Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

The rapid response of the marine diatom Skeletonema costatum to changes in external and internal nutrient concentration

  • Published:
Marine Biology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

A nitrogen-deficient batch culture of the marine diatom Skeletonema costatum, when resupplied with a mixture of nitrate and ammonium, showed an initial enhanced nitrate uptake rate leading to a large internal concentration (pool) of nitrate. Following this initial nitrate uptake event, nitrate uptake ceased, and nitrate assimilation was inhibited until the ammonium present was used. At this point, nitrate uptake resumed and nitrate assimilation began. No internal ammonium pool was observed during nitrate utilization, but a large nitrate pool remained throughout the utilization of external nitrate. The internal nitrate pool decreased rapidly after exhaustion of nitrate from the culture medium, but growth of cellular particulate nitrogen continued for about 24 h. A mathematical simulation model was developed from these data. The model cell consisted of a nitrate pool, ammonium pool, dissolved organic nitrogen pool, and particulate nitrogen. It was found that simple Michaelis-Menten functions for uptake and assimilation gave inadequate fit to the data. Michaelis-Menten functions were modified by inclusion of inhibitory and stimulatory feedback from the internal pools to more accurately represent the observed nutrient utilization.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

Literature cited

  • Atlas, E.L., S.W. Hager, L.I. Gordon and P.K. Park: A practical manual for use of the Technicon AutoAnalyzer in sea water nutrient analysis, rev. ed. 55 pp. Corvallis, Oregon: Oregon State University, School of Oceanography 1971 (Ref. 71-22)

    Google Scholar 

  • Bates, S.S.: Effects of light and ammonium on nitrate uptake by two species of estuarine phytoplankton. Limnol. Oceanogr. 21, 212–218 (1976)

    Google Scholar 

  • Bienfang, P.K.: Steady state analysis of nitrateammonium assimilation by phytoplankton. Limnol. Oceanogr. 20, 402–411 (1975)

    Google Scholar 

  • Caperon, J.: Population growth in microorganisms limited by food supply. Ecology 48, 715–722 (1967)

    Google Scholar 

  • — and J. Meyer: Nitrogen limited growth of marine phytoplankton I. Changes in population characteristics with steady state growth rate. Deep-Sea Res. 19, 601–618 (1972a)

    Google Scholar 

  • —— Nitrogen limited growth of marine phytoplankton II. Uptake kinetics and their role in nutrient limited growth of phytoplankton. Deep-Sea Res. 19, 619–632 (1972b)

    Google Scholar 

  • Carpenter, E.J. and R.R.L. Guillard: Intraspecific differences in nitrate half-saturation constants for three species of marine phytoplankton. Ecology 52, 183–185 (1970)

    Google Scholar 

  • Conover, S.A.M.: Partitioning of nitrogen and carbon in cultures of the marine diatom Thalassiosira fluviatilis supplied with nitrate, ammonium, or urea. Mar. Biol. 32, 231–246 (1975)

    Google Scholar 

  • Conway, H.L.: The uptake and assimilation of inorganic nitrogen by Skeletonema costatum (Grev.) Cleve, 125 pp. Ph.D. thesis, University of Washington, Seattle 1974

    Google Scholar 

  • —: Interactions of inorganic nitrogen in the uptake and assimilation by marine phytoplankton. Mar. Biol. 39, 221–232 (1977)

    Google Scholar 

  • DeManche, J.M.: Urea and ammonia as regenerated nitrogen nutrients for phytoplankton, 56 pp. M.S. thesis, Oregon State University, Corvallis 1975

    Google Scholar 

  • Donaghay, P.L.: Population dynamics of Skeletonema costatum in high dilution rate chemostats, 106 pp. M.S. thesis, Oregon State University, Corvallis 1974

    Google Scholar 

  • —, J.M. DeManche and L.F. Small: On predicting phytoplankton growth rates from carbon: nitrogen ratios. Limnol. Oceanogr. 23, 359–362 (1978)

    Google Scholar 

  • L.F. Small and H.C. Curl, Jr.: A carbon and nitrogen method. A. Mtg A.I.B.S., Corvallis (1975). (Unpublished m/s)

  • Droop, M.R.: The nutrient status of algal cells in continuous culture. J. mar. biol. Ass. U.K. 54, 825–855 (1974)

    Google Scholar 

  • Dugdale, R.C.: Nutrient limitation in the sea: dynamics, identification and significance. Limnol. Oceanogr. 12, 685–695 (1967)

    Google Scholar 

  • — and J.J. Goering: Uptake of new and regenerated forms of nitrogen in primary productivity. Limnol. Oceanogr. 12, 196–206 (1967)

    Google Scholar 

  • Eppley, R.W. and J.L. Coatsworth: Uptake of nitrate and nitrite by Ditylum brightwellii: kinetics and mechanisms. J. Phycol. 4, 151–156 (1968)

    Google Scholar 

  • —— and L. Solórzano: Studies of nitrate reductase in marine phytoplankton. Limnol. Oceanogr. 14, 194–205 (1969a)

    Google Scholar 

  • — and E.H. Renger: Nitrogen assimilation of an oceanic diatom in nitrogen-limited continuous culture. J. Phycol. 10, 15–23 (1974)

    Google Scholar 

  • — and J.N. Rogers: Inorganic nitrogen assimilation of Ditylum brightwellii, a marine planktonic diatom. J. Phycol. 6, 344–351 (1970)

