Photosynthetically Active Radiation Attenuation Research Articles

The challenge of estimating kelp production in a turbid marine environment.

Coastal kelp forests produce substantial marine carbon due to high annual net primary production (NPP) rates, but upscaling of NPP estimates over time and space remains difficult. We investigated the impact of variable underwater photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) and photosynthetic parameters on photosynthetic oxygen production of Laminaria hyperborea, the dominant NE-Atlantic kelp species, throughout summer 2014. Collection depth of kelp had no effect on chlorophyll a content, pointing to a high photoacclimation potential of L. hyperborea towards incident light. However, chlorophyll a and photosynthesis versus irradiance parameters differed significantly along the blade gradient when normalized to fresh mass, potentially introducing large uncertainties in NPP upscaling to whole thalli. Therefore, we recommend a normalization to kelp tissue area, which is stable over the blade gradient. Continuous PAR measurements revealed a highly variable underwater light climate at our study site (Helgoland, North Sea) in summer 2014, reflected by PAR attenuation coefficients (Kd ) between 0.28 and 0.87 m-1 . Our data highlight the importance of continuous underwater light measurements or representative average values using a weighted Kd to account for large PAR variability in NPP calculations. Strong winds in August increased turbidity, resulting in a negative carbon balance at depths >3-4m over several weeks, considerably impacting kelp productivity. Estimated daily summer NPP over all four depths was 1.48 ± 0.97 g C · m-2 seafloor · d-1 for the Helgolandic kelp forest, which is in the range of other kelp forests along European coastlines.

O3 Concentration and Its Relation with BVOC Emissions in a Subtropical Plantation

An empirical model of O3 is developed using the measurements of emissions of biogenic volatile organic compounds (BVOCs), O3 concentration, global solar radiation, photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) and meteorological variables in a subtropical Pinus plantation, China, during 2013–2016. In view of the different structures of isoprene and monoterpenes, two empirical models of O3 concentration are developed, considering PAR absorption and scattering due to gases, liquids and particles (GLPs), as well as PAR attenuation caused by O3 and BVOCs. The estimated O3 is in agreement with the observations, and validation of the O3 empirical model is conducted. O3 concentrations are more sensitive to changes in PAR and water vapor than S/Q (horizontal diffuse to global solar radiation) and BVOC emissions. O3 is positive to changes in isoprene emission at low light and high GLPs, or negative at high light and low GLPs; O3 is negative to changes in monoterpene emissions. O3 are positive with the changes of PAR, water vapor and S/Q. It is suggested to control human-induced high BVOC emissions, regulate plant cutting, and reduce NOx and SO2 emissions more strictly than ever before. There are inverted U-shape interactions between O3 and its driving factors, and S/Q controls their turning points.

Attenuation of photosynthetically active radiation and ultraviolet radiation in response to changing dissolved organic carbon in browning lakes: Modeling and parametrization

We present and evaluate an update to the process‐based lake model MyLake that includes a time‐varying linkage between light attenuation of both photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) and ultraviolet (UV) radiation wavelengths to changes in dissolved organic carbon (DOC). In many parts of northeastern North America and Europe, DOC in lakes has rapidly increased, leading to reduced water transparency and increases in light attenuation. These changes alter the vertical light and heat distribution that affect vertical structuring of temperature and dissolved oxygen. We use this model update to test the responsiveness of PAR and UV attenuation to short‐term fluctuations in DOC and with a test case of long‐term browning at Lake Giles (Pennsylvania). Lake Giles has browned significantly since the late 1980s, and three decades of detailed empirical data have indicated more than a doubling of DOC concentrations, and consequent increases in PAR and UV attenuation, warming surface waters, cooling deep waters, and increasing deepwater oxygen depletion. We found that the model performance improved by 16% and 52% for long‐term trends in PAR and UV attenuation, respectively, when these coefficients respond directly to in‐lake DOC concentrations. Further, long‐term trends in surface water warming, deepwater cooling, and deepwater oxygen depletion in Lake Giles were better captured by the model following this update, and were very rapid due to its high water transparency and low DOC. Hence, incorporating a responsive link between DOC and light attenuation in lake models is key to understanding long‐term lake browning patterns, mechanisms, and ecological consequences.

