Aquatic Sciences Meeting, Albuquerque 2001

PC02 Optical Studies in Aquatic Ecosystems

Date: Tuesday, February 13, 2001

Location: Southwest Hall

Pakulski, J, D, University of West Florida, Pensacola, FL, USA, jpakulski@uwf.edu

Baldwin, A, , University of West Florida, Pensacola, USA,

Dean, A, , University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, USA,

Durkin, S, S, University of West Florida, Pensacola, FL, USA, sdurkin@uwf.edu

Karentz, D, , University of San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA, karentzd@usfca.edu

Kelley, C, A, University of Missouri- Columbia, Columbia, MO, USA, kelleyc@missouri.edu

Scott, K, , University of West Florida, Pensacola, USA, kls10@students.uwf.edu

Wilhelm, S, , University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, USA, wilhelm@utk.edu

Jeffrey, W, H, University of West Florida, Pensacola, FL, USA, wjeffrey@uwf.edu

TRANSLATITUDINAL ASSESSMENT OF BIOLOGICAL ACCLIMATION TO SOLAR CONDITIONS IN THE OCEANS (TABASCO).

The spectral and quantitative characteristics of solar radiation vary with latitude and may influence the response of marine plankton to sunlight. We investigated the influence of ambient solar radiation on bacterial production (leucine and thymidine incorporation) along a transect from 41 degrees south to 4 degrees north latitude in the Southeastern Pacific Ocean during July and August 2000. CTD and light profiles were taken at 2 degree intervals. Surface irradiance was measured continuously. Deck incubators employing optical filters were used to examine the growth responses to ambient UVB, UVA and PAR. These data were compared to experiments using a full spectrum lamp as a constant source of artificial sunlight and identical optical filters. Bacterial and net plankton community structures were examined using molecular and microscopic techniques, respectively. Samples were also collected for chlorophyll, inorganic nutrients, and bacterial abundance and production. Geographical trends were observed in the response of bacterioplankton both ambient and simulated sunlight. These trends were complex and appeared to be related to variation in primary and secondary production near the Peruvian Upwelling and light regimes near the equator.

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Aquatic Sciences Meeting, Albuquerque 2001

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