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We present a simple, quantitative formulation of steady state growth and metabolic regulation by phytoplankton, which describes well the nutrient‐limited and light‐limited growth of Thalassiosira weissflogii. The specific growth rate is a function of the quantum efficiency of carbon assimilation, the absorption cross section of cellular carbon, the incident light level, and the specific rate of respiration. The quantum efficiency is solely a function of light level, the absorption cross section is a function of light level and nutrient supply, and the respiration rate is a function of specific growth rate. The formulation, which resembles those proposed by Bannister and Shuter, is consistent with the thermodynamic model of Kiefer and the principle of optimization of energy conversion.
Kiefer et al. (Fri,) studied this question.