Growth of Platymonas helgolandica var. tsingtaoensis, Cylindrotheca closterium and Karenia mikimotoi and their survival strategies under different N/P ratios

In this study, laboratory culture experiments were carried out in a batch culture system, with the focus on the effect of different N/P ratios (1:1, 4:1, 16:1, 80:1 and 160:1 ) on the growth of Platymonas helgolandica var. tsingtaoensis, Cylindrotheca closterium and Karenia mikimotoi. The cell abundance, growth rate, and chlorophyll a and protein contents were measured every 24 h for one week. The results showed that N/P ratio significantly affected the growth of three kinds of algae. Cylindrotheca closterium grew fastest under 160: 1 N/P ratio, while Platymonas helgolandica var. tsingtaoensis and Karenia mikimotoi grew fastest under 4:1 and 80:1 N/P ratio, respectively. The maximum cell density of the phytoplankton was mainly influenced by cell size and specific growth rate, the synthesis of chlorophyll a was mainly affected by nitrogen, and high N/P ratio benefited the increase of chlorophyll a content. The protein concentration in cells correlated significantly with N/P ratio, cell size and cell period. As for survival strategy, Cylindrotheca. closterium showed obvious features of fast-reproductioned r-selective species, whereas Platymonas helgolandica var. tsingtaoensis and Karenia mikimotoi were most likely to be the more competitive K-selected species.