Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Temperature dependence of inorganic nitrogen uptake and assimilation in Antarctic sea-ice microalgae

  • Published:
Polar Biology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Summary

The influence of temperature on NO -3 and NH +4 uptake, and the activity of the assimilatory enzyme NO -3 reductase (NR) was compared to inorganic C uptake (photosynthesis) in natural assemblages of Antarctic sea-ice microalgae. NO -3 and NH +4 uptake reached a maximum between 0.5°–2.0°C and 2.0°–3.0°C, respectively, which was close to that for photosynthesis (2.5°–3.0°C). NR showed a distinctly higher temperature maximum (10.0°–12.0°C) and a lower Q10 value than inorganic N and C transport. Our data imply that, owing to differential temperature characteristics between N transport and N assimilation at in situ temperature (-1.9°C), the incorporation of extracellular NO -3 into cellular macromolecules, may be limited by transport of NO -3 into the cell rather than the intracellular reduction of NO -3 to NH +4 . Despite differences in temperature maxima between N transport and N assimilation, the overall low temperature maxima of inorganic N metabolism characterizes Antarctic sea-ice microalgae as psychrophilic. Our study is the first to examine the temperature dependence of inorganic N uptake and assimilation in sea-ice microbial communities.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

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

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Ahmed SI, Kenner RA, Packard TT (1977) A comparative study of the glutamate dehydrogenase activity in several species of marine phytoplankton. Mar Biol 39:93–101

    Google Scholar 

  • American Public Health Association (1971) Standard methods for the examination of water and wastewater. 13th edn. Washington DC

  • Baig IA, Hopton JW (1969) Psychrophilic properties, and the temperature characteristics of growth of bacteria. J Bacteriol 100:552–553

    Google Scholar 

  • Bates SS, Cota GF (1986) Fluorescence induction and photosynthetic responses of Arctic ice algae to sample treatment and salinity. J Phycol 22:421–429

    Google Scholar 

  • Berry J, Bjorkman O (1980) Photosynthetic response and adaptation to temperature in higher plants. Academic Press, London, pp 9–71

    Google Scholar 

  • Brown CM, McDonald-Brown DS (1972) Inorganic nitrogen metabolism in marine baeteria: Nitrogen assimilation in some marine pseudomonads. J Mar Biol Assoc UK 52:793–804

    Google Scholar 

  • Bunt JS (1964) Primary productivity under sea ice in Antarctic waters 2. Influence of light and other factors on photosynthetic activities of Antarctic marine microalgae. Antarct Res Ser 1:27–31

    Google Scholar 

  • Bunt JS (1968) Some characteristics of microalgal isolated from Antarctic sea ice. Antarct Res Ser 11:1–4

    Google Scholar 

  • Burton AC (1936) The basis of the principle of the master reaction in biology. J Cell Comp Physiol 9:1–14

    Google Scholar 

  • Christian RR, Wiebe WJ (1974) The effects of temperature upon the reproduction and respiration of a marine obligate psychrophile. Can J Microbiol 20:1341–1345

    Google Scholar 

  • Haschemeyer AEV (1980) Temperature effects on protein metabolism in cold-adapted fishes. Antarct J US 15:147–149

    Google Scholar 

  • Hodson RE, Azam F, Carlucci AF, Fuhrman JA, Karl DM, Holm-Hansen O (1981) Microbial uptake of dissolved organic matter in McMurdo Sound, Antarctica. Mar Biol 61:89–94

    Google Scholar 

  • Horner RA (1976) Sea ice organisms. Oceanogr Mar Biol 14:167–182

    Google Scholar 

  • Ingraham JL (1958) Growth of psychrophilic bacteria. J Bacteriol 76:75–80

    Google Scholar 

  • Jacques G (1983) Some ecophysiological aspects of the Antarctic phytoplankton. Polar Biol 2:27–33

    Google Scholar 

  • Kottmeier ST, Muscat AM, Craft LL, Kastendiek JE, Sullivan CW (1984) Ecology of Sea-ice microbial communities in McMurdo Sound, Antarctica in 1983. Antarct J US 19:129–131

    Google Scholar 

  • Kottmeier ST, Sullivan CW (1988) Sea ice microbial communities (SIMCO) 9. Effects of temperature and salinity on rates of metabolism and growth of autotrophs and heterotrophs. Polar Biol 8:293–304

    Google Scholar 

  • Lehninger AL (1975) Biochemistry. Worth Publ, New York NY

    Google Scholar 

  • Li WKW (1980) Temperature adaptation in phytoplankton: Cellular and photosynthetic characteristics. In: Falkowski PG (ed) Primary productivity in the sea. Plenum Press, New York, pp 259–279

    Google Scholar 

  • Li WKW, Smith JC, Platt T (1984) Temperature response of photosynthetic capacity and carboxylase activity in Arctic marine phytoplankton. Mar Ecol Prog Ser 17:237–243

