The Interactive Effects of Elevated CO2 and Ammonium Enrichment on the Physiological Performances of Saccharina japonica (Laminariales, Phaeophyta)

Abstract

Environmental challenges such as ocean acidification and eutrophication influence the physiology of kelp species. We investigated their interactive effects on Saccharina japonica (Laminariales, Phaeophyta) under two pH conditions [Low, 7.50; High (control), 8.10] and three NH 4 + concentrations (Low, 4; Medium, 60; High, 120 μM). The degree of variation of pH values in the culture medium and inhibition rate of photosynthetic oxygen evolution by acetazolamide were affected by pH treatments. Relative growth rates, carbon, nitrogen, and the C:N ratio in tissue samples were influenced by higher concentrations of NH 4 + . Rates of photosynthetic oxygen evolution were enhanced under elevated CO2 or NH 4 + conditions, independently, but these two factors did not show an interactive effect. However, rates of NH 4 + uptake were influenced by the interactive effect of increased CO2 under elevated NH 4 + treatment. Although ocean acidification and eutrophication states had an impact on physiological performance, chlorophyll fluorescence was not affected by those conditions. Our results indicated that the physiological reactions by this alga were influenced to some extent by a rise in the levels of CO2 and NH 4 + . Therefore, we expect that the biomass accumulation of S. japonica may well increase under future scenarios of ocean acidification and eutrophication.