Skip to main content

Kinetics of nitrate uptake by New Zealand marine macroalgae and evidence for two nitrate transporters in Ulva intestinalis L.

Hydrobiologia volume 586, pages 135–141 (2007)Cite this article

Abstract

Kinetic constants were determined for nitrate uptake in three species, Pterocladiella capillacea (S.G. Gmelin) Santelices et Hommersand (Rhodophyceae, Gelidiales), Ulva intestinalis L. (Chlorophyceae, Ulvales) and Xiphophora chondrophylla (Turner) Montagne ex Harvey (Phaeophyceae, Fucales), of New Zealand macroalgae, with K m values ranging from 10 to 17 μM and V max values from 3 to 65 μmole g−1 dry weight h−1. There was no effect of ammonium on nitrate uptake by Pterocladiella capillacea or Xiphophora chondrophylla. Ammonium inhibited nitrate uptake by 40% in Ulva intestinalis from a site with relatively low seawater ammonium concentrations. In contrast, U. intestinalis from an ammonium-enriched site had lower rates of nitrate uptake that were insensitive to inhibition by ammonium. It is suggested that there are (at least) two transport systems for nitrate in U. intestinalis; a constitutive transporter, which is insensitive to ammonium, and a transporter that is sensitive to ammonium inhibition and down-regulation by ammonium; the implications of this for our understanding of macroalgal blooms is discussed.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution.

Access options

Buy single article

Instant access to the full article PDF.

USD 39.95

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Fig. 1

References

  • Ahn, O., R. J. Petrell & P. J. Harrison, 1998. Ammonium and nitrate uptake by Laminaria saccharina and Nereocystis luetkeana originating from a salmon sea cage farm. Journal of Applied Phycology 10: 333–340.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Barr, N. G. & T. A. V. Rees, 2003. Nitrogen status and metabolism in the green seaweed Enteromorpha intestinalis: an examination of three natural populations. Marine Ecology Progress Series 249: 133–144.

    Google Scholar 

  • Brenchley, J. L., J. A. Raven & A. M. Johnston, 1997. Resource acquisition in two intertidal fucoid seaweeds, Fucus serratus and Himanthalia elongata: seasonal variation and effects of reproductive development. Marine Biology 129: 367–375.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cole, M. L., K. D. Kroeger, J. W. McClelland & I. Valiela, 2006. Effects of watershed land use on nitrogen concentrations and δ15 nitrogen in groundwater. Biogeochemistry 77: 199–215.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Crawford, N. M. & A. D. M. Glass, 1998. Molecular and physiological aspects of nitrate uptake in plants. Trends in Plant Science 3: 389–395.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • D’Elia, C. F. & J. A. DeBoer, 1978. Nutritional studies of two red algae. II. Kinetics of ammonium and nitrate uptake. Journal of Phycology 14: 266–272.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Duarte, C. M., 1995. Submerged aquatic vegetation in relation to different nutrient regimes. Ophelia 41: 87–112.

    Google Scholar 

  • Glass, A. D. M., 2003. Nitrogen use efficiency of crop plants: physiological constraints upon nitrogen absorption. Critical Reviews in Plant Science 22: 453–470.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Haines, K. C. & P. A. Wheeler, 1978. Ammonium and nitrate uptake by the marine macrophytes Hypnea musciformis (Rhodophyta) and Macrocystis pyrifera (Phaeophyta). Journal of Phycology 14: 319–324.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hanisak, M. D. & M. M. Harlin, 1978. Uptake of inorganic nitrogen by Codium fragile subsp. tomentosoides (Chlorophyta). Journal of Phycology 14: 450–454.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Harlin, M. M. & J. S. Craigie, 1978. Nitrate uptake by Laminaria longicruris (Phaeophyceae). Journal of Phycology 14: 464–467.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Harrison, P. J., L. D. Druehl, K. E. Lloyd & P. A. Thompson, 1986. Nitrogen uptake kinetics in three year-classes of Laminaria groenlandica (Laminariales: Phaeophyta). Marine Biology 93: 29–35.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kamer, K., P. Fong, R. Kennison & K. Schiff, 2004. Nutrient limitation of the macroalga Enteromorpha intestinalis collected along a resource gradient in a highly eutrophic estuary. Estuaries 27: 201–208.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Koroleff, F., 1983. Determination of ammonia. In Grasshoff, K., M. Ehrhardt & K. Kremling (eds) Methods of Seawater Analysis. Verlag Chemie, Weinheim, pp 150–157.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lavery, P. S. & A. J. McComb, 1991. The nutritional eco-physiology of Chaetomorpha linum and Ulva rigida in Peel Inlet, Western Australia. Botanica Marina 34: 251–260.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Leigh, E. G., R. T. Paine, J. F. Quinn & T. H. Suchanek, 1987. Wave energy and intertidal productivity. In: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America 84: 1314–1318.