Attenuation of UVR and PAR in a clear and deep lake: Spatial distribution and affecting factors

Light attenuation is considered as a sentinel for environmental change in lakes and has a profound influence on aquatic ecosystems. However, the spatial distribution of ultraviolet radiation (UVR) and photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) attenuation, and the underlying mechanisms are still not fully understood. We carried out a field investigation with 60 sampling sites covering the entire Lake Qiandaohu from November 29 to December 1, 2013, during the weak stratification period to elucidate the spatial pattern and driving mechanisms. The diffuse attenuation coefficient of UVB (Kd(313)), UVA (Kd(340)) and PAR (Kd(PAR)) varied from 1.48 to 4.63 m−1, 1.09 to 3.43 m−1, and 0.26 to 0.94 m−1, respectively. The corresponding ranges for the 1% attenuation depths were from 0.10 to 3.11 m, 1.34–4.21 m and 4.87–17.58 m, respectively. Total suspended matter (TSM) concentration was highly significantly correlated with Kd(313), Kd(340) and Kd(PAR) indicating that TSM was the main driver of UVR and PAR attenuation in Lake Qiandaohu in the late autumn and early winter. TSM concentration, Kd(313), Kd(340) and Kd(PAR) had obvious horizontal spatial heterogeneity presenting a decreasing trend from the estuary area to the center area in the lake. These results suggested that the spatial distribution of TSM from the inflow drived the spatial distribution of UVR and PAR attenuation. Significantly positive correlations were also observed between the chromophoric dissolved organic matter (CDOM) absorption coefficient and Kd(313). TSM and CDOM absorption spectra showed that in the UVR waveband (350–400 nm), the mean relative contribution rates of CDOM (ag(λ)), non-algal particles (anap(λ)), phytoplankton (aph(λ)) and pure water (aw(λ)) to the total absorption were 67.5 %, 24.0 %, 5.0 % and 3.5 %, respectively. In the PAR waveband, the mean relative contribution rates of ag(λ), anap(λ), aph(λ) and aw(λ) to the total absorption were 25.4 %, 18.6 %, 9.4 % and 46.6 %, respectively. Our findings could provide support for ecological environment protection in Lake Qiandaohu considering the importance of UVR and PAR attenuation in aquatic ecosystems.

Application of the Beer–Lambert Model to Attenuation of Photosynthetically Active Radiation in a Shallow, Eutrophic Lake

AbstractModels of primary production in aquatic systems must include a means to estimate subsurface light. Such models often use the Beer–Lambert law, assuming exponential attenuation of light with depth. It is further assumed that the diffuse attenuation coefficient may be estimated as a summation of scattering/absorbing constituent concentrations multiplied by their respective specific attenuation coefficients. While theoretical deviations from these assumptions have been documented, it is useful to consider the empirical performance of this common approach. Photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) levels and water quality conditions were recorded weekly from six to eight monitoring stations in western Lake Erie between 2012 and 2016. Exponential PAR extinction models yielded a mean attenuation coefficient of 1.55 m (interquartile range = 0.74–1.90 m). While more complex light attenuation models are available, analysis of residuals indicated that the simple Beer–Lambert model is adequate for shallow, eutrophic waters similar to western Lake Erie (R2 > 0.9 for 96% of samples). Three groups of water quality variables were predictive of PAR attenuation: total and nonvolatile suspended particles, dissolved organic substances (dissolved organic carbon and chromophoric dissolved organic matter), and organic solids (volatile suspended solids and chlorophyll). Multiple regression models using these variables predicted 3–90% of the variability in PAR attenuation, with a median adjusted R2 = 0.86. Explanatory variables within these groups may substitute for each other while maintaining similar model performance, indicating that various combinations of water quality variables may be useful to predict PAR attenuation, depending on availability within a model framework or monitoring program.

