The potentially toxic diatom Pseudonitzschia pungens f. multiseries was grown on different sources of nitrogen in batch cultures. Ammonium did not support growth at concentrations >200 μM, and even lowered the growth rate, when it was supplied in addition to growth-saturating nitrate concentrations. This seemed to be a combined effect of inhibition of nitrate uptake and direct ammonia toxicity. Urea, glutamine and nitrite were used readily by P.pungens.
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Hillebrand et al. (1996) studied this question.
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