Modeling continuous cultures of microalgae colimited by nitrogen and phosphorus

Type Article
Date 2010-08
Language English
Author(s) Bougaran GaelORCID1, Bernard Olivier2, Sciandra Antoine3, 4
Affiliation(s) 1 : PBA IFREMER, F-44311 Nantes 03, France.
2 : COMORE INRIA, F-06902 Sophia Antipolis, France.
3 : Univ Paris 06, Unite Mixte Rech 7093, Lab Oceanog Villefranche, Villefranche Sur Mer, France.
4 : Ctr Natl Rech Sci, Unite Mixte Rech 7093, Lab Oceanog Villefranche, Villefranche Sur Mer, France.
Source Journal Of Theoretical Biology (0022-5193) (Academic Press Ltd- Elsevier Science Ltd), 2010-08 , Vol. 265 , N. 3 , P. 443-454
DOI 10.1016/j.jtbi.2010.04.018
WOS© Times Cited 73
Keyword(s) Colimitation, Phytoplankton, Mathematical model, Quota
Abstract It is well documented that the combination of low nitrogen and phosphorus resources can lead to situations where colimitation of phytoplankton growth arises, yet the underlying mechanisms are not fully understood. Here, we propose a Droop-based model built on the idea that colimitation by nitrogen and phosphorus arises from the uptake of nitrogen. Indeed, since N-porters are active systems, they require energy that could be related to the phosphorus status of the cell. Therefore, we assumed that N uptake is enhanced by the P quota. Our model also accounts for the biological observations that uptake of a nutrient can be down-regulated by its own internal quota, and succeeds in describing the strong contrast for the non-limiting quotas under N-limited and P-limited conditions that was observed on continuous cultures with Selenastrum minutum and with Isochrysis affinis galbana. Our analysis suggests that, regarding the colimitation concept. N and P would be better considered as biochemically dependent rather than biochemically independent nutrients. (C) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
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