An influence of sediment on the dynamics of Phytoplankton growth was examined by using surface sea water and sediment collected from the northern part of Hiroshima Bay. The results showed that the sediment suppressed the growth of phytoplankton, and the content of nitrogen in algae became significantly high, and a characteristic pattern was observed in the process of nitrogen transformation or metabolism. Phosphorus was incorporated into the cell in the form of DIP and was accumulated in the growth phase under the light condition. However, nitrogen was not accumulated in the cell and easily excreted or released in the form of DON, and DIN was incorporated into the cell.
These phenomena were compared with those observed in the bottom or middle layers in the coastal area of Hiroshima Bay during summer months, and suggested that these were related micropollutants generated in the sediment.
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