LIGHT-ENHANCED OXYGEN RESPIRATION IN BENTHIC PHOTOTROPHIC COMMUNITIES

Two microelectrode studies demonstrate the effect of Light intensity a nd photosynthesis on areal oxygen respiration in a hypersaline mat at Guerrero Negro, Mexico, and in an intertidal sediment at Texel, The Ne therlands. The hypersaline mat was studied in the laboratory at light intensities of 0, 10, 25, 50, 100, 200, and 500 mu E m(-2) s(-1) using the light-dark shift technique to measure gross photos synthesis rate s. Areal gross photosynthesis increased from 0 to 31.3 nmol O-2 cm(-2) min(-1) and areal net photosynthesis increased from -3.9 to 16.7 nmol O-2 cm(-2) min(-1) with increasing light intensities. Areal respirati on, calculated from the difference between areal gross and areal net p hotosynthesis, increased from 3.9 to 14.4 nmol O-2 cm(2) min(-1) with increasing surface irradiance. This light-enhanced areal respiration w as related to an increase in oxygen penetration depth from 0.2 to 2.0 mm, thus expanding the volume of sediment involved in oxygen respirati on beneath the mat surface. The mean rate of oxygen respiration per vo lume of mat remained constant at a rate of similar to 100 nmol O-2 cm( -3) min(-1). Oxygen profiles for the intertidal sediment were recorded in situ during the day at prevailing light intensities. A 1-dimension al diffusion-reaction model was used to estimate gross photosynthesis and oxygen respiration per volume of sediment, as well as the euphotic depth and the sediment-water interface concentration of oxygen. Areal gross photosynthesis ranged from 9.7 to 26.3 nmol O-2 cm(-2) min(-1) and areal net photosynthesis ranged from 1.1 to 8.1 nmol O-2 cm(-2) mi n(-1), both showing maximum values in the early afternoon. Areal respi ration ranged from 8.1 to 18.2 nmol O-2 cm(-2) min(-1) and showed a go od positive linear correlation with areal gross photosynthesis (R = 0. 97, n = 9). The enhanced areal respiration in the intertidal sediment was due to an increase in mean respiration per volume of sediment from 18.5 to 52 nmol O-2 cm(-3) min(-1). The oxygen penetration depth only varied between 3.5 and 4.3 mm. Both studies thus indicate that areal respiration is enhanced significantly with increasing light intensitie s due to increased areal gross photosynthesis. By assuming that areal respiration in darkness is equal to areal respiration in the light, be ll jar incubations would have underestimated areal respiration in the Light 3.7-fold and areal gross photosynthesis 1.5-fold for the hypersa line mat and 10.7- and 2.6-fold for the intertidal sediment.