SOURCES OF INORGANIC CARBON FOR PHOTOSYNTHESIS BY THREE SPECIES OF MARINE DIATOM¹

Abstract

ABSTRACT The utilization of inorganic carbon by three species of marine diatom, Skeletonema costatum (Grev.) Cleve. Ditylum brightwellii (West) Grun., and Chaetoceros calcitrans Paulsen was investigated using an inorganic carbon isotopic disequilibnum technique and inorganic carbon dose‐response curves. Stable carbon isotope data of the diatoms are also presented. Observed rates of photosynthetic oxygen evolution were greater than could be accounted for by the theoretical rate of CO 2 supply from the uncatalyzed dehydration of HCO 3 − in the external medium, suggesting use of HCO 3 − as an inorganic carbon source. Data from the isotopic disequilibrium experiment demonstrate the use of both HCO 3 − and CO 2 for photosynthesis. Carbon isotope discrimination values support the use of HCO 3 − by the diatoms.