Deprivation of iron from the medium reduced the growth rate
of C. muelleri, but these cultures reached optical densities comparable
to those with f/2 medium when they were harvested (Fig. 1a).
However, the iron deprivation significantly reduced the optical
densities of D. salina from day 9 to day 12 compared to the f/2 medium
(Fig. 1b). Nitrogen limitation of C. muelleri had similarly effect
on the growth with the complete nutrition deprivation while that
of D. salina had less reduction of optical densities compared to the
complete nutrition deprivation. These results suggested that different
microalgae respond differently to the same nutrient
deprivation