Influence of non-photosynthetic pigments on the measured quantum yield of photosynthesis

The aim of this work was to assess the effect of non-photosynthetic (photoprotecting) pigments on the measured quantum yield of photosynthesis in the sea. The energy absorbed by these pigments is not utilised during photosynthesis. As a result, the measured yield of this process, i.e. the photosynthetic yield referred to the total energy absorbed by all phytoplankton pigments, is less than the actual quantum yield of photosynthesis, i.e. the yield referred to the energy absorbed by photosynthetic pigments only. The model of the absorption properties of marine phytoplankton derived by the authors (see Woźniak et al. 2000, this volume) was employed to determine the relevant contributions of photosynthetic and non-photosynthetic pigments to the total energy absorbed by phytoplankton in different trophic types of seas and at different depths in the water column. On this basis the non-photosynthetic pigment absorption factor fa, which describes the relation between the true and measured quantum yields of photosynthesis, could be characterised. The analysis shows that fa varies in value from 0.33 to 1, and that it depends on the trophic type of sea and the depth in the water column. The values of this factor are usually highest in eutrophic waters and decrease as waters become progressively more oligotrophic. It is also characteristic of fa that it increases with increasing depth in the sea.