Effect of temperature and light on the photosynthesis as measured by chlorophyll fluorescence of cultured Eucheuma denticulatum and Kappaphycus sp. (Sumba strain) from Indonesia

The photosynthetic performance of two Indonesian carrageenophytes (Solieriaceae), Eucheuma denticulatum and Kappaphycus sp. (so-called Sumba strain), was investigated under a variety of temperature and light conditions regarding their mariculture performance. A pulse amplitude modulated-chlorophyll fluorometer (Diving-PAM) was used to generate rapid light curves (RLCs) to provide estimates of the relative electron transport rates (rETR) for over 10 temperatures (i.e., from 16 to 34 A degrees C) and at nine levels of photosynthetic active radiation, which ranged from 0 to 1,000 mu mol photons m(-2) s(-1). Underwater irradiance in a cultivation area was also measured at the collection site in South Sulawesi, Indonesia. The initial slope (alpha), photoinhibition coefficient (beta), and the coefficient of maximum photosynthesis assuming no photoinhibition (gamma) was calculated by fitting the RLCs to a nonlinear model of the form using a two-level hierarchical Bayesian model. The experiments revealed that E. denticulatum and Kappaphycus sp. required temperatures ranging from 23 to 32 A degrees C and 22 to 33 A degrees C to maintain high rates of photosynthetic activity, respectively. Clearly, both species appear to be well-adapted to the natural light and temperature conditions at the cultivation site, and we expect the results of this study will be useful for the design and sustainable management of similar mariculture activity.