A test of the gleaner-opportunist trade-off among photosynthetic traits in Cryptophyte algae

As photosynthetic producers, phytoplankton form the foundation of aquatic food webs. Understanding the relationships among photosynthetic traits in phytoplankton is essential to revealing how diversification of these traits allows phytoplankton to harvest energy from different light environments. We investigated whether the diversification of 15 species of cryptophytes, a phylum of phytoplankton with diverse light-capturing pigments, showed evidence of trade-offs among photosynthetic performance traits as predicted by the gleaner-opportunist resource exploitation framework. We constructed photosynthesis vs. irradiance (P-E) curves and rapid light curves (RLCs) to estimate parameters characterizing photosynthetic performance and electron transport rate. We inferred the evolutionary relationships among the 15 species with ultraconserved genomic elements and used a phylogenetically controlled approach to test for trade-offs. Contrary to our prediction, we observed a positive correlation be..., , , # A test of the gleaner-opportunist trade-off among photosynthetic traits in Cryptophyte algae

###### MS Authors: Jake A. Swanson, Matthew J. Greenwold, Tammi L. Richardson, and Jeffry L. Dudycha

###### Read Me author: Jake A. Swanson

#### **Data Files**

File: **PS_Rates_All.csv**

Contains the measurements of photosynthetic rate across a range of 16 irradiances for all 15 cryptophytes used in the study. Each species has a column for the irradiance and photosynthetic rate as irradiance is not constant between each species. Units are µmol photons /meters squared/ second.

I_nord: Irradiance levels at which the photosynthetic rate of Chroomonas nordstedtii was measured at

I_ovata: Irradiance levels at which the photosynthetic rate of Cryptomonas ovata was measured at

I_placoidea: Irradiance levels at which the photosynthetic rate of Chroomonas placoidea was measured at

I_336: Irradiance levels at which the photosynthetic rate of Cryptomonas sp. CPCC 336 was measured at

I_theta: I...