TEMPERATURE EFFECTS ON SILICON LIMITED GROWTH OF THE LAKE MICHIGAN DIATOM STEPHANODISCUS MINUTUS (BACILLARIOPHYCEAE)1

Abstract

ABSTRACTThe effect of temperature on the silicon limited growth and nutrient kinetics of Stephanodiscus minutus Grun. was examined using batch and semicontinuous culture methods. Short‐term batch culture methods gave maximum growth rates which were essentially constant over the temperature range of 10° to 20°C (μ3= 0.71–0.80 d−1). The half‐saturation constant for growth (Ks) was significantly lowest at 10°C (Ks= 0.31 μM Si; 0.22–0.41), and higher at both 15°C (Ks= 1.03 μM Si; 0.68–1.47) and 20°C (Ks= 0.88 μM Si; 0.60–1.22). Two methods were used to evaluate the semicontinuous experiments. The Droop relationship showed that the minimum cell quota was about 1.50 × 10−7 nmol Si cell−1, but there was much overlap in the results at all three temperatures. The Monod growth relationship for the semicontinuous experiments gave estimates of Ks which were lowest at 15°C (Ks= 0.12 μM Si), and higher at 10°C (Ks= 0.68 μM Si) and 20°C (Ks= 1.24 μM Si), although 95% confidence intervals overlapped. The maximum growth rate estimates for the semicontinuous experiments were similar at 10° and 15°, and higher at 20°C, but the number of points used in making the calculations makes the results less reliable than those from batch cultures. Generally, there were no consistent significant differences in the silicon limited growth of S. minutus over the temperature range studied. Our values of Ks for S. minutus are the lowest recorded for a freshwater diatom, and are consistent with the distribution of this species in nature. Generally, this species becomes abundant in areas with high phosphorus loading and very low silicon levels (low Si:P loading rates). Stephanodiscus species are also fossil indicators of eutrophication in north temperate lakes.