Nitrate uptake of the red tide dinoflagellate Prorocentrum micans measured using a nutrient repletion method: effect of light intensity

The ability of a red tide species to take up nutrients is a critical factor affecting its red tide dynamics and species competition. Nutrient uptake by red tide species has been conventionally measured by incubating nutrient-depleted cells for a short period at 1 or 2 light intensities. This method may be applicable to certain conditions under which cells remain in oligotrophic water for a long time and high nutrients are suddenly introduced. Thus, a new method should be developed that can be applicable to the conditions under which cells are maintained in eutrophicated waters in healthy conditions and experience light and dark cycles and different light intensities during vertical migration. In this study, a new repletion method reflecting these conditions was developed. The nitrate uptake rates of the red tide dinoflagellate Prorocentrum micans originally maintained in nitrate repletion and depletion conditions as a function of nitrate concentration were measured. With increasing light intensity from 10 to $100{\mu}E\;m^{-2}s^{-1}$, the maximum nitrate uptake rate ($V_{max}$) of P. micans increased from 3.6 to $10.8 pM\;cell^{-1}d^{-1}$ and the half saturation constant ($K_{s-NO3}$) increased from 4.1 to $6.9{\mu}M$. At $20{\mu}E\;m^{-2}s^{-1}$, the $V_{max}$ and $K_{s-NO3}$ of P. micans originally maintained in a nitrate repletion condition were similar to those maintained in a nitrate depletion condition. Thus, differences in cells under nutrient repletion and depletion conditions may not affect $K_{s-NO3}$ and $V_{max}$. Moreover, different light intensities may cause differences in the nitrate uptake of migratory phototrophic dinoflagellates.