Research Note: Measuring variability in chlorophyll-fluorescence-derived photosynthetic parameters in situ with a programmable multi-channel fluorometer.

A submersible device was constructed for simultaneous in situ measurement of the effective quantum yield of chlorophyll fluorescence (ΔF / F') of eight macroalgal samples. The device incorporated a commercially available PAM fluorometer. Four samples each of the macroalgae Iridaea mawsonii (Lucas) and Monostroma hariotii (Gain) were examined. ΔF / F' and light-response curves (LCs) were regularly applied over 24 h to estimate diel changes in relative electron transport rates and the relative efficiency of photon conversion at low irradiances (α), and the variance attributable to mean values of both ΔF / F' and α were estimated. A second commercial single-channel fluorometer provided an independent measure of variability in LC parameters between individual samples, and the magnitude of this variability was within the range measured with the multi-channel device. Between-sample variability at noon, measured with the multi-channel device, was significantly greater than at other times of the day. ΔF / F' of M. hariotii were not significantly different throughout most of the day except at midnight, when values were significantly higher. In contrast, over 24-h only ΔF / F' of I. mawsonii at noon (growing in low light) was significantly lower. By providing replicate LCs at each time point, the programmable multi-channel fluorometer enables testing of significant differences in photosynthetic parameters over a diel period.