Abstract
The combined effect of low silicate concentration and temperature on the growth of the marine plankton diatom Thalassiosira nordenskioeldii Cleve was investigated by means of batch and semi-continuous cultures. Growth rates were measured in thin cell suspensions (less than 500 cells/ml) to prevent the silicate concentration in the medium from decreasing by more than 25 % during the period of measurement. Half-saturation constants of silicate-limited growth were calculated according to the Michaelis-Menten equation. At 3 °C, the constant was 0.09 μg-at. Si/I and at 10 °C, 0.02μg-at. Si/I. In semicontinuous cultures grown for one month at silicate concentrations of 0.3-0.4μg-at. Si/I, the mean cell division rates were 80–100% of the maximum rates recorded at the respective temperatures. It seems unlikely that decreasing silicate concentrations could influence the course of the spring succession of plankton diatom species in arctic or temperate coastal waters.
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