Chlorophyll a Fluorescence in Aquatic Sciences: Methods and Applications
Measurements of variable chlorophyll fluorescence have revolutionised global research of photosynthetic bacteria, algae and plants and in turn assessment of the status of aquatic ecosystems, a success that has partly been facilitated by the widespread com
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DEVELOPMENTS IN APPLIED PHYCOLOGY
Chlorophyll a Fluorescence in Aquatic Sciences: Methods and Applications
AB 3
Chlorophyll a Fluorescence in Aquatic Sciences Methods and Applications
Developments in Applied Phycology 4
Series Editor: Michael A. Borowitzka School of Biological Sciences & Biotechnology Murdoch University, Murdoch, Western Australia
For other titles published in this series, go to www.springer.com/series/7591
David J. Suggett · Ondrej Prášil Michael A. Borowitzka Editors
Chlorophyll a Fluorescence in Aquatic Sciences Methods and Applications
Editors David J. Suggett Department of Biological Sciences University of Essex CO4 3SQ Colchester United Kingdom
Ondrej Prášil Institute of Microbiology Opatovciky mlyn 379 81 Trebon Czech Republic
Michael A. Borowitzka Algae R&D Center School of Biological Sciences and Biotechnology Murdoch University Murdoch 6150, WA Australia
ISBN 978-90-481-9267-0 e-ISBN 978-90-481-9268-7 DOI 10.1007/978-90-481-9268-7 Springer Dordrecht Heidelberg London New York Library of Congress Control Number: 2010932001 © Springer Science+Business Media B.V. 2011 No part of this work may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, microfilming, recording or otherwise, without written permission from the Publisher, with the exception of any material supplied specifically for the purpose of being entered and executed on a computer system, for exclusive use by the purchaser of the work. Printed on acid-free paper Springer is part of Springer Science+Business Media (www.springer.com)
Preface
It is unquestionable that Chlorophyll a fluorescence is quite literally a global phenomenon. Fluorescence merely describes an optical phenomenon where light absorbed at one wavelength is re-emitted at another (longer) wavelength; it exists passively in nature and occurs wherever light exists to be absorbed by Chlorophyll a molecules. These molecules are a common property of all photoautotrophic organisms on land and in water; thus Chlorophyll a fluorescence is essentially ubiquitous in nature (Fig. 1). It is incredible that such a natural phenomenon has been exploited by such a wide variety of researchers and across the biological and environmental sciences, and perhaps is testament to the importance we place on understanding photoautotrophic activity. We have long known that Chlorophyll a fluorescence of photosynthetic organi sms varies as a result of changes in the amount (biomass), as well as function (quantum yield), of Chlorophyll a present. At operational temperatures that exist in most natural environments, Chlorophyll a fluorescence is largely derived from the Chlorophyll a associated with photosystem II (PSII), i.e. the oxygen evolving complex; as such, changes in the quantum yield of fluorescence directly relate to changes in photosynthetic (O2 evolving) capabilities. Thus, by actively inducing changes in Chlorophyll a fluorescence using an actinic light source, we can perturb the physiologic
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