MONITORING-PAMMulti-Channel Chlorophyll Fluorometer

Long-Term Monitoring of Chlorophyll Fluorescence under Field Conditions

MONITORING-PAMMulti-Channel Chlorophyll Fluorometer

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Measurements of chlorophyll fluores-cence give easy and non-invasiveaccess to primary photosyntheticproductivity data. In particular, pulse-amplitude modulated (PAM) chloro-phyll fluorescence, in combinationwith saturating pulse analysis offluorescence quenching, has becomea key technique in basic and appliedphotosynthesis research.

With the introduction of the PAM-101chlorophyll fluorometer in 1985, byHeinz Walz GmbH, the Walz companyhas made PAM fluorometry generallyavailable to the scientific community.

While this first system was laboratory-based, further developments resultedin portable above-ground (MINI-PAM,PAM-2000 and its successors PAM-2100/PAM-2500) and underwaterfluorometers (DIVING-PAM) which haveenabled assessment of photosynthesisin the field.

The launch of the MONITORING-PAMChlorophyll Fluorometer representsanother big step forward in outdoormonitoring of photosynthesis byfacilitating, for the first time, long-termmulti-site monitoring of PAM-fluores-cence under rough environmentalconditions.

Features

• Cylindrical-shaped, robust andweather-resistant measuring heads(MONI-HEAD/485) recording PAMfluorescence, ambient PAR andtemperature.

• Pulse-modulated fluorescencemeasuring light, blue actinic light andblue saturating pulses delivered by asingle blue (455 nm) Power LED.

Uniquely, the MONITORING-PAMrecords, for each measuring site,fluorescence yield and photosyntheti-cally active radiation (PAR), which isessential to evaluate fluorescenceparameters in a naturally changinglight environment.

• Operation of up to 4 measuringheads (MONI-HEAD) using a specialinterface box for computer connection.Alternatively, one can operate up to7 measuring heads in parallel usingthe MONITORING-PAM Data Acqui-sition system (MONI-DA).

• Unattended battery-operatedfluorescence monitoring over extendedtime periods can be achieved usingthe MONITORING-PAM Data Acqui-sition system (MONI-DA). MONI-HEAD/485

(optical window)

Cable Port for Data/PowerCable RS-485 (10 m standardlength)

Water-Tight Aluminum Cylinder(stainless steel on request)

Sample Clip (consisting of2 aluminum frames)

System Components & Descriptions

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MONI-DA Data Acquisition system

The MONI-DA is hermetically sealed.Settings are adjusted using magneticproximity switches. Data are storedon a 1 GByte memory size microSDflash card.

MONI-HEAD/485 Measuring Head

The MONI-HEAD/485 measuresboth ambient light remitted by a scat-tering Teflon sheet to a PAR sensorinside the instrument and modulatedfluorescence excited by the pulsedmeasuring light emitted by themeasuring head.

MONI-IB4/USBPC Interface Box

The MONI-IB4/USB PC interfacebox translates between USB and RS-485 data communication. It alsoserves as power supply for MONI-HEAD measuring heads and as batterycharger for the MONI-DA.

Two Input Sockets (forPC interface box MONI-IB4/USB, externalbattery or solar panel)

Signal-LEDs

MicroSD Card Slot(screw cap removed)

Saturating Pulse

On (system wake-up)

Menu Button

Magnetic Finger inHome Position DuringMeasurements

Upward, DownwardNavigation Buttons

Off (set to sleep)

Seven Sockets forMeasuring Head MONI-HEAD/485

AUX (for GRPS-modemor satellite phone)

Magnetic Finger inShipping Position

USB Socket

Front View

Rear View

Ambient Light

Pulsed Excitation Light

Pulsed Chl Fluorescence

Socket for DC Power Supply

System Configurations

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MONI-SET-DA

On-Line and Off-Line Monitoring(Max. 7 Measuring Heads)

• Tele Data Concepts.

1) Data upload to a centralized servervia http/https protocol.

2) Wireless data upload to a central-ized server via telephone modem(GPRS) and smtp protocol. Also, dataupload via satellite phone.

