The Impact of Varied Wavelengths of Light on the Growth Rate of Chlamydomonas reinhardtii

Abstract

Light is integral for the growth of photosynthetic organisms. Specifically, photosynthesis occurs under a range of light wavelengths. Chlamydomonas reinhardtii is a microscopic algae which may act as a model organism for photosynthetic processes. C. reinhardtii was grown under blue, red, and white light to observe under which it grew most efficiently. We hypothesized that C. reinhardtii would grow best under white light, as white light contains all wavelengths of light under which photosynthesis occurs. Contrary to our predictions, C. reinhardtii grew best in red light. Performing the one-way ANOVA test produced a p-value of 0.1777, indicating that at a significance level of α = 0.05, the difference in growth rates between the groups were insignificant. This study has important environmental significance, as microalgae make up a large part of their respective ecosystems and contribute to many biological cycles.