Phytoplankton pigment change as a photoadaptive response to light variation caused by tidal cycle in Ariake Bay,Japan

Underwater light environment and photosynthetic accessory pigments were investigated in Ariake Bay in order to understand how change of the pigments occurs in response to the tidal-induced changes in underwater light conditions. We hypothesize that phytoplankton increases photo-protective pigments and decreases light-harvesting pigments under higher light condition in the mixed layer caused by tidal cycle. Contribution rates of non-phytoplankton particles (a _nph (400–700)) for light attenuation coefficient (K _d ) was highest (32–85%), and those of phytoplankton particles (a _ph (400–700)), dissolved organic matter (a _g (400–700)) and water were 6–32, 6–21 and 5–23%, respectively. Mean K _d was higher during the spring tide (0.55 ± 0.23 m⁻¹) than the neap tide (0.44 ± 0.16 m⁻¹), and the K _d difference was caused by the substances resuspension due to the tidal current. In contrast, ratios of photo-protective pigments (diadinoxanthin and diatoxanthin) per chlorophyll a ((DD+DT)/Chl a) were higher during the neap tide (0.10 ± 0.03 mg mg-Chl a ⁻¹) than the spring tide (0.08 ± 0.03 mg mg-Chl a ⁻¹). And there was significant positive correlation between (DD+DT)/Chl a and mean relative PAR in the mixed layer ($ overline {I_{mix} } $ overline {I_{mix} } ). Moreover, there was significant negative correlation between ratios of light-harvesting pigments (fucoxanthin) per Chl a (Fuco/Chl a) and $ overline {I_{mix} } $ overline {I_{mix} } . These results suggested that phytoplankton in Ariake Bay increase photo-protective pigments and decrease light-harvesting pigments in the higher light condition of less turbid, shallower mixed layer during neap tide than spring tide.