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Growth and toxin production of tropical Alexandrium minutum Halim (Dinophyceae) under various nitrogen to phosphorus ratios

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Abstract

Effects of nitrogen to phosphorous (N/P) ratios of two nitrogen sources (nitrate and ammonium) on growth and toxin production of a tropical estuarine dinoflagellate, Alexandrium minutum Halim, were examined using a strain isolated from a bloom at Tumpat Estuary, Malaysia in September 2001. Experiments were carried out in batch cultures, using either nitrate (N-NO3) or ammonium (N-NH4) as the nitrogen source at a constant amount, and with initial N/P ratios ranging from 5 to 500. Cell density, residual N and P in the medium, cellular toxin quota (Q t), and toxin composition were analyzed throughout the growths. Our results showed that cell densities and growth rates of A. minutum were severely suppressed under high N/P ratios (>100) in both N-NO3 and N-NH4 treatments. Cells tended to be larger at lower growth rate and P-limited cultures. Toxin profile was relatively constant throughout the experiments, with GTX4/GTX1 as the dominant toxin congeners. Cellular toxin quota (Q t) increased with elevated N/P ratios in both N-NO3 and N-NH4 treatments. Toxin production rate, R tox, however was enhanced in N-NH4-grown cultures when P was limited, but showed no difference between N-NO3- and N-NH4-grown cultures when P was replete. Our results clearly showed that N/P ratios as well as the nitrogen compounds not only affected the growth of A. minutum, but also the cellular toxin quota and its toxin production rate.

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Acknowledgments

This study was financially supported by Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research from the Ministry of Education, Science and Cultures, Japan to T. Ogata and UNIMAS short-term research grant to P.-T. Lim.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Faculty of Resource Science and Technology, Universiti Malaysia Sarawak, Kota Samarahan, Sarawak, 94300, Malaysia

    Po-Teen Lim

  2. Institute of Biodiversity and Environmental Conservation, Universiti Malaysia Sarawak, Kota Samarahan, Sarawak, 94300, Malaysia

    Chui-Pin Leaw

  3. School of Fisheries Science, Kitasato University, Sanriku, Ofunato, Iwate, 022-0101, Japan

    Atsushi Kobiyama & Takehiko Ogata

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  1. Po-Teen Lim
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  2. Chui-Pin Leaw
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  3. Atsushi Kobiyama
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  4. Takehiko Ogata
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Correspondence to Po-Teen Lim.

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Lim, PT., Leaw, CP., Kobiyama, A. et al. Growth and toxin production of tropical Alexandrium minutum Halim (Dinophyceae) under various nitrogen to phosphorus ratios. J Appl Phycol 22, 203–210 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10811-009-9443-8

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