The University of Southampton
University of Southampton Institutional Repository

Scaling of phytoplankton photosynthesis and cell size in the ocean

Scaling of phytoplankton photosynthesis and cell size in the ocean
Scaling of phytoplankton photosynthesis and cell size in the ocean
We have determined the scaling relationship between photosynthesis rate and cell size in natural phytoplankton assemblages of contrasting marine environments. We found that phytoplankton photosynthesis in the ocean does not scale as the L-power of cell size, but scales approximately isometrically with cell size, indicating that a single model cannot predict the metabolism–size relationship in all photosynthetic organisms. The scaling relationship between cellular chlorophyll a content and cell size is also isometric. Taxonomical changes along the size spectrum may explain the deviation of phytoplankton photosynthesis from the general allometric rule. The size scaling exponent for photosynthesis is significantly higher (1.14) in coastal productive waters than in the oligotrophic open ocean (0.96), which provides a physiological basis to explain the dominance of larger cells in nutrient-rich environments. The size scaling exponent for phytoplankton abundance is significantly less negative in coastal productive waters (-0.90) than in the oligotrophic open ocean (-1.25). The observed size scaling relationships imply that carbon fixation per unit volume decreases with cell size in oligotrophic waters, whereas the opposite occurs in productive ones. By controlling the metabolism–size scaling relationship, nutrient supply plays a major role in determining community size structure and the energy flow through the pelagic ecosystem.
0024-3590
2190-2198
Maranon, E.
e0e574e3-c100-4772-a003-4213027c818d
Cermeno, P.
594828cd-84e9-4667-8e66-12ca92ae6bc9
Rodriguez, J.
0c2b2628-3eb1-405f-abf7-ed3ed9562e4e
Zubkov, M.V.
b1dfb3a0-bcff-430c-9031-358a22b50743
Harris, R.P.
a507befb-c320-4af6-a48c-41ce48ca9e70
Maranon, E.
e0e574e3-c100-4772-a003-4213027c818d
Cermeno, P.
594828cd-84e9-4667-8e66-12ca92ae6bc9
Rodriguez, J.
0c2b2628-3eb1-405f-abf7-ed3ed9562e4e
Zubkov, M.V.
b1dfb3a0-bcff-430c-9031-358a22b50743
Harris, R.P.
a507befb-c320-4af6-a48c-41ce48ca9e70

Maranon, E., Cermeno, P., Rodriguez, J., Zubkov, M.V. and Harris, R.P. (2007) Scaling of phytoplankton photosynthesis and cell size in the ocean. Limnology and Oceanography, 52 (5), 2190-2198.

Record type: Article

Abstract

We have determined the scaling relationship between photosynthesis rate and cell size in natural phytoplankton assemblages of contrasting marine environments. We found that phytoplankton photosynthesis in the ocean does not scale as the L-power of cell size, but scales approximately isometrically with cell size, indicating that a single model cannot predict the metabolism–size relationship in all photosynthetic organisms. The scaling relationship between cellular chlorophyll a content and cell size is also isometric. Taxonomical changes along the size spectrum may explain the deviation of phytoplankton photosynthesis from the general allometric rule. The size scaling exponent for photosynthesis is significantly higher (1.14) in coastal productive waters than in the oligotrophic open ocean (0.96), which provides a physiological basis to explain the dominance of larger cells in nutrient-rich environments. The size scaling exponent for phytoplankton abundance is significantly less negative in coastal productive waters (-0.90) than in the oligotrophic open ocean (-1.25). The observed size scaling relationships imply that carbon fixation per unit volume decreases with cell size in oligotrophic waters, whereas the opposite occurs in productive ones. By controlling the metabolism–size scaling relationship, nutrient supply plays a major role in determining community size structure and the energy flow through the pelagic ecosystem.

This record has no associated files available for download.

More information

Published date: September 2007

Identifiers

Local EPrints ID: 50703
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/50703
ISSN: 0024-3590
PURE UUID: a49f9272-f658-4783-a7df-2f6f761d25f7

Catalogue record

Date deposited: 12 Mar 2008
Last modified: 22 Jul 2022 20:58

Export record

Contributors

Author: E. Maranon
Author: P. Cermeno
Author: J. Rodriguez
Author: M.V. Zubkov
Author: R.P. Harris

Download statistics

Downloads from ePrints over the past year. Other digital versions may also be available to download e.g. from the publisher's website.

View more statistics

Atom RSS 1.0 RSS 2.0

Contact ePrints Soton: eprints@soton.ac.uk

ePrints Soton supports OAI 2.0 with a base URL of http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/cgi/oai2

This repository has been built using EPrints software, developed at the University of Southampton, but available to everyone to use.

We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you continue without changing your settings, we will assume that you are happy to receive cookies on the University of Southampton website.

×