A Method for Measuring Light and Dark Respiration Rates
of Phytoplankton

L. V. Stelmakh

Institute of Biology of the Southern Seas, National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, Sevastopol, Ukraine

Received June 23, 1998; in final form, January 26, 1999

Abstract—A method for measuring the rate of light and dark respiration rates of phytoplankton using radio-
carbon is described. This method enables the estimation of respiration rates in the upper layers of the euphotic
zone. The studies revealed that the light respiration rate of phytoplankton is higher than the dark by a factor of
2–4. The increase of illumination by one order of magnitude resulted in a threefold increase of light respiration
rate; the dark respiration rate did not depend on illumination.

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