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Effects of nitrogen and phosphate enrichment on the activity of nitrate reductase of Ulva prolifera in coastal zone

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Abstract

As one of the main species causing “green tides”, Ulva prolifera always inhabits in estuarine areas with changes in salinity and nutrients. Reduced salinity may affect directly or indirectly the processes of uptake and assimilation of nitrate, in which the nitrate reductase (NR) activity play the crucial roles. In this experiment, we investigated the different effects of enriched nitrogen and phosphate on NR activity of Ulva prolifera at salinity 30, 15, and 5 psu. The results showed that when salinity being lowered NR activity decreased under no enrichment (CT) or PO4 3− enrichment condition. NO3 − or combination with PO4 3− could significantly enhance NR activity at three salinities, among which the highest value occurred at 15 psu. Enrichment of NH4 + significantly decreased NR activity at 30 and 15 psu, but not at 5 psu. The results suggested NR of Ulva prolifera could be triggered by NO3 −, especially at middle salinity, and keep low when exposed under hyposaline or NH4 + enrichment for long term to rapidly respond to pulse of NO3 − in estuarine areas.

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Acknowledgments

The work was Supported by Jiangsu Agriculture Science and Technology Innovation Fund [CX-13-2041;CX(15)1005], Jiangsu Agriculture Science and Technology Support Project(BE2014335), the Priority Academic Program Development of Jiangsu Higher Education Institutions (PAPD), Shuangchuang Talent Plan of Jiangsu Province.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. College of Resources and Environmental Science, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, China

    Ming Zhu & Zhaopu Liu

  2. Key Laboratory of Marine Biotechnology of Jiangsu Province, Ocean College, Huaihai Institute of Technology, Liangyungang, 222005, China

    Ming Zhu

  3. Bioengineering College, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai, 200237, China

    Yue Jin

  4. Institute of Agro-biotechnology, Jiangsu Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Nanjing, 210014, China

    Hongbo Shao

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  1. Ming Zhu
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  2. Zhaopu Liu
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  3. Hongbo Shao
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  4. Yue Jin
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Corresponding authors

Correspondence to Zhaopu Liu or Hongbo Shao.

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Communicated by L. A. Kleczkowski.

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Zhu, M., Liu, Z., Shao, H. et al. Effects of nitrogen and phosphate enrichment on the activity of nitrate reductase of Ulva prolifera in coastal zone. Acta Physiol Plant 38, 169 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11738-016-2178-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11738-016-2178-7

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