  • Lobban, C. S. & P. J. Harrison, 1994. Seaweed Ecology and Physiology. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge.

    Google Scholar 

  • Morand, P. & M. Merceron, 2005. Macroalgal population and sustainability. Journal of Coastal Research 21: 1009–1020.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Parsons, T. R., Y. Maita & C. M. Lalli, 1984. A Manual of Chemical and Biological Methods for Seawater Analysis. Pergamon Press, Oxford.

    Google Scholar 

  • Phillips, J. C. & C. L. Hurd, 2004. Kinetics of nitrate, ammonium and urea uptake by four intertidal seaweeds from New Zealand. Journal of Phycology 40: 534–545.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ramus, J. 1992. Productivity of seaweeds. In Falkowski, P. G. & A. D. Woodhead (eds) Primary Productivity and Biogeochemical Cycles in the Sea. Plenum Press, New York, 239–255.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rees, T. A. V., 2003. Safety factors and nutrient uptake by seaweeds. Marine Ecology Progress Series 263: 29–42.

    Google Scholar 

  • Taylor, R. B. & T. A. V. Rees, 1998. Excretory products of mobile epifauna as a nitrogen source for seaweeds. Limnology and Oceanography 43: 600–606.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Taylor, R. B., J. T. A. Peek & T. A. V. Rees, 1998. Scaling of ammonium uptake by seaweeds to surface area : volume ratio: geographical variation and the role of uptake by passive diffusion. Marine Ecology Progress Series 169: 143–148.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Thomas, T. E. & P. J. Harrison, 1987. Rapid ammonium uptake and nitrogen interactions in five intertidal seaweeds grown under field conditions. Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology 107: 1–8.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Thomas, T. E., P. J. Harrison & E. B. Taylor, 1985. Nitrogen uptake and growth of the germlings and mature thalli of Fucus distichus. Marine Biology 84: 267–274.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Topinka, J. A., 1978. Nitrogen uptake by Fucus spiralis (Phaeophyceae). Journal of Phycology 14: 241–247.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Valiela, I., J. McClelland, J. Hauxwell, P. J. Behr, D. Hersh & K. Foreman, 1997. Macroalgal blooms in shallow estuaries: Controls and ecophysiological and ecosystem consequences. Limnology and Oceanography 42: 1105–1118.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgement

We are grateful to the University of Auckland Research Committee for providing financial support.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Leigh Marine Laboratory, University of Auckland, P.O. Box 349, Warkworth, New Zealand

    T. A. V. Rees, B. C. Dobson, M. Bijl & B. Morelissen

Authors
  1. T. A. V. Rees
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. B. C. Dobson
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. M. Bijl
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. B. Morelissen
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to T. A. V. Rees.

Additional information

Handling editor: K. Martens

Rights and permissions

Reprints and Permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Rees, T.A.V., Dobson, B.C., Bijl, M. et al. Kinetics of nitrate uptake by New Zealand marine macroalgae and evidence for two nitrate transporters in Ulva intestinalis L.. Hydrobiologia 586, 135–141 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10750-006-0569-2

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10750-006-0569-2

Keywords

  • Ammonium
  • Macroalga
  • Nitrate uptake
  • Uptake kinetics