Alkaline phosphatase activity of Skeletonema costatum populations in the Trondheimsfjord

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Abstract
During May and June of 1975 and 1976, unialgal blooms of the marine diatom Skeletonema costatum in the Trondheimsfjord exhibited significant alkaline phosphatase activity, as measured by a fluorometric method. The fairly high activities of some populations correlated well with clear indications of P-limitation obtained by measurement of N/P, β-l,3-glucan/P and protein/β-l,3-glucan ratios. Very few significant activities were measured in populations with a cellular N/P ratio below 14, which agrees well with an N to P ]balance point’ of 11‐12 for S. costatum. The activity was detected in brackish water with S ‰ <30 and was found to be closely related with the cellular phosphorus content, low content leading to high phosphatase activity. The ratio of phosphatase activity to cellular phosphorus is proposed as a sensitive parameter for phosphorus-limited growth. No enzyme activity could be detected in coastal waters outside the fjord.

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