Thermal stratification in small arctic lakes of southwest Greenland affected by water transparency and epilimnetic temperatures

AbstractWe assessed which factors control summer epilimnion thickness in arctic lakes of southwest Greenland. A suite of 22 lakes that thermally stratify was measured in the summer of 2013; a sub‐set of eight of the lakes was measured again in 2014, which was a warmer summer than 2013. Regression analysis of the 22 lakes indicated that the 1% attenuation depth for photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) was the strongest single predictor (R2 = 0.75) of epilimnion thickness across lakes; the addition of epilimnion temperature to the PAR model explained additional variability (R2 = 0.79). The importance of including temperature in the model was apparent in the results of model validation as well as when comparing across years: while the 1% PAR was 0.4–2 m deeper in 2014 compared with 2013, water temperatures were 2–3°C higher, resulting in July epilimnion thicknesses that were equal to or shallower than in 2013. In these lakes with low color dissolved organic carbon (DOC), multiple factors control the 1% PAR, including absorbance at 440 nm (a440), 380 nm (a380), and 320 (a320), chlorophyll a (Chl a) and DOC concentration. In 2014, when 1% PAR was deeper than in 2013, a380, Chl a and DOC were lower in six of the eight lakes. Our results reveal that the thermal structure of these arctic lakes is under complex control by air temperatures and factors that affect PAR attenuation, particularly Chl a and DOC quality, suggesting that continued warming in the Arctic will have strong effects on lake stratification.

Seasonal changes in optical properties of two contrasting tropical freshwater systems

<p>We investigated how allochthonous and autochthonous sources of dissolved organic matter (DOM) affected the optical conditions and chemical characteristics of two contrasting tropical freshwater systems (Dom Helvécio-DH and Pampulha reservoir) in a dry and rainy period in 2013. We analyzed PAR (photosynthetically active radiation) and UV (ultraviolet) attenuation coefficients, nutrients, chlorophyll-a (Chl-a), dissolved organic matter (DOC) and spectral characteristics of CDOM (colored dissolved organic matter). Significant differences in CDOM sources and quantity were observed, with a dominantly terrestrial input in DH during the rainy period with approximately 50% higher DOC and Chl-a levels, and a doubling in total nitrogen (TN) and total phosphorus (TP) compared to the dry winter period. The eutrophic Pampulha had several fold higher levels of DOC, Chl-a, TN and TP, with organic matter of mostly originating from phytoplankton in both seasons. Differences in source and quantity had strong implications on water transparency, DOC concentrations, CDOM quality and its susceptibility to photo- and biodegradation. DH was several fold clearer in both the UV and PAR spectrum. In DH transparency to both UV and PAR radiation was highest during the summer, suggesting elevated photo- and biodegradation during stratification. Pampulha was most transparent in the dry period even during period of algal bloom. In both systems we observed seasonal variations in concentrations of nutrients and Chl-a, and in DH differences were also found in DOC concentrations as well as the specific UV absorbance (SUVA<sub>254</sub>) and molecular size (M). Our results documents that different sources of DOM and seasonal inputs reflect in the seasonality of apparent and inherent optical properties and nutrients availability with implications for water quality and aquatic community. </p>

Marsh Canopy Leaf Area and Orientation Calculated for Improved Marsh Structure Mapping

An approach is presented for producing the spatiotemporal estimation of leaf area index (LAI) of a highly heterogeneous coastal marsh without reliance on user estimates of marsh leaf-stem orientation. The canopy LAI profile derivation used three years of field measured photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) vertical profiles at seven S. alterniflora marsh sites and iterative transform of those PAR attenuation profiles to best-fit light extinction coefficients (KM). KM sun zenith dependency was removed obtaining the leaf angle distribution (LAD) representing the average marsh orientation and the LAD used to calculate the LAI canopy profile. LAI and LAD reproduced measured PAR profiles with 99 percent accuracy and corresponded to field documented structures. LAI and LAD better reflect marsh structure and results substantiate the need to account for marsh orientation. The structure indexes are directly amenable to remote sensing spatiotemporal mapping and offer a more meaningful representation of wetland systems promoting biophysical function understanding.

