The Effect Of Colored Light Exposed To Rhodomonas Salina On Its Growth /
School Name
Dutch Fork High School
Grade Level
12th Grade
Presentation Topic
Environmental Science
Presentation Type
Mentored
Abstract
Phytoplankton play a vital role in our ecosystem because they serve as the foundations of the aquatic food web and also produce 50% of the global oxygen through photosynthesis. Phytoplankton growth is affected by factors such as temperature, light, and nutrient availability; however the color of light exposed to the organisms also affect phytoplankton growth because specific pigments absorb and use specific colors of light to photosynthesize. Depending on the factors affecting the environment around the phytoplankton, the color of light emitted in the water can change. The cryptophyte species Rhodomonas salina contains the light-harvesting pigment phycoerythrin, which successfully absorbs blue light but fails to absorb red light well; therefore, R. salina grows and photosynthesizes more efficiently in environments that reflect red light because phycoerythrin is able to absorb red light effectually and use it to photosynthesize and grow. If the color of light exposed to the R. salina species is changed from the color of light exposed in natural ecosystems, they will be able to adapt to the new environment due to their fast growth rate. /
Recommended Citation
Byun, Christina, "The Effect Of Colored Light Exposed To Rhodomonas Salina On Its Growth /" (2016). South Carolina Junior Academy of Science. 4.
https://scholarexchange.furman.edu/scjas/2016/all/4
Location
Owens 208
Start Date
4-16-2016 8:45 AM
The Effect Of Colored Light Exposed To Rhodomonas Salina On Its Growth /
Owens 208
Phytoplankton play a vital role in our ecosystem because they serve as the foundations of the aquatic food web and also produce 50% of the global oxygen through photosynthesis. Phytoplankton growth is affected by factors such as temperature, light, and nutrient availability; however the color of light exposed to the organisms also affect phytoplankton growth because specific pigments absorb and use specific colors of light to photosynthesize. Depending on the factors affecting the environment around the phytoplankton, the color of light emitted in the water can change. The cryptophyte species Rhodomonas salina contains the light-harvesting pigment phycoerythrin, which successfully absorbs blue light but fails to absorb red light well; therefore, R. salina grows and photosynthesizes more efficiently in environments that reflect red light because phycoerythrin is able to absorb red light effectually and use it to photosynthesize and grow. If the color of light exposed to the R. salina species is changed from the color of light exposed in natural ecosystems, they will be able to adapt to the new environment due to their fast growth rate. /
Mentor
Mentor: Tammi Richardson; University of South Carolina