Caractéristiques photosynthétiques du microphytobenthos d'une vasière intertidale

The photosynthetic characteristics of microphytobenthos have been studied on a temperate intertidal mudflat. The photosynthetic efficiently (alpha(B)) and capacity (P-m(B)) changed at a hourly scale and exhibited high values. These parameters were similar at the surface of the sediment and at a depth where there is no light, thus suggesting the role of bioturbation and of vertiral migration of microalgae in maintaining a high photosynthetic potential below the photic layer, The same factors might also explain the absence of photoinhibition and thus optimize the photosynthetic activity of microphytobenthos, i.e., the energy input into the intertidal system.