Phytoplankton photosynthetic response to light in an internal tide dominated environment

The influence of internal tides on phytoplankton photosynthetic response to light was studied in the Lower St. Lawrence Estuary. Photosynthesis at saturating light intensity responded to variations in the vertical density gradient, which were linked to the internal tides. The photosynthetic response was lag-correlated to the vertical water stratification. This suggests that the link between photosynthesis and the internal tides may have resulted from phytoplankton light adaptation.