Inorganic carbon limited growth kinetics of some freshwater algae

The inorganic carbon limited growth kinetics were determined for three green and three blue-green algae over a range of light and temperatures. Anabaena flos aquae was found to be the only algae to grow at 39°C. Selenastrum capricornutum and Scenedesmus quadricauda were favored at low temperatures with Selenastrum growing best at high light and carbon levels while Scenedesmus was the most rapidly growing algae under low light, carbon and temperature conditions. Chorella was the fastest growing alga at temperatures from 27 to 33°C under all light and inorganic carbon concentrations. Neither Oscillatoria nor Microcoleus were found to be the dominant algae under the conditions tested. However, under reduced light and temperature conditions, Oscillatoria grew well at high inorganic carbon concentrations.