UK Surface Ocean - Lower Atmosphere Study (UK SOLAS)

Project 2

The role and effects of photoprotective compounds in marine plankton

Principal Investigator — Steve Archer, Plymouth Marine Laboratory.

Objectives

• To study the photoprotective role of dimethylsulphoniopropionate (DMSP) and quaternary ammonium compounds (QACs) in plankton organisms
• To investigate how this role influences production rates in marine surface waters
• To examine the production of the volatile breakdown products dimethyl sulphide (DMS) and ammonia

Activities

Fieldwork has included participation in a research cruise in the tropical North Atlantic (D326). Time series of biweekly frequency have been recorded at the PML L4 time series station. Measurements included

• Discrete in situ DMSP, particulate DMSP, dimethylsulphoxide (DMSO) and glycine betaine (GBT)
• Dissolved DMSP and DMS, ammonium and chlorophyll a
• Particulate organic carbon, nitrogen and sulphur (POC, PON and POS)
• Xanthophylls and mycosporine-like amino acids (MAAs)
• Irradiance and UV radiation
• Photophysiological parameters
• DMSP and GBT oxidation

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