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Steady state analysis of nitrate‐ammonium assimilation by phytoplankton 1, 2
Author(s) -
Bienfang Paul K.
Publication year - 1975
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.1975.20.3.0402
Subject(s) - ammonium , nitrate , nitrogen , steady state (chemistry) , assimilation (phonology) , nitrogen assimilation , chemistry , intracellular , ammonium nitrate , environmental chemistry , inorganic chemistry , biochemistry , organic chemistry , linguistics , philosophy
The ammonium:nitrate delivery ratio to cells of Dunaliella tertiolecta in continuous culture had no effect on the ambient nitrate concentrations at steady state, indicating that the assimilation of these radicals is competitive, not suppressive, under nitrogen limiting conditions. The physiological parameters, C:cell and Chl:cell, were invariant over the range of delivery ratios. Cellular growth potential and yield coefficients (N:cell and N:C) showed a linear decline with increasing ammonium:total nitrogen input ratios, supporting the hypothesis that NH 4 + is not stored intracellularly. At low NH 4 + contributions the yield coefficients displayed characteristics not predictable from considerations of solely ammonium or nitrate limited growth. The N:cell ratio is an excellent measure of the cellular growth potential resulting from intracellular reserves.