• Login
    View Item 
    •   DSpace Home
    • Institute's contributions
    • Scholarly literature
    • View Item
    •   DSpace Home
    • Institute's contributions
    • Scholarly literature
    • View Item
    JavaScript is disabled for your browser. Some features of this site may not work without it.

    Picophytoplankton community characteristics at the subsurface chlorophyll maxima in the Northern Indian Ocean

    Thumbnail
    Date
    2025
    Author
    Garg, S.
    Gauns, M.
    Unnimaya.
    Metadata
    Show full item record
    Abstract
    Autotrophic picoplankton are integral to marine ecosystems, contributing nearly half of oceanic primary productivity, particularly in warm, oligotrophic regions. Given that subsurface chlorophyll maxima (SCM) account for over 80 % of depth-integrated primary production, this study aimed to explore the variations in picophytoplankton community composition at the SCM under dynamic environmental conditions in the Northern Indian Ocean, using flow cytometry and chemotaxonomy. We found that picophytoplankton dominated the SCM (?60 %), with picochlorophytes being the most prevalent group (?50 %). Picochlorophytes showed an inverse relationship with nitrate concentrations and a positive relationship with photosynthetically active radiation (PAR), suggesting their dominance in SCMs of oligotrophic and stratified regions, with higher light availability (PARSCM > 3 Em?2d?1). As PAR reduced, Synechococcus and picocryptophytes increased (collectively accounting for 50 % of picophytoplankton community), indicating their significant presence in SCMs with lower light conditions. These groups are well-adapted to low-light environments due to the presence of the green light-harvesting pigment phycoerythrin and their capacity for photoacclimation. In the SCM of coastal regions, we observed a shift toward microphytoplankton dominance (80 %), especially diatoms, which flourish in conditions with greater light availability and nutrient concentrations. Prochlorophytes, on the other hand, were more abundant in SCMs of warmer (> 28 �C) and highly oligotrophic waters (nitrate < 1 ?M). With picophytoplankton contribution expected to increase in ocean warming scenario, our study concludes that they undergo complex changes in response to dynamic environmental conditions, which could have substantial impacts on marine ecosystems and biogeochemical cycles.
    URI
    https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marenvres.2025.107434
    http://drs.nio.res.in/drs/handle/2264/9520
    Collections
    • Scholarly literature [9179]

    DSpace software copyright © 2002-2016  DuraSpace
    Contact Us | Send Feedback
    Theme by 
    Atmire NV
     

     

    Browse

    All of DSpaceCommunities & CollectionsBy Issue DateAuthorsTitlesSubjectsThis CollectionBy Issue DateAuthorsTitlesSubjects

    My Account

    LoginRegister

    DSpace software copyright © 2002-2016  DuraSpace
    Contact Us | Send Feedback
    Theme by 
    Atmire NV