The general objective of the LUMIÈRE project is to better understand the complex interaction between the light spectrum at the surface of coastal sediments, the vertical migration of microphytobenthos (MPB), its accumulation at the sediment surface and its photosynthetic activity, and how ultimately all of these govern the primary productivity of the sediments of the bay of Brest at different time scales (i.e. from emersion to season).
The project will answer two main questions:
1) what are the effects of light quality on the rhythmicity of MPB vertical migration and on the productivity of subtidal and intertidal sediments,
2) how do MPB diatoms perceive and use blue wavelengths ?