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THE USE OF A DEEP TANK IN PLANKTON ECOLOGY. I. STUDIES OF THE GROWTH AND COMPOSITION OF PHYTOPLANKTON CROPS AT LOW NUTRIENT LEVELS 1
Author(s) -
Strickland J. D. H.,
HolmHansen O.,
Eppley R. W.,
Linn R. J.
Publication year - 1969
Publication title -
limnology and oceanography
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.7
H-Index - 197
eISSN - 1939-5590
pISSN - 0024-3590
DOI - 10.4319/lo.1969.14.1.0023
Subject(s) - phytoplankton , nutrient , dinoflagellate , diatom , plankton , botany , composition (language) , biology , standing crop , nitrate , nitrogen , phosphorus , ecology , environmental chemistry , chemistry , biomass (ecology) , linguistics , philosophy , organic chemistry
A deep tank (3‐m diam, 10 m deep), in which phytoplankton crops can be grown under simulated natural conditions of nutrient concentration and cell density, is described. Three growth experiments have been performed in the tank with Ditylum brightwellii (a centric diatom), Cachonina niei (an armored dinoflagellate), and with a mixed crop of the dinoflagellate Gonyaulax polyedra and Phaeocystis sp. (a colonial member of the Haptophyceae). Each experiment lasted about two weeks. In each case ammonia was assimilated first, then nitrate as the plants grew. Successful nitrogen budgets were achieved in the experiments with D. brightwellii and C. niei. The chemical composition of the tank‐grown cultures of D. brightwellii, C. niei, and G. polyedra is reported for cell carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus, lipid, carbohydrate, DNA, ATP, chlorophyll a , and carotenoids. The composition of these cultures was very similar to that obtained in laboratory cultures grown with relatively high nutrient levels.