sapere aude


Quantum Efficiency and Bio-Optics of Aquatic Phototrophs

Sapere-Aude Advanced Grant
Danish Council for Independent Research / Natural Science (FNU)

Microsensor on coral





















 Publications

Microbial mat from Hot spring, Greenland

2014

Behrendt, L., Nielsen, J. L., Sørensen, S. J., Larkum, A. W. D., Winther, J. R., and Kühl, M. (2014) Rapid TaqMan-based quantification of chlorophyll d-containing cyanobacteria in the genus Acaryochloris.
Applied and Environmental Microbiology 80:3244-3249 [ABSTRACT]

Brodersen, K. E., Lichtenberg, M., Ralph, P. J., Kühl, M., and Wangpraseurt, D. (2014) Radiative energy budget reveals high photosynthetic efficiency in symbiont-bearing corals.
Journal of Royal Society Interface 11(9): 20130997 [ABSTRACT]

Wangpraseurt, D., Larkum, A. W. D., Franklin, J., Szabo, M., Ralph, P. J, and Kühl, M. (2014a) Lateral light transfer ensures efficient resource distribution in symbiont-bearing corals.
Journal of Experimental Biology 217:489-498
doi: 10.1242/​jeb.091116, [ABSTRACT]

Wangpraseurt, D., and Kühl, M. (2014b) Direct and diffuse light propagation through coral tissue. Proc. SPIE 8941, Optical Interactions with Tissue and Cells XXV; and Terahertz for Biomedical Applications, 894117 (February 26, 2014); doi:10.1117/12.2038339S)

Wangpraseurt, D., Polerecky, L., Larkum, A. W. D., Ralph, P. J., Nielsen, D. A., Pernice, M., and Kühl, M. (2014c) The in situ light microenvironment of corals.
Limnology and Oceanography 59: 917–926
[ABSTRACT]

Wangpraseurt, D., Kühl M., and Jacques S. L. Optical properties of symbiont-bearing corals. (SUBMITTED)

Szabó, M., Wangpraseurt, D.,Tamburic, B., Larkum, A. W. D., Kühl, M., Schreiber, U.,and Peter J. Ralph. Functional light absorption and absolute electron transport rates in the coral Pocillopora damicornis (SUBMITTED)




 

The project investigates fundamental links between the microscale organization of aquatic photosynthetic tissues and biofilm communities, their bio-optical properties and quantum efficiency.
A central question is:

Do aquatic photosynthetic tissues and biofilm communities exhibit similar links between structure and function as found in terrestrial plants and canopies?

Based on a detailed characterization of how incident irradiance is absorbed, scattered and dissipated via photosynthesis and non-photochemical energy dissipation (fluorescence and heat), complete energy budgets will be constructed and related to the micro-structural organization of cells and chloroplasts in aquatic plant tissue, compact photosynthetic biofilms, and coral tissue harboring photosymbionts.

The experimental approach is based on advanced microsensor and bioimaging methodology, and involves detailed analyses linking microstructural heterogeneity to the performance and efficiency of surface associated aquatic phototrophs.

more details..