Abiotic control of underwater light in a drinking water reservoir: Photon budget analysis and implications for water quality monitoring

AbstractIn optically complex inland waters, the underwater attenuation of photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) is controlled by a variable combination of absorption and scattering components of the lake or river water. Here we applied a photon budget approach to identify the main optical components affecting PAR attenuation in Lake St. Charles, a drinking water reservoir for Québec City, Canada. This analysis showed the dominant role of colored dissolved organic matter (CDOM) absorption (average of 44% of total absorption during the sampling period), but with large changes over depth in the absolute and relative contribution of the individual absorption components (water, nonalgal particulates, phytoplankton and CDOM) to PAR attenuation. This pronounced vertical variation occurred because of the large spectral changes in the light field with depth, and it strongly affected the average in situ diffuse absorption coefficients in the water column. For example, the diffuse absorption coefficient for pure‐water in the ambient light field was 10‐fold higher than the value previously measured in the blue open ocean and erroneously applied to lakes and coastal waters. Photon absorption budget calculations for a range of limnological conditions confirmed that phytoplankton had little direct influence on underwater light, even at chlorophyll a values above those observed during harmful algal blooms in the lake. These results imply that traditional measures of water quality such as Secchi depth and radiometric transparency do not provide a meaningful estimate of the biological state of the water column in CDOM‐colored lakes and reservoirs.

The influence of grain size, grain color, and suspended-sediment concentration on light attenuation: Why fine-grained terrestrial sediment is bad for coral reef ecosystems

Sediment has been shown to be a major stressor to coral reefs globally. Although many researchers have tested the impact of sedimentation on coral reef ecosystems in both the laboratory and the field and some have measured the impact of suspended sediment on the photosynthetic response of corals, there has yet to be a detailed investigation on how properties of the sediment itself can affect light availability for photosynthesis. We show that finer-grained and darker-colored sediment at higher suspended-sediment concentrations attenuates photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) significantly more than coarser, lighter-colored sediment at lower concentrations and provide PAR attenuation coefficients for various grain sizes, colors, and suspended-sediment concentrations that are needed for biophysical modeling. Because finer-grained sediment particles settle more slowly and are more susceptible to resuspension, they remain in the water column longer, thus causing greater net impact by reducing light essential for photosynthesis over a greater duration. This indicates that coral reef monitoring studies investigating sediment impacts should concentrate on measuring fine-grained lateritic and volcanic soils, as opposed to coarser-grained siliceous and carbonate sediment. Similarly, coastal restoration efforts and engineering solutions addressing long-term coral reef ecosystem health should focus on preferentially retaining those fine-grained soils rather than coarse silt and sand particles.

18-year variability of ultraviolet radiation penetration in the mid-latitude coastal waters of the western boundary Pacific

The 18-year time-series shows in situ ultraviolet radiation (UVR) and photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) diffuse attenuation coefficient Kd(λ) have recurrent seasonal variability of high/low attenuation during summer/winter months, respectively, dependent on variability in water column stratification and concentrations of bio-optical properties. The mid-latitude coastal survey station displayed significant seasonality of the mixed layer depth (MLD) between 12 and 82 m which modified the distribution of chlorophyll a (4.6–24.9 mg m−2) and absorption of colored dissolved organic matter [aCDOM(320 nm) 0.043–1.34 m−1]. The median Kd(320 nm) displayed significant seasonality at 0.19–0.74 m−1 (C.V. = 44.1%) and seasonal variability within the euphotic layer [Z10%(320 nm) = 7–20%]. High attenuation of UVR with relatively moderate attenuation of PAR was consistently observed during the summer months when increased concentrations of terrestrially derived CDOM coupled with a shallow MLD were present. The winter season showed the opposite of low UVR and PAR attenuation due to a relatively deeper MLD coupled with low concentrations of bio-optical properties. Although the long term Kd(λ) did not vary significantly during the time-series, analysis of the interannual variability suggests there are positive and negative phases following the Pacific Decadal Oscillation (PDO) vis-a-vis variability in bio-optical properties (p < 0.001).

