Phytoplanktonic Photoacclimation Under Clouds
Abstract Phytoplankton photoacclimation is a well‐documented response to changes in light and nutrient availability, with the Chlorophyll a to phytoplankton Carbon ratio (θ = Chl: Cphyto) increasing at low light and decreasing under high light to optimize growth rate. Accurate estimation of phytopla...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Wiley
2025-03-01
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| Series: | Geophysical Research Letters |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1029/2024GL112274 |
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| _version_ | 1849723740401696768 |
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| author | Charlotte Begouen Demeaux Emmanuel Boss Jason R. Graff Michael J. Behrenfeld Toby K. Westberry |
| author_facet | Charlotte Begouen Demeaux Emmanuel Boss Jason R. Graff Michael J. Behrenfeld Toby K. Westberry |
| author_sort | Charlotte Begouen Demeaux |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Phytoplankton photoacclimation is a well‐documented response to changes in light and nutrient availability, with the Chlorophyll a to phytoplankton Carbon ratio (θ = Chl: Cphyto) increasing at low light and decreasing under high light to optimize growth rate. Accurate estimation of phytoplankton growth rates and Net Primary Production (NPP) from space requires knowledge of θ, but cloud cover creates gaps. Current NPP models fill in the gaps by interpolating Chl (and other inputs) from clear‐sky pixels, ignoring the possibility of photoacclimation underneath clouds. Using data from ≈9,000 matchups between BioGeoChemical‐Argo floats and cloud cover from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer, we compared the response of θ to irradiances under cloudy and clear skies. We found that phytoplankton photoacclimate similarly regardless of sky conditions at the global scale. This study highlights an incorrect assumption in current NPP estimates and suggests ways to improve global assessments of both chlorophyll and NPP. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-9f58fb1a150d4fb08832a43d22c7a2a8 |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 0094-8276 1944-8007 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-03-01 |
| publisher | Wiley |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Geophysical Research Letters |
| spelling | doaj-art-9f58fb1a150d4fb08832a43d22c7a2a82025-08-20T03:10:57ZengWileyGeophysical Research Letters0094-82761944-80072025-03-01526n/an/a10.1029/2024GL112274Phytoplanktonic Photoacclimation Under CloudsCharlotte Begouen Demeaux0Emmanuel Boss1Jason R. Graff2Michael J. Behrenfeld3Toby K. Westberry4School of Marine Sciences University of Maine Orono ME USASchool of Marine Sciences University of Maine Orono ME USADepartment of Botany and Plant Pathology Oregon State University Corvallis OR USADepartment of Botany and Plant Pathology Oregon State University Corvallis OR USADepartment of Botany and Plant Pathology Oregon State University Corvallis OR USAAbstract Phytoplankton photoacclimation is a well‐documented response to changes in light and nutrient availability, with the Chlorophyll a to phytoplankton Carbon ratio (θ = Chl: Cphyto) increasing at low light and decreasing under high light to optimize growth rate. Accurate estimation of phytoplankton growth rates and Net Primary Production (NPP) from space requires knowledge of θ, but cloud cover creates gaps. Current NPP models fill in the gaps by interpolating Chl (and other inputs) from clear‐sky pixels, ignoring the possibility of photoacclimation underneath clouds. Using data from ≈9,000 matchups between BioGeoChemical‐Argo floats and cloud cover from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer, we compared the response of θ to irradiances under cloudy and clear skies. We found that phytoplankton photoacclimate similarly regardless of sky conditions at the global scale. This study highlights an incorrect assumption in current NPP estimates and suggests ways to improve global assessments of both chlorophyll and NPP.https://doi.org/10.1029/2024GL112274ocean remote sensingphytoplankton photoacclimationBGC‐Argo floatscloud filling algorithmphytoplankton physiologyphytoplankton growth rate |
| spellingShingle | Charlotte Begouen Demeaux Emmanuel Boss Jason R. Graff Michael J. Behrenfeld Toby K. Westberry Phytoplanktonic Photoacclimation Under Clouds Geophysical Research Letters ocean remote sensing phytoplankton photoacclimation BGC‐Argo floats cloud filling algorithm phytoplankton physiology phytoplankton growth rate |
| title | Phytoplanktonic Photoacclimation Under Clouds |
| title_full | Phytoplanktonic Photoacclimation Under Clouds |
| title_fullStr | Phytoplanktonic Photoacclimation Under Clouds |
| title_full_unstemmed | Phytoplanktonic Photoacclimation Under Clouds |
| title_short | Phytoplanktonic Photoacclimation Under Clouds |
| title_sort | phytoplanktonic photoacclimation under clouds |
| topic | ocean remote sensing phytoplankton photoacclimation BGC‐Argo floats cloud filling algorithm phytoplankton physiology phytoplankton growth rate |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1029/2024GL112274 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT charlottebegouendemeaux phytoplanktonicphotoacclimationunderclouds AT emmanuelboss phytoplanktonicphotoacclimationunderclouds AT jasonrgraff phytoplanktonicphotoacclimationunderclouds AT michaeljbehrenfeld phytoplanktonicphotoacclimationunderclouds AT tobykwestberry phytoplanktonicphotoacclimationunderclouds |