Abstract
Quantitative regulation of nutrient uptake by unicellular microalgae (phytoplankton) is the key physiological process that governs nutrient cycling and phytoplankton population dynamics in natural waters. Kinetic models are widely used in quantitative description of uptake and growth as functions of nutrient concentration. A review of both experimental and theoretical works on nitrogen and phosphorus uptake by cultured unicellular algae is presented here. At least three different values of half saturation constants are identified depending on the time scale of analysis, while a single system for ion transport is considered. Quantitative relationship is obtained theoretically and experimentally among these different values of half saturation constants.
