The Effects of Thermal Stress Response on Oxygen Production of Chlamydomonas Reinhardtii

Abstract

Chlamydomonas reinhardtii is a unicellular photosynthetic alga that is vital for ensuring the health and stability of aquatic ecosystems, specifically that of salmon populations. Temperature is well understood as an environmental factor that influences the ability of algae and plants to photosynthesize. In this study, we aimed to investigate the effect temperature plays on oxygen production in C. reinhardtii, as an indicator of how potential climate change could impact oxygen levels and the health of salmon populations in the future. The optimal temperature range for C. reinhardtii is between 20°C and 32°C. Cultures of C. reinhardtii were incubated at three temperature treatments of 4°C, 20°C, and 35°C for an acclimation period of 30 minutes and an exposure time of 75 minutes. Initial and final temperature and oxygen measurements were recorded, and results reflected no significant difference in oxygen levels between the controls and treatment vials at different temperatures. The statistical analysis using a One-way ANOVA provided a p-value significantly greater than 0.05, therefore we failed to reject our null hypothesis that thermal stress would have no mean effect on oxygen production levels in C. reinhardtii.