Diverse coral communities in mangrove habitats suggest a novel refuge from climate change

Abstract. Risk analyses indicate that more than 90% of the world's reefs will be threatened by climate change and local anthropogenic impacts by the year 2030 under "business-as-usual" climate scenarios. Increasing temperatures and solar radiation cause coral bleaching that has resulted in extensive coral mortality. Increasing carbon dioxide reduces seawater pH, slows coral growth, and may cause loss of reef structure. Management strategies include establishment of marine protected areas with environmental conditions that promote reef resiliency. However, few resilient reefs have been identified, and resiliency factors are poorly defined. Here we characterize the first natural, non-reef coral refuge from thermal stress and ocean acidification and identify resiliency factors for mangrove–coral habitats. We measured diurnal and seasonal variations in temperature, salinity, photosynthetically active radiation (PAR), and seawater chemistry; characterized substrate parameters; and examined water circulation patterns in mangrove communities where scleractinian corals are growing attached to and under mangrove prop roots in Hurricane Hole, St. John, US Virgin Islands. Additionally, we inventoried the coral species and quantified incidences of coral bleaching, mortality, and recovery for two major reef-building corals, Colpophyllia natans and Diploria labyrinthiformis, growing in mangrove-shaded and exposed (unshaded) areas. Over 30 species of scleractinian corals were growing in association with mangroves. Corals were thriving in low-light (more than 70% attenuation of incident PAR) from mangrove shading and at higher temperatures than nearby reef tract corals. A higher percentage of C. natans colonies were living shaded by mangroves, and no shaded colonies were bleached. Fewer D. labyrinthiformis colonies were shaded by mangroves, however more unshaded colonies were bleached. A combination of substrate and habitat heterogeneity, proximity of different habitat types, hydrographic conditions, and biological influences on seawater chemistry generate chemical conditions that buffer against ocean acidification. This previously undocumented refuge for corals provides evidence for adaptation of coastal organisms and ecosystem transition due to recent climate change. Identifying and protecting other natural, non-reef coral refuges is critical for sustaining corals and other reef species into the future.

Diffuse Attenuation Coefficients for East Antarctic Pack Ice and Snow at Ultraviolet and Visible Wavelengths

Declining stratospheric ozone concentrations have led to higher levels of ultraviolet (UV) B (UVB) radiation at the Earth's surface, particularly in Antarctic spring time. Increased exposure to UVB radiation can decrease the productivity of sea-ice algae, as well as cause damage to organisms living in the clear water beneath the Antarctic pack ice. Conversely, sea-ice algae and other photosynthetic organisms rely on photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) to drive and sustain growth. Field work performed during the 2007 Australian Antarctic Program Sea Ice Physics and Ecosystem eXperiment voyage to the East Antarctic sea-ice zone allowed the estimation of diffuse attenuation coefficients for pack ice and the overlying snow at UV wavelengths (305, 313, 320, 340, 380, and 395 nm) and for PAR. The UV attenuation coefficients were 9.6-12.7 m-1 for snow and 1.57-2.05 m-1 for pack ice. The PAR attenuation coefficients were 10.5 m-1 (snow) and 1.52 m-1 (pack ice). The attenuation coefficients for erythemally weighted UVB radiation were 11.3 m-1 (snow) and 1.82 m-1 (pack ice). The analysis also estimated the reflection coefficient (albedo) of snow as 0.67 for UV wavelengths and 0.68 for PAR, but the snow cover was not always optically thick.

