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In vivo growth fluorometry: accuracy and limits of microalgal growth rate measurements in ecophysiological investigations

2009; Inter-Research Science Center; Volume: 55; Linguagem: Inglês

10.3354/ame01291

1616-1564

Lydia Gustavs, Rhena Schumann, Anja Eggert, Ulf Karsten,

Diatoms and Algae Research

AME Aquatic Microbial Ecology Contact the journal Facebook Twitter RSS Mailing List Subscribe to our mailing list via Mailchimp HomeLatest VolumeAbout the JournalEditorsSpecials AME 55:95-104 (2009) - DOI: https://doi.org/10.3354/ame01291 In vivo growth fluorometry: accuracy and limits of microalgal growth rate measurements in ecophysiological investigations Lydia Gustavs*, Rhena Schumann, Anja Eggert, Ulf Karsten University of Rostock, Department of Biological Sciences–Applied Ecology, Albert-Einstein-Straße 3, 18051 Rostock, Germany *Email: lydia.gustavs@uni-rostock.de ABSTRACT: In vivo growth fluorometry (Karsten et al. 1996) is based on the sensitive detection of in vivo chlorophyll a (chl a) fluorescence and monitors its increase over time as an indicator for growth. The method offers a simple, rapid, non-invasive, reproducible and calibration-free measurement of growth rates in unialgal cultures and facilitates multifactorial ecophysiological studies on algal cultures. The technical setup is well suited for use on benthic, adhering, filamentous and colony-forming microalgae. Low detection limits avoid self-shading and nutrient limitation during growth rate determination. Acclimated growth rates should be measured after a pre-incubation phase of 1 to 3 d. A broad data set correlating in vivo chl a fluorescence with cell number, organic carbon and chl a concentration in representative members of the Cyanobacteria, Rhodophyta, Chlorophyta and Bacillariophyceae is presented. A calibration of chl a fluorescence is not required for acclimated growth rate measurements of Bacillariophyceae and Chlorophyta but is recommended for high abundances of Cyanobacteria and Rhodophyta. KEY WORDS: Growth rate · Chlorophyll a fluorescence · Adhering algae · Multifactorial ecophysiological studies Full text in pdf format PreviousCite this article as: Gustavs L, Schumann R, Eggert A, Karsten U (2009) In vivo growth fluorometry: accuracy and limits of microalgal growth rate measurements in ecophysiological investigations. Aquat Microb Ecol 55:95-104. https://doi.org/10.3354/ame01291Export citation RSS - Facebook - Tweet - linkedIn Cited by Published in AME Vol. 55, No. 1. Online publication date: April 17, 2009 Print ISSN: 0948-3055; Online ISSN: 1616-1564 Copyright © 2009 Inter-Research.