    Google Scholar 

  • —— and J.J. McCarthy: Half saturation constants for uptake of nitrate and ammonia by marine phytoplankton. Limnol. Oceanogr. 14, 912–920 (1969b)

    Google Scholar 

  • — and W.H. Thomas: Comparison of half-saturation constants for growth and nitrate uptake of marine phytoplankton. J. Phycol. 5, 375–379 (1969)

    Google Scholar 

  • Falkowski, P.G.: Nitrate uptake in marine phytoplankton: (nitrate-chloride)-activated ATP from Skeletonema costatum (Bacillariophyceae). J. Phycol. 11, 323–326 (1975)

    Google Scholar 

  • — and R.B. Rivkin: The role of glutamine synthetase in the incorporation of ammonium in Skeletonema costatum (Bacillariophyceae). J. Phycol. 12, 448–450 (1976)

    Google Scholar 

  • — and D.P. Stone: Nitrate uptake in marine phytoplankton: energy sources and interaction with carbon fixation. Mar. Biol. 32, 77–84 (1975)

    Google Scholar 

  • Grenney, W.J., D.A. Bella and H.C. Curl, Jr.: Effects of intracellular nutrient pools on growth dynamics of phytoplankton. J. Wat. Pollut. Control Fed. 46, 1751–1760 (1974)

    Google Scholar 

  • Guillard, R.R.L. and J.H. Ryther: Studies of marine planktonic diatoms I. Cyclotella nana Hustedt and Detonula confervacea (Cleve) Gran. Can. J. Microbiol. 8, 229–239 (1962)

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Harrison, P.J.: Continuous culture of the marine diatom Skeletonema costatum (Greve.) Cleve under silicate limitation, 140 pp. Ph.D. thesis, University of Washington, Seattle 1974

    Google Scholar 

  • Head, P.C.: An automated phenol hypochlorite method for the determination of ammonia in sea water. Deep-Sea Res. 18, 531–532 (1971)

    Google Scholar 

  • Ketchum, B.H.: The development and restoration of deficiencies in the phosphorus and nitrogen composition of unicellular plants. J. cell. comp. Physiol. 13, 373–381 (1939)

    Google Scholar 

  • Lui, N.S.T. and O.A. Roels: Nitrogen metabolism of aquatic organisms II. The assimilation of nitrate, nitrite and ammonia by Biddulphia aurita. J. Phycol. 8, 259–264 (1972)

    Google Scholar 

  • Lundy, D.W.: Rapid equilibrium response of a marine diatom to external and internal nutrient concentrations, 88 pp. M.S. thesis. Oregon State University, Corvallis 1973

    Google Scholar 

  • MacIsaac, J.J. and R.C. Dugdale: The kinetics of nitrate and ammonia uptake by natural populations of marine phytoplankton. Deep-Sea Res. 16, 45–57 (1969)

    Google Scholar 

  • Packard, T.T. and D. Blasco: Nitrate reductase activity in upwelling regions. 2. Ammonium and light dependence. Téthys 6, 269–280 (1974)

    Google Scholar 

  • Rhee, G.-Y.: Effects of N:P atomic ratios and nitrate limitation on algal growth, cell composition, and nitrate uptake. Limnol. Oceanogr. 23, 10–25 (1978)

    Google Scholar 

  • Sims, A.P., B.F. Folkes and A.H. Bussey: Mechanisms involved in the regulation of nitrogen assimilation in microorganisms and plants. In: Recent aspects of nitrogen metabolism in plants, pp 91–114. Ed. by J. Hewitt and C.V. Cutting. New York and London: Academic Press 1968

    Google Scholar 

  • Solomonson, L.P. and A.M. Spehar: Model for the regulation of nitrate assimilation. Nature, Lond. 265, 373–375 (1977)

    Google Scholar 

  • Thomas, W.H.: Surface nitrogenous nutrients and phytoplankton in the northeastern tropical Pacific Ocean. Limnol. Oceanogr. 11, 393–400 (1966)

    Google Scholar 

  • — Phytoplankton nutrient enrichment experiments off Baja, California and in the eastern equatorial Pacific Ocean. J. Fish. Res. Bd Can. 26, 1133–1145 (1969)

    Google Scholar 

  • — and R.W. Krauss: Nitrogen metabolism in Scenedesmus as affected by environmental changes. Pl. Physiol. Baltimore, Md 30, 113–122 (1955)

    Google Scholar 

  • Williams, F.M.: Dynamics of microbial populations. In: Systems analysis and simulation in ecology, pp 197–267. Ed. by B.C. Patten. New York: Academic Press 1971

    Google Scholar 

  • Wood, E.D., F.A.J. Armstrong and F.A. Richard: Determination of nitrate in sea water by cadmium-copper reduction to nitrite. J. mar. biol. Ass. U.K. 47, 23–31 (1967)

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Author notes

  1. J. M. DeManche & H. C. Curl Jr.

    Present address: Pacific Marine Environmental Laboratory, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, 98115, Seattle, Washington, USA

Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Oceanography, Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon, USA

    J. M. DeManche, H. C. Curl Jr., D. W. Lundy & P. L. Donaghay

Authors
  1. J. M. DeManche
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. H. C. Curl Jr.
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. D. W. Lundy
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. P. L. Donaghay
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Additional information

Communicated by N.D. Holland, La Jolla

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

DeManche, J.M., Curl, H.C., Lundy, D.W. et al. The rapid response of the marine diatom Skeletonema costatum to changes in external and internal nutrient concentration. Marine Biology 53, 323–333 (1979). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00391615

Download citation

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00391615

Keywords

Search

Navigation