Wind and submerged aquatic vegetation influence bio‐optical properties in large shallow Lake Taihu, China

AbstractWe studied the bio‐optical properties and sediment dynamics of typical phytoplankton‐dominated (PD) and macrophyte‐dominated (MD) regions in shallow Lake Taihu in China, from long‐term site‐specific studies and short‐term high‐frequency observations. The long‐term studies showed that five parameters were significantly lower in the MD region than in the PD region: photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) diffuse attenuation coefficient (Kd(PAR)), concentrations of total suspended matter (CTSM), tripton (CTripton), and phytoplankton pigment (CChla+Pa), and CDOM absorption coefficient (aCDOM(350)). In winter in the MD region, with only scarce submerged aquatic vegetation (SAV) coverage, the Kd(PAR), CTSM, and CTripton were significantly higher than in the PD region with no SAV; in contrast, CChla+Pa and aCDOM(350) were significantly lower in the MD region than in the PD region. In the other three seasons with high SAV coverage, Kd(PAR), CTSM, CTripton, CChla+Pa, and aCDOM(350) were all significantly lower in the MD region than in the PD region. The appearance and growth of SAV decreased CTSM, CTripton, and Kd(PAR). The short‐term high‐frequency study showed that phytoplankton and tripton absorption coefficients were significantly lower in the MD region than in the PD region. In the PD region, there were highly significant exponential relationships between wind speed, wave height, and wave shear stress, and CTripton and Kd(PAR), showing that wind‐driven sediment resuspension could significantly affect both the tripton concentration and PAR attenuation. However, in the MD region, there were only weakly significant correlations, or no significant correlations, between wind speed, wave height, and wave shear stress, and CTripton, and Kd(PAR). The combination of the long‐term site‐specific and short‐term high‐frequency observations is an excellent tool for study of the bio‐optical properties in lake environments.

Examination of the extinction coefficient in the Beer–Lambert law for an accurate estimation of the forest canopy leaf area index

Leaf area index (LAI) is a crucial ecological parameter that represents canopy structure and controls many ecosystem functions and processes, but direct measurement and long-term monitoring of LAI are difficult, especially in forests. An indirect method to estimate the seasonal pattern of LAI in a given forest is to measure the attenuation of photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) by the canopy and then calculate LAI by the Beer–Lambert law. Use of this method requires an estimate of the PAR extinction coefficient (k), a parameter needed to calculate PAR attenuation. However, the determination of k itself requires direct measurement of LAI over seasons. Our goals were to determine (1) the best way to model k values that may vary seasonally in a forest, and (2) the sensitivity of estimates of canopy ecosystem functions to the errors in estimated LAI. We first analyzed the seasonal pattern of the “true” k (k p) under cloudy and sunny conditions in a Japanese deciduous broadleaved forest by using the inverted form of the Beer–Lambert law with the true LAI and PAR. We next calculated the errors of PAR-based LAIs estimated with an assumed constant k (LAIpred) and determined under what conditions we should expect k to be approximately constant during the growing period. Finally, we examined the effect of errors in LAIpred on estimates of gross primary production (GPP), net ecosystem production (NEP), and latent heat flux (LE) calculated with a land-surface model using LAIpred as an input parameter. During the growing period, cloudy k p varied from 0.47 to 1.12 and sunny k p from 0.45 to 1.59. Results suggest that the value of LAIpred was adequately estimated with the k p obtained under cloudy conditions during the fully-leaved period (0.53–0.57). However, LAIpred was overestimated by up to 0.6 m2 m–2 in May and November. The errors in LAIpred propagated to errors in modeled carbon and latent heat fluxes of –0.21 to 0.32 g C m–2 day–1 in GPP, –0.09 to 0.19 g C m–2 day–1 in NEP, and –3.2 to 3.9 W m–2 in LE, which is close to the measurement errors recognized in the tower flux measurement. LAIpred estimated with an assumed constant k can be useful for some ecosystem studies as a second-best alternative if k is equated to the value of k p measured under cloudy conditions especially during the fully-leaved period.

