Photosynthetic activity of benthic diatoms in response to different temperatures

Abstract

The photosynthetic activities of benthic diatoms in response to temperature changes were assessed by measuring chlorophyll fluorescence kinetics. Small benthic diatom species with large surface area to volume (SA/V) ratios responded to increasing temperature differently from large diatoms, since larger ratios caused lower photosynthetic activity under high-temperature conditions. The small SA/V ratios of large cells may be advantageous in benthic environments under adverse conditions such as high temperature and/or strong light. A size-dependent differential response of benthic diatoms to changes in environmental factors such as temperature may result in an altered distribution of the different diatom communities.