    Google Scholar 

  • Littlepage J (1965) Oceanographic investigations in McMurdo Sound, Antarctica. Antarct Res Ser 17:237–243

    Google Scholar 

  • Maestrini SY, Rochet M, Legendre L, Demers S (1986) Nutrient limitation of the bottom-ice microalgal biomass (southeastern Hudson Bay, Canadian Arctic). Limnol Oceanogr 31:969–982

    Google Scholar 

  • McCarthy JJ, Goldman JC (1979) Nitrogenous, nutrition of marine phytoplankton in nutrient depleted waters. Science 203:670–672

    Google Scholar 

  • McConville MJ (1985) Chemical composition and biochemistry of seaice microalage. In: Horner RA (ed) Sea ice biota. CRC Press, Boca Raton Fla

    Google Scholar 

  • Morita RY (1975) Psychrophilic bacteria. Bacteriol Rev 39:144–167

    Google Scholar 

  • Neori A, Holm-Hansen O (1982) Effect of temperature on rate of photosynthesis in Antarctic phytoplankton. Polar Biol 1:33–38

    Google Scholar 

  • Palmisano AC, Sullivan CW (1982) Physiology of sea ice diatoms. I. Response of three polar diatoms to a simulated summer-winter transition. J Phycol, 18:489–498

    Google Scholar 

  • Palmisano AC, Sullivan CW (1983) Sea ice microbial communities (SIMCO). 1. Distribution, abundance, and primary production of ice microalgae in McMurdo Sound, Antarctica in 1980. Polar Biol 2:171–177

    Google Scholar 

  • Palmisano, AC, Beeler SooHoo J, Sullivan CW (1985) Photosynthesiirradiance relationships in sea ice microalgae from McMurdo Sound, Antarctica. J Phycol 21:341–346

    Google Scholar 

  • Palmisano AC, Beeler SooHoo J, Sullivan CW (1987) Effects of four environmental variables on photosynthesis-irradiance relationships in Antarctic sea-ice microalgae. Mar Biol 94:299–306

    Google Scholar 

  • Parsons TR, Maita Y, Lalli CM (1984) A manual of chemical and biological methods for seawater analysis. Pergammon Press, Oxford

    Google Scholar 

  • Priscu JC, Downes MT (1987) Microbial activity in the surficial sediments of an oligotrophic and eutrophic lake, with particular reference to dissimilatory nitrate reduction. Arch Hydrobiol 108:385–409

    Google Scholar 

  • Priscu JC, Goldman CR (1984) The effect of temperature on photosynthetic and respiratory electron transport system activity in the shallow and deep-living phytoplankton of a subalpine lake. Freshwater Biol 14:143–155

    Google Scholar 

  • Priscu JC, Priscu LR (1984) Inorganic nitrogen uptake in oligotrophic Lake Taupo, New Zealand. Can J Fish Aquat Sci 41:1436–1445

    Google Scholar 

  • Redfield AC (1958) The biological control of chemical factors in the environment. Am Sci 46:205–221

    Google Scholar 

  • Riggs DS (1970) the mathematical approach to physiological problems. Massachusetts Institute of Technology Press, Cambridge, Massachusetts

    Google Scholar 

  • Solorzano L (1969) Determination of ammonia in natural waters by the phenolhypochlorite method. Limnol Oceanogr 14:799–801

    Google Scholar 

  • Syrett PJ (1981) Nitrogen metabolism in microalgae. In: Platt T (ed) Physiological basis of phytoplankton ecology. Can J Fish Aquat Sci 210:182–210

  • Tilzer MM, Elbrachter M, Geiskes WW, Beese B (1986) Lighttemperature interactions in the control of photosynthesis in Antarctic phytoplankton. Polar Biol 5:105–111

    Google Scholar 

  • Timperly MH, Priscu JC (1986) Determination of nitrogen-15 by optical emission spectrometry using an atomic absorption spectrometer. Analyst 111:23–28

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biological Sciences, Montana State University, 59717, Bozeman, MT, USA

    John C. Priscu & Linda R. Priscu

  2. Environmental Safety Department, Ivorvdale Technical Center, The Procter and Gamble Co., 45217, Cincinnati, OH, USA

    Anna C. Palmisano

  3. Department of Biological Sciences, University of Southern California, 90089-0371, Los Angeles, CA, USA

    Cornelius W. Sullivan

Authors
  1. John C. Priscu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Anna C. Palmisano
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Linda R. Priscu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Cornelius W. Sullivan
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Priscu, J.C., Palmisano, A.C., Priscu, L.R. et al. Temperature dependence of inorganic nitrogen uptake and assimilation in Antarctic sea-ice microalgae. Polar Biol 9, 443–446 (1989). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00443231

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00443231

Keywords

Search

Navigation