Spectral attenuation of ultraviolet and visible radiation in lakes in the Yunnan Plateau, and the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River, China

Solar radiation spectra were measured in China in 2006 and 2007 in situ in 16 lakes with 42 stations in the Yunnan Plateau (YP) and in 4 lakes with 41 stations in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River (YR) to determine the principal factors influencing ultraviolet radiation (UVR) and photosynthetically active radiation (PAR). The diffuse attenuation coefficient for PAR (K(d)(PAR)) varied from 0.19 to 2.88 m(-1) in the YP, which was significantly lower than the values that were measured in the YR, which ranged from 0.55 to 4.52 m(-1) (t-test, p < 0.001). In the UV-B region (320 nm), K(d)(320) ranged from 0.59 to 18.56 m(-1) in the YP, significantly lower than that in the YR, which ranged from 4.80 to 20.64 m(-1) (t-test, p < 0.001). The corresponding 1% attenuation depths ranged from 0.25 to 7.81 m in the YP lakes and 0.22 to 0.96 m in the YR lakes (t-test, p < 0.001). Partial correlation analyses were used to partition the importance of every optically-active substance on UVR and PAR attenuation in the two different regions. In the YP lakes, chromophoric dissolved organic matter (CDOM) absorption explained most of the variability in the UV-B (320 nm) and UV-A (360 nm) attenuations (partial correlation: r = 0.911, p<0.001; r = 0.820, p<0.001, respectively). Tripton and phytoplankton made no significant contributions to UVR attenuation. Tripton, phytoplankton and CDOM all made significant contributions to PAR attenuation with the highest partial correlation corresponding to tripton. In the YR lakes, tripton, phytoplankton, and CDOM all made significant contributions to UVR attenuation. The contribution of CDOM to UVR decreased with increasing wavelength, but the contribution of tripton and phytoplankton to UVR increased with increasing wavelength. Tripton contributed the most to UV-A attenuation. Tripton and phytoplankton made significant contributions to PAR attenuation with a higher partial correlation for tripton but CDOM had no significant contribution to PAR attenuation. The absorption and attenuation data of UVR and PAR in this study showed a shift from absorption-dominated K(d) in the YP lakes to scattering-dominated K(d) in YR lakes.

Climate-induced input of turbid glacial meltwater affects vertical distribution and community composition of phyto- and zooplankton

Receding glaciers are among the most obvious changes caused by global warming, and glacial meltwater entering lakes generally forms plumes of particles. By taking vertical samples along a horizontal gradient from such a particle source, we found that photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) and ultraviolet radiation (UVR) attenuated 20–25% faster close to the inflow of suspended particles compared with the more transparent part of the gradient. All sampled stations had a deep chlorophyll a (Chl a) maximum at 15–20 m which was more distinct in the transparent part of the horizontal gradient. Picocyanobacteria increased in abundance in more transparent water and their numbers were tightly correlated with the intensity of the deep Chl a maxima. Motile species of phytoplankton had a deeper depth distribution in transparent versus less transparent water. Yet other species, like Chrysochromulina parva, that can withstand high PAR intensities and low nutrient concentrations, increased in abundance as the water became more transparent. Also copepods increased in abundance, indicating that they are more successful in transparent water. We conclude that sediment input into lakes creates horizontal gradients in PAR and UVR attenuation which strongly affect both distribution and behavior of phyto- and zooplankton. The input of glacial flour creates a subhabitat that can function as a refuge for species that are sensitive to high PAR and UVR exposure. When the glacier has vanished, this habitat may disappear. During the melting period, with heavy sediment input, we predict that competitive species in transparent waters, like Chrysocromulina, picocyanobacteria and copepods, will become less common. The deep Chl a maxima is also likely to become less developed. Hence, glacier melting will probably have profound effects on both species composition and behavior of several planktonic taxa with potential effects on the food web.

