Modified relationships between the occurrence of photoprotecting carotenoids of phytoplankton and Potentially Destructive Radiation in the sea [commun.]

The paper analyses the statistical relationships between photoprotecting pigment concentrations (principally selected groups of carotenoids), chlorophyll a concentrations and absolute values of the natural irradiance in the sea. The data from 404 sites in various regions (the authors' own investigations and data available on the Internet - about 3000 data sets altogether) were examined. This analysis confirms the close relationships between the occurrence of photoprotecting pigments and irradiance at short waves in the PAR range (λ< 480 nm). Modified statistical relationships between the relative concentration of photoprotecting pigments (ratio of photoprotecting pigments to total chlorophyll a concentration) and the Potentially Destructive Radiation (PDR*) have therefore been elaborated. The latter is the quantity of irradiance from the short-wave PAR range absorbed per chlorophyll a mass unit.