Loss of sea ice alters the colors of light in the ocean
The disappearance of sea ice in polar regions due to #GlobalWarming not only increases the amount of light entering the #ocean, but also changes its #color. These changes have far-reaching consequences for #photosynthetic organisms such as ice #algae and #phytoplankton.
That is the conclusion of new research published in Nature Communications, led by marine biologists Monika Soja-Woźniak and Jef Huisman from the Institute for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics (IBED) at the University of Amsterdam.
The international research team, which also included physical chemist Sander Woutersen (HIMS/UvA) and collaborators from the #Netherlands and #Denmark, investigated how the loss of #SeaIce alters the underwater light #environment. Sea ice and #seawater differ fundamentally in how they transmit light. Sea ice strongly scatters light and reflects much of it, while allowing only a small amount to penetrate.
Yet, this limited amount of light still contains almost the full range of visible wavelengths. In contrast, seawater absorbs red and green light, while blue light penetrates deep into the water column. This is what gives the ocean its blue color.
The disappearance of sea ice in polar regions due to global warming not only increases the amount of light entering the ocean, but also changes its color. These changes have far-reaching consequences for photosynthetic organisms such as ice algae and phytoplankton.
You're not the only one who needs sunscreen!
Photoinhibition impairs #photosynthetic efficiency and causes oxidative damage in #plants. Here, Ali et al. investigate the role of #resveratrol in protecting #plants from high #light damage.
https://doi.org/10.1111/jipb.13895
@wileyplantsci
#PlantSci #JIPB #botany
Volcanic #hot_springs dwelling #algae reveal #photosynthetic insights
#thermophiles #Cyanidioschyzon #carbon_concentrating_mechanism #CCM
https://phys.org/news/2025-02-volcanic-hot-algae-reveal-photosynthetic.html
Italy's Phlegraean Fields is a hotspot of volcanic activity—an ever-shifting landscape pocketed with acidic hot springs. This huge caldera is a part of the Campanian volcanic arc, which includes Mount Vesuvius, whose eruption wiped out the Roman city of Pompeii in 79 C.E. Yet, despite the hostile and scalding conditions of this environment, some microorganisms thrive.
One of the hardest-working organisms in the ocean is the tiny, emerald-tinged Prochlorococcus marinus. These single-celled "picoplankton," which are smaller than a human red blood cell, can be found in staggering numbers throughout the ocean's surface waters, making Prochlorococcus the most abundant photosynthesizing organism on the planet. (Collectively, Prochlorococcus fix as much carbon as all the crops on land.) Scientists continue to find new ways that the little green microbe is involved in the ocean's cycling and storage of carbon.
Plastids are important organelles that can be engineered to enhance photosynthetic and metabolic traits in plants. This study identifies a chloroplast-targeting peptide that is highly efficient in delivering biologically functional proteins to plastids in plants.
#IndianGhostPipe - #MonotropaUniflora
Herbaceous, #perennial flowering plant.
It can't generate its own chlorophyll & is #parasitic - specifically #mycoheterotroph. Its #symbiotic #fungi hosts are in the #Russulaceae family.
Through the fungal web of #mycorrhizae, #GhostPipe roots sap food from where the host fungi are connected to the #photosynthetic #trees. Clustered node roots of this plant are covered in hairs called #cystidium. The #cystidia found on these roots allow easy attachment to #FungiHyphae. As it's not dependent on sunlight to grow, it can grow in very dark environments, like understories of forests.
#Indigenous #Cherokee peoples feature the "pipe plant" in some of their #CreationStories. The legend states that the plant was named "Indian pipe" due to a group of chiefs quarreling without resolution, while passing a pipe around during the dispute; the Great Spirit then turned the chiefs into the plant, as they should have smoked the sacred pipe after making peace with each other. The plant is said to grow wherever friends have quarreled.
Native to #PacificNorthwest & a few other areas too.
#NotAFungi #PlantIdentification #PlantLovers #ParasiticPlants #InterestingPlants #Wsanec #Saanich #PNW #VancouverIsland #VanIsle #cascadia #LearnAboutPlants #Bloomscrolling #StrangeFlowers #ForestPlants #YYJ #Nature #WildPlants #NativePlants
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