## 3 Results and Discussion
### Algal Responses  
The light curve and photosynthetic parameters of \(L\). _bertoeana_ showed latitudinal patterns for the study zone (Figure 3), with lower F\({}_{\rm v}\)/F\({}_{\rm m}\) values in PA and higher values towards PC. In contrast, ETR\({}_{\rm max}\) and E\({}_{\rm K}\) presented the highest importance in PA and lower values in PB and PC. The PB and PC zones did not show significant differences in photosynthetic parameters with PC; however, their light curves were apparently different from that of PA.  
The results of surface phytoplankton biomass measured as extractable Chl-\(a\) concentration (Table 3) showed an increase in chlorophyll concentration from the PA site to the PC site. The PA site showed the lowest average (\(p\leq\) 0.05) surface chlorophyll relative to the PB and PC sites, which were not significantly different.  
\begin{table}
\begin{tabular}{l c c c c c c c c c c} \hline  & **PA** & **PB** & **PC** & **av** & **sd** & **Min** & **Max** & **MASEQATA** & **TEL** \\ \hline Fines & \% & 0.23 & 0.05 & 0.05 & & & & & & \\ Al & mg kg\({}^{-1}\) & 1887 & 2043 & 2151 & 2027 & 152 & 1850 & 2247 & 4070 & 730 \\ Ag & mg kg\({}^{-1}\) & bdl & 1.09 & 1.46 & 1.24 & 0.62 & 0.70 & 1.95 & 0.59 \\ As & mg kg\({}^{-1}\) & 46.43 \({}^{+}\) & 60.25\({}^{+}\) & 197.23\({}^{+}\) & 39.88 & 18.67 & 12.10 & 66.70 & 1.37 & 7.24 \\ Bi & mg kg\({}^{-1}\) & 18.13 & 12.77 & 18.67 & 16.52 & 8.80 & 3.71 & 26.30 & 0.01 & \\ Ca & g kg\({}^{-1}\) & 279 & 194 & 199 & 224 & 42 & 186 & 288 & 14.60 & \\ Cd & mg kg\({}^{-1}\) & bdl & bdl & 1.11 & 1.11 & 1.11 & & & & 0.095 & 680 \\ Cu & mg kg\({}^{-1}\) & 9.31 & 6.24 & 5.59 & 7.05 & 1.95 & 4.74 & 10.30 & 9.14 & 18.7 \\ Fe & mg kg\({}^{-1}\) & 3887 & 3075 & 3848 & 3813 & 271 & 3517 & 4408 & 4686 & \\ K & mg kg\({}^{-1}\) & 1135 & 1172 & 1252 & 1186 & 86 & 1034 & 1362 & & \\ Li & mg kg\({}^{-1}\) & 2.74 & 2.12 & 2.38 & 2.37 & 0.38 & 2.02 & 3.11 & & \\ Mg & mg kg\({}^{-1}\) & 4150 & 3436 & 364 & 3740 & 353 & 3032 & 4238 & 3811 & \\ Mn & mg kg\({}^{-1}\) & 43.57 & 43.33 & 44.37 & 43.76 & 2.09 & 40.00 & 46.00 & 55.11 & \\ Na & mg kg\({}^{-1}\) & 4755 & 4544 & 4795 & 4698 & 196 & 4402 & 4982 & & \\ Pb & mg kg\({}^{-1}\) & 21.30 & 10.66 & 11.77 & 15.6 & 6.16 & 7.68 & 27.10 & 1.27 & 30.24 \\ Zn & mg kg\({}^{-1}\) & 11.53\({}^{*}\) & 8.18\({}^{ab}\) & 7.58\({}^{*}\) & 9.10 & 2.03 & 7.14 & 13.00 & 7.78 & 124 \\ \hline \end{tabular} bdl: below detection limits. Different letters indicate significant differences (\(p<\) 0.05) by [PERSON]’s multiple comparison test. The absence of a letter means no significant difference.  
\end{table}
Table 2: Element concentrations in sediments collected in the sampled stations (PA, PB, PC), descriptive statistics and median values found in the study area by the Marine Sediment Quality Atacama project (MASEQATA) and the TEL (lower threshold levels) values for the NOAA [29].  
Figure 3: Changes in photosynthetic activity indicated by the maximum quantum yield (**a**) photosynthetic electron transport rate (**b**), light saturation index (**c**), and light curve (**d**). These Chl-_a_ fluorescence parameters were calculated from the P-I light saturation curve in _L. bertoreana_ of the different sampling areas. Data are presented as mean \(\pm\) standard deviation (\(n=5\)). Asterisks indicate significant differences (\(p\leq 0.05\)).  
Figure 2: Geoaccumulation index (\(l_{geo}\)) calculated for Ag, Al, As, Cu, Fe, Mn, Pb and Zn for the studied stations (PA, PB, PC).