02341nas a2200157   4500008004100000245017500041210006900216260001200285300001200297490000700309520168800316100001502004700001402019700002102033856012902054       2014                        eng d00aEstimating photosynthetic activity in microbial mats in an ice-covered Antarctic lake using automated oxygen microelectode profiling and variable chlorophyll fluorescence0 aEstimating photosynthetic activity in microbial mats in an iceco  c08/2014  a674-6880 v593 a An automated oxygen microprofiler measured a positive flux of oxygen from microbial mats in ice-covered Lake Hoare, Antarctica, from noon, at a photon flux of 20 µmol m−2 s−1, through to midnight (< 2 µmol photons m−2 s−1). Daily average oxygen flux was 200 µmol m−2 h−1; and, whereas it was maximal at noon, when a 10 mm broad concentration peak was observed 5 mm below the mat surface, flux correlated only weakly with irradiance. In contrast, relative electron transfer rate, estimated from variable chlorophyll fluorescence, suggested a linear relationship between photosystem activity and irradiance. This contradiction arose because of the conjunction of photosynthetic production of oxygen deep into these transparent, gelatinous mats (diel oxygen change was observed to 17 mm depth) and oxygen diffusion rates too slow to allow equilibration of oxygen concentration profiles with instantaneous production and consumption of oxygen. To confirm this, we developed a mathematical simulation of oxygen dynamics that included diffusion, photosynthesis, and respiration. The simulation further indicated that (1) net oxygen evolution is light limited is and confined to the upper few millimeters of the mat, (2) below 5–7 mm, respiration balanced photosynthesis, (3) below 17 mm, respiration and photosynthesis approached zero, even though organic carbon and dissolved oxygen were present, and (4) photosynthesis deep into the mat was dependent on high light transmission through the gelatinous matrix. These conclusions are consistent with current understanding of mat growth dynamics and point to approaches for long-term analysis of microbial mat productivity.1 aHawes, Ian1 aGiles, H.1 aDoran, Peter, T.  uhttps://mcm.lternet.edu/content/estimating-photosynthetic-activity-microbial-mats-ice-covered-antarctic-lake-using-automated