Metabolic activity of Planktothrix rubescens and its consequences on oxygen dynamics in laboratory experiment: A stable isotope study

Dordoni M, Tittel J, Rosenlöcher Y, Rinke K, Barth J (2024)

Publication Type: Journal article

Publication year: 2024

Journal

Journal of Phycology Wiley-Blackwell

DOI: 10.1111/jpy.13455

Abstract

Fluctuations in dissolved oxygen (DO) contents in natural waters can become intense during cyanobacteria blooms. In a reconnaissance study, we investigated DO concentrations and stable isotope dynamics during a laboratory experiment with the cyanobacterium Planktothrix rubescens in order to obtain insights into primary production under specific conditions. This observation was extended to sub-daily timescales with alternating light and dark phases. Dissolved oxygen concentrations and its isotopes (δ18ODO) ranged from 0.02 to 0.06 mmol · L−1 and from +9.6‰ to +23.4‰. The δ18ODO proved to be more sensitive than concentration measurements in response to metabolic variation and registered earlier shifts to dominance by respiration. Oxygen (O2) contents in the headspace and its isotopes (δ18OO2) ranged from 2.62 to 3.20 mmol · L−1 and from +9.8‰ to +21.9‰. Headspace samples showed less fluctuations in concentration and isotope trends because aquatic processes were hardly able to alter signals once the gas had reached the headspace. Headspace δ18OO2 values were corrected for gas–water equilibration and were determined to be higher than the mean δ18OH2O of −8.7‰. This finding suggests that counteracting respiration was important even during the highest photosynthetic activity. Additionally, headspace analyses led to the definition of a fractionation factor for respiration (αR) of this cyanobacterium with a value of 0.980. This value confirms the one commonly used for cyanobacteria. Our findings may become important for the management of water bodies where decreases in DO are caused by cyanobacteria.

Authors with CRIS profile

Marlene Dordoni Lehrstuhl für Angewandte Geologie Johannes Barth Lehrstuhl für Angewandte Geologie

Involved external institutions

Helmholtz-Zentrum für Umweltforschung (UFZ) / Helmholtz Center for Environmental Research DE Germany (DE)

How to cite

APA:

Dordoni, M., Tittel, J., Rosenlöcher, Y., Rinke, K., & Barth, J. (2024). Metabolic activity of Planktothrix rubescens and its consequences on oxygen dynamics in laboratory experiment: A stable isotope study. Journal of Phycology. https://doi.org/10.1111/jpy.13455

MLA:

Dordoni, Marlene, et al. "Metabolic activity of Planktothrix rubescens and its consequences on oxygen dynamics in laboratory experiment: A stable isotope study." Journal of Phycology (2024).

BibTeX: Download