Bio-optical properties of Antarctic pack ice in the early austral spring

Pack ice in the Bellingshausen Sea contained moderate to high stocks of microalgal biomass (3–10 mg Chl a m −2) spanning the range of general sea-ice microalgal microhabitats (e.g., bottom, interior and surface) during the International Polar Year (IPY) Sea Ice Mass Balance in the Antarctic (SIMBA) studies. Measurements of irradiance above and beneath the ice as well as optical properties of the microalgae therein demonstrated that absorption of photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) by particulates (microalgae and detritus) had a substantial influence on attenuation of PAR and irradiance transmission in areas with moderate snow covers (0.2–0.3 m) and more moderate effects in areas with low snow cover. Particulates contributed an estimated 25 to 90% of the attenuation coefficients for the first-year sea ice at wavelengths less than 500 nm. Strong ultraviolet radiation (UVR) absorption by particulates was prevalent in the ice habitats where solar radiation was highest—with absorption coefficients by ice algae often being as large as that of the sea ice. Strong UVR-absorption features were associated with an abundance of dinoflagellates and a general lack of diatoms—perhaps suggesting UVR may be influencing the structure of some parts of the sea-ice microbial communities in the pack ice during spring. We also evaluated the time-varying changes in the spectra of under-ice irradiances in the austral spring and showed dynamics associated with changes that could be attributed to coupled changes in the ice thickness (mass balance) and microalgal biomass. All results are indicative of radiation-induced changes in the absorption properties of the pack ice and highlight the non-linear, time-varying, bio-physical interactions operating within the Antarctic pack ice ecosystem.

Optical properties of canopies of the tropical seagrass Thalassia testudinum estimated by a three‐dimensional radiative transfer model

Three‐dimensional models of seagrass canopies were constructed by treating leaves as flexible strips that fall under their own weight into naturalistic canopy structures. Canopy structures incorporated shoot density, canopy height, and physical and along‐length optical characteristics of leaves from an empirical data set of six seagrass canopies from a reef lagoon in Puerto Morelos, Mexico. Multiple runs of a radiosity method radiative transfer model elucidated the dependence of various canopy optical properties on incident radiance zenith angle, such as within‐canopy diffuse attenuation, the absorption of photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) by different canopy‐complex components, along‐leaf variation in PAR absorption, and canopy bidirectional reflectance distribution functions (BRDFs). Intersite variation in mean PAR absorption by green leaf sections was primarily associated with leaf area index (LAI). Variation in PAR absorption with incident radiance angle was generally small for incident angles within Snella's window (&lt; 49°). Within canopies, absorption by water itself had a negligible effect. Canopy BRDFs were not Lambertian and exhibited features related to canopy architecture. Model outputs validated well in terms of energy conservation and empirical measurements of within‐canopy PAR attenuation. The model framework has clear applications to improve understanding of seagrass canopy light harvesting and photosynthetic carbon fixation and to aid the development of quantitative biooptical remote sensing methods for seagrass beds.

Optically active substances and their contributions to the underwater light climate in Lake Taihu, a large shallow lake in China

There are few data sets on optically active substances and optical conditions to partition the relative contribution of every substance on light attenuation in a lake. To address this need, underwater photosynthetically active radiation (PAR), optical parameters and concentrations of three optically active substances, tripton (non- phytoplankton particulate matter), chlorophyll-a (Chl-a), chromophoric dissolved organic matter (CDOM) were measured at 67 sites in Lake Taihu, a large shallow lake in China in October 2004. The spatial variation of optically active substances and their relative contributions to the underwater light climate were determined. The PAR diffuse attenuation coeffi cient Kd(PAR) at different sites varied between 0.87 and 12.43 m -1 , with a mean of 4.42 m -1 . Sig- nifi cant spatial differences were found for optically active substances and PAR attenuation, with low concentrations and weak light attenuation in macrophyte-dominated bays such as East Lake Taihu, Xukou Bay and Gongshan Bay, and high concentrations and strong light attenuation in the open water and algae-dominated areas such as the center of the lake, southwestern region, and Meiliang Bay. The mean relative contributions of tripton, Chl-a, and CDOM to light attenuation were 82.6 %, 9.7 %, and 6.8 % of Kd(PAR), respectively. Tripton was the dominant constituent of Kd(PAR), and mean of 97.5 % of the variation in Kd(PAR) could be explained by tripton. In autumn, the relative contribution of CDOM to light attenuation was lower than that of phytoplankton. We conclude that suspended par- ticulate matter, rather than dissolved organic matter, is the dominant factor for PAR attenuation in Lake Taihu.