Final answer:
Elodea plants require sufficient light for optimal growth. If grown under green light, which they do not absorb well, they may grow tall and spindly. Light availability in aquatic ecosystems is crucial for photosynthesis, and can be enhanced using artificial light sources like LEDs.
Step-by-step explanation:
When an Elodea plant is grown in bright light, it will photosynthesize more efficiently due to the enhanced availability of photons for its chlorophyll pigments. However, if the light is predominantly green, which is not efficiently absorbed by the plant, the Elodea might not grow optimally. Instead, it may grow tall and spindly, similar to how plants behave in low light conditions.
In aquatic ecosystems, light penetration can be decreased by several factors such as water depth, suspended particles, and dissolved organic carbon (DOC). This affects the photosynthetic activity within the system. For example, algal blooms depend on sufficient light; tanks with higher DOC levels had less sunlight penetration, resulting in reduced algal growth compared to tanks with lower DOC.
Utilizing technological advances such as LEDs for illumination can optimize light delivery to cultivate algae, indicating that the control of light intensity and quality is crucial for the growth of photosynthetic organisms.