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Intraspecific Differences in Nitrate Half‐Saturation Constants for Three Species of Marine Phytoplankton
Author(s) -
Carpenter Edward J.,
Guillard Robert R. L.
Publication year - 1971
Publication title -
ecology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.144
H-Index - 294
eISSN - 1939-9170
pISSN - 0012-9658
DOI - 10.2307/1934753
Subject(s) - phytoplankton , nutrient , saturation (graph theory) , nitrate , intraspecific competition , oceanography , estuary , biology , ecology , marine species , geology , mathematics , combinatorics
Half—saturation constants (K) for NO_3 uptake were measured on eight clones, belonging to three species, of marine phytoplankton. The clones isolated from oceanic, low—nutrient areas had K values of below 0.75 (mu)M NO_3, while clones of the same species taken from estuarine regions had higher K values (over 1.5 (mu)M NO_3). Other isolated from shelf areas had intermediate (1.2 (mu)M NO_3) or low (0.1 (mu)M NO_3) K values. These data suggest that physiological races of marine phytoplankton are adapted to high or low nutrient levels.