Light Harvesting in bloom-forming marine phytoplankton: species-specificity and photoacclimation
G. Johnsen and E. Sakshaug

An overview of the pigment composition and bio-optical characteristics (spectral light absorption and fluorescence properties) in important marine phytoplankton (diatoms, dinoflagellates, prymnesiophytes, prasinophytes, chlorophytes, euglenophytes, chrysophytes, raphidophytes, cryptophytes and cyanobacteria) are presented. The species/classspecific and photoacclimative characteristics of different pigment groups of phytoplankton are discussed with respect to their pigment composition and their corresponding in vivo bio-optical characteristics. Group-specific differences in pigment-protein (light harvesting complexes and photosystem I and II) composition, abundance and function, together with the package effect (intracellular self shading) which are important variables when interpreting bio-optical information, are discussed. A scaling procedure for photosystem II related in vivo fluorescence excitation spectra is also discussed.

Keywords: Spectral light absorption, scaling of fluorescence excitation spectra, photosynthetic and photoprotective pigments, light harvesting and utilization, phytoplankton, photoacclimation.
Contents of this volume Sci. Mar. 60(Suppl.1) : 47-56 Back PDF
 
 
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