Future Add-Ons

• Solar panel as power supply forData Acquisition System MONI-DA.

• Radiation, temperature andhumidity sensors for the Data Acqui-sition System MONI-DA.

3) Online view of uploaded data usinga web application. Download ofWinControl-3 type data from central-ized server for evaluation and analysis.

Stand-Alone Unit

MONI-HEAD/485

MONI-HEAD/485

MONI-HEAD/485

MONI-HEAD/485

MONI-HEAD/485

MONI-HEAD/485

MONI-HEAD/485

Data AcquisitionSystem MONI-DA

Weatherproof Parts

RS-485 (10 m)PC Interface BoxMONI-IB4/USB RS-485 (100 m)

Windows-OperatedPC RunningWinControl-3

USB (2 m)

Auxiliaries· External Battery· Modem· Solar Panel· Weather Sensors

DC PowerSupply

MONI-SET

On-Line Monitoring(Max. 4 Measuring Heads)

MONI-HEAD/485

MONI-HEAD/485

MONI-HEAD/485

MONI-HEAD/485

Weatherproof Parts

RS-485 (10 m)PC Interface BoxMONI-IB4/USB

Windows-OperatedPC RunningWinControl-3

USB (2 m)

DC PowerSupply

Application

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Example of Application

Fluorescence monitoring in the field.Data from Scots pine needles wererecorded at the beginning of spring(left-handed panels) and at thebeginning of summer in Finland (right-handed panels; data from Porcar-Castell et al. (2008) Photosynth Res96, 173-179).

Typical Areas ofApplications

• Above-ground and marine eco-physiological research. Crop plantmonitoring in precision farming.

• Continuous monitoring andlong-term estimation of primary photo-synthetic production.

• Detection of sustained non-photochemical energy quenchingduring long-term stress periods.

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WinControl-3 SoftwareGeneral Features and Graphical User Interface

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Customer-Defined Measuring Protocols

Execution of customized experimentalprocedures using easily program-mable batch files.

Data Export

Export in CSV (comma-separatedvalues) format of original fluorescencetraces, saturating pulse analysis dataand parameter estimates of lightresponse curves.

Light Response Curves(Rapid Light Curves)

Automatic execution of light exposureprotocols and fitting of two differentmodel functions to data of lightresponse experiments.

General Features

The WinControl-3 software representsthe latest version of the WinControlsoftware family. Presently, WinControl-3 operates the JUNIOR-PAM and theMONITORING-PAM fluorometers.Different from its predecessors,WinControl-3 handles simultaneouslymultiple PAM fluorometers and permitsvery long periods of data acquisition.

Data Evaluation

Saturating pulse analysis with auto-matic detection and calculation ofstandard fluorescence parametersincluding Fo, Fm, Fo’ (calculated),Fm’, Fv/Fm, qP, qL, qN, NPQ, Y(II),Y(NPQ), Y(NO), ETR.

Automated Routines

Repetitive triggering of fluorometerfunctions (e. g., dark-light inductionand dark recovery curves) byadjustable clock.

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NPQ

Y(II)

FtYY

SAT Graph Windowof WinControl-3

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Dark-light Induction Curve:Hedera helix leaves, dark-acclimated, grown in deep-shade (DS), shade (SH) orsun-exposed (EX).

Technical Specifications

• Power Consumption:Peak loads during saturating pulses:7 W. During measuring mode: 0.5 W

• Physical Properties:Dimensions: Cylinder with diameterof 30 mm and length of 280 mmWeight: 250 g (aluminum), 450 g(stainless steel)Operating temperature: -5 to +40 °C

PC Interface BoxMONI-IB4/USB

• Housing:Aluminum case including oneUSB-B, four M12 5-pole and onepower supply socket

• Interfacing:The interface box connects betweencomputer and maximally four MONI-HEAD/485 or one MONI-DA. RS-485serial data communication is usedbetween interface box and MONI-HEAD/485 or MONI-DA. USBcommunication is used betweeninterface box and computer (RS232and Ethernet communication onrequest). Standard cable lengths,2 m to computer, 10 m to MONI-HEAD/485, 100 m to MONI-DA

