassesSynechococcus sp. in the blue-light-rieh environment of the oceanic euphotic zone. This may be why the former predominates at depths in temperate to tropical open ocean waters.