BACTERIVORY IN ALGAE - A SURVIVAL STRATEGY DURING NUTRIENT LIMITATION

Bacterivory in obligate phototrophic algal flagellates may be an impor tant strategy for acquiring nutrients during periods of inorganic nutr ient limitation. Several marine algal flagellates were shown to increa se bactivory when phosphate was limited. Grazing on bacteria by algal flagellates was found during blooms of Prymnesium parvum in Sandsfjord en, western Norway, in 1989 and Chrysochromulina polylepis on the sout h and west coast of Norway in 1988. Dissolved phosphate was not detect able in these situations. Algal flagellates may graze bacteria to obta in phosphate, which may permit these algal flagellates to develop bloo ms when phosphate becomes limited.