The excretion of organic nitrogen by marine algae in batch and continuous culture

Abstract

Production of varying amounts of dissolved organic nitrogen has been demonstrated in cultures of eight species of marine algae. The material appears to be polypeptide. Continuous culture experiments with two algal species showed that production of this organic material was not increased by stress in the form of changes in growth rate, light, carbon dioxide, or pH. It was increased when the continuous cultures were allowed to stagnate.