Five years ago, a group of scientists from around the world traveled to the North Pole to study the processes occurring in the Arctic climate for a whole year. Although the MOSAiC expedition has long since ended, it is still bringing unexpected results. On Wednesday (September 4), the surprising results were presented by Alfred Wegener Institute for Polar and Marine Research.
Groundbreaking Arctic Study: Plants Need Less Light Than Scientists Thought
During their stay at the North Pole, scientists studied Arctic microalgae and phytoplankton to determine how much light they need to survive. Tests conducted during the polar night yielded unexpected results. They found that these plants begin photosynthesis much earlier than previously thought. The process occurs in almost complete darkness.
Scientists have determined that even in the deep north, some organisms beneath the glacier surface begin photosynthesizing as early as late March, when the sun is just barely above the horizon. The light levels they receive are just above the theoretical minimum required for the process. This is all the more significant because, in all previous measurements, photosynthetic organisms have never even come close to reaching this supposed minimum.
Life may exist at depths previously thought improbable
According to estimates, the organisms had at any given moment one hundred thousandth of the light that reaches the surface in the middle of a sunny day. – It is impressive how effectively algae can use such a small amount of light. This shows once again how well these organisms are adapted to their environment – noted the head of the works Dr. Clara Hoppe's research team.
The study results are groundbreaking because they challenge prevailing assumptions about organisms in waters Because photosynthesis can occur in the ocean with much less sunlight than previously thought, life can thrive at depths previously thought improbable.
– Although our results are from the Arctic Ocean, they show what photosynthesis is capable of. If it can be so efficient in difficult conditions Arcticwe can assume that there are organisms in other regions and oceans that have adapted equally well, Dr Hoppe pointed out.
The results of the study were published in a scientific journal Nature Communications.