• Physical Properties:Dimensions: 120 x 93 x 30 mm (L xW x H)Weight: 350 gOperating temperature: 0 to +40 °C

• Power Supply:Input: 100 to 240 V AC, 50 to 60 HzOutput: 19 V DC, 3.7 ADimensions: 132 x 58 x 30 mm (L xW x H)Weight: 310 g

Software, Hardware• Fluorometer Software:WinControl-3 for PAM fluorometers.Measured and calculated parameters:Fo, Fm, Fm', F, Fo' (calculated), Fv/Fm(max. Yield), �F/Fm' (Yield), qP, qN,qL, NPQ, Y(NPQ), Y(NO), ETR (i.e.PAR x �F/Fm'), PAR and °C. Twodifferent fitting routines for ETR versuslight intensity curves

• Computer Operating System:Microsoft Windows 2000/XP/Vista

• Computer Hardware:Minimum requirements Processor,1 GHz. RAM, 256 MB. Hard discspace, 20 MB. Screen resolution: 800x 600 pixels. Interface, USB 1.1 orUSB 2.0

Data AcquisitionSystem MONI-DA

• Housing:Robust water-proof cylinder consistingof a polyvinyl chloride (PVC) tube andPoly-oxy-methylene (POM) endplates.One endplate with 2 male M12 5-polesockets connected in parallel (MONI-IB4/USB communication, chargingvoltage), one male M12 5-pole socketfor auxiliaries, and 7 female M125-pole sockets (MONI-HEAD/485communication)

• Communication:RS-485 serial data communication

• Off-line Operation:1 GByte memory size on a microSDflash card. Power supply: 7 Ah sealedlead-acid battery. Reduced powerconsumption by switching into stand-by mode between measurements

• Properties:Power consumption: 12 mW in standbymode. Operating mode, depends onthe number of MONIHEAD/485connected (see MONI-HEAD/485power consumption).Operating temperature: -10 to +40 °CDimensions: 160 mm x 240 mm(diameter x length)Weight: 5.6 kg

Subject to change without prior notice

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Measuring HeadMONI-HEAD/485

• Housing:Water-tight aluminum cylinder(stainless steel on request) with oneend featuring a collimating lens forfocusing measuring light, actinic lightand saturating pulse light on thesample and collecting fluorescence

• Sample Clip:Consisting of 2 aluminum frames (35x 25 mm), pressed together by aspecial O-ring, and mounted at adistance of 25 mm from the MONI-HEAD/485 optical window. Anglebetween optical axis of the MONI-HEAD/485 and sample clip plane:120°. Data/power cable: 10 mstandard length (MONI-HEAD/485 toMONI-IB4/USB or MONI-HEAD/485to MONI-DA)

• Fluorescence Detection:PIN-photodiode protected by long-pass filter (50% transmittance at 645nm). Selective window amplifier tomeasure pulse-amplitude modulated(PAM) fluorescence

• Measurement of Photo-synthetically Active Radiation:Integrated quantum sensor (photo-diode protected by near-infrared filters)measuring the radiation reflected bya 13 x 7 mm area of an optically diffuseTeflon sheet, 1 mm thick, mounted atthe edge of the leaf clip

• Temperature Measurement:Integrated-circuit temperature sensoron circuit board

• Measuring Light:Blue Power LED (peak wavelength:455 nm, full width at half maximum is18 nm). Photosynthetically activeradiation of measuring light at level ofthe sample clip range from 0.1 to1 μmol/(m2·s) at low modulationfrequencies (5 to 25 Hz), and from1 to 15 μmol/(m2·s) at high modulationfrequencies (100 to 500 Hz)

• Actinic Light:Same Power LED as for measuringlight. At the level of the sample clip,maximum photosynthetically activeradiation of actinic light and saturatingflashes are 1500 and more than 3500μmol/(m2·s), respectively

High Quality Instrumentation for Plant Sciences2.

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Heinz Walz GmbHEichenring 691090 EffeltrichGermany

Tel. +49-(0)9133/7765 -0Fax +49-(0)9133/5395E-mail: info@walz.comInternet: www.walz.com