What limits photosynthetic energy conversion efficiency in nature? Lessons from the oceans

被引:34
作者
Falkowski, Paul G. [1 ,2 ]
Lin, Hanzhi [1 ,3 ]
Gorbunov, Maxim Y. [1 ]
机构
[1] Rutgers State Univ, Dept Marine & Coastal Sci, Environm Biophys & Mol Ecol Program, New Brunswick, NJ 08901 USA
[2] Rutgers State Univ, Dept Earth & Planetary Sci, Piscataway, NJ 08540 USA
[3] Univ Maryland, Ctr Environm Sci, Inst Marine & Environm Technol, Baltimore, MD 21202 USA
关键词
phytoplankton; photosynthesis; fluorescence; oceans; nutrient limitation; INDUCED CHLOROPHYLL FLUORESCENCE; IRON LIMITATION; QUANTUM YIELD; PHYTOPLANKTON PHOTOSYNTHESIS; A FLUORESCENCE; LIGHT; PRODUCTIVITY; DISSIPATION; LIFETIME; STRESS;
D O I
10.1098/rstb.2016.0376
中图分类号
Q [生物科学];
学科分类号
07 ; 0710 ; 09 ;
摘要
Constraining photosynthetic energy conversion efficiency in nature is challenging. In principle, two yield measurements must be made simultaneously: photochemistry, fluorescence and/or thermal dissipation. We constructed two different, extremely sensitive and precise active fluorometers: one measures the quantum yield of photochemistry from changes in variable fluorescence, the other measures fluorescence lifetimes in the picosecond time domain. By deploying the pair of instruments on eight transoceanic cruises over six years, we obtained over 200 000 measurements of fluorescence yields and lifetimes from surface waters in five ocean basins. Our results revealed that the average quantum yield of photochemistry was approximately 0.35 while the average quantum yield of fluorescence was approximately 0.07. Thus, closure on the energy budget suggests that, on average, approximately 58% of the photons absorbed by phytoplankton in the world oceans are dissipated as heat. This extraordinary inefficiency is associated with the paucity of nutrients in the upper ocean, especially dissolved inorganic nitrogen and iron. Our results strongly suggest that, in nature, most of the time, most of the phytoplankton community operates at approximately half of its maximal photosynthetic energy conversion efficiency because nutrients limit the synthesis or function of essential components in the photosynthetic apparatus. This article is part of the themed issue 'Enhancing photosynthesis in crop plants: targets for improvement'.
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页数:7
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