Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

  • Letter
  • Published:

Phosphorus, a Maximum Factor in the Growth of Characeae

Nature volume 201, pages 517–518 (1964)Cite this article

Abstract

CAN phosphorus, the typical minimum element in plant growth, be a maximum factor for plants even at very low concentrations ? Experiments by Rodhe1 showed that the growth of Dinobryon divergens Imhof and Uroglena americana Calkins was inhibited or the plants were damaged by addition of only 5 µg phosphorus/l. On the other hand, Scenedesmus quadricauda Turpin em. Chod. “required 500–1,000 µg phosphorus/l, in order to reach the lower limit of the optimum interval” (op. cit.). The growth inhibition of Dinobryon and Uroglena by very low phosphorus concentration suggests that this element “even in ordinary lakes may become a maximum factor for some algae”1.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Buy this article

  • Purchase on Springer Link
  • Instant access to full article PDF
Buy now

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Rodhe, W., Symb. bot. Ups., 10 (1) (1948).

  2. Almquist, E., Acta Phytogeogr. Suecica, 1 (1929).

  3. Rodhe, W., Intern. Assoc. Limnol. Proc., 10, 377 (1949).

    Google Scholar 

  4. Schelske, C. L., Hooper, F. F., and Heartl, E. J., Ecology, 43, 646 (1962).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Forsberg, C., Oikos, 11, 183 (1960).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  6. Stålberg, N., Acta Phytogeogr. Suecica, 11 (1939).

  7. Karlgren, L. (unpublished results).

  8. Allen, G. O., British Stoneworts (Charophyta) (Arbroath, 1950).

  9. Vouk, V., and Benzinger, F., Acta Bot. Zagrebensis, 4, 1 (1929).

    Google Scholar 

  10. Buljan, M., Acta Bot. Zagrebensis, 12–13, 239 (1949).

    Google Scholar 

  11. Anderson, R. G., Diss Abstr. (Univ. Nebraska), 20 (8), 3034 (1960).

    Google Scholar 

  12. Provasoli, L., McLaughlin, J. J. A., and Droop, M. R., Arch. Mikrobiol., 25, 392 (1956–57).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  13. Wintermans, J. F. G. M., Meded. Landbouwhogeschool Wageningen, 55, 69 (1955).

    Google Scholar 

  14. Kylin, A. (in preparation).

  15. Forsberg, B., and Forsberg, C., Sv. Bot. Tidskr., 55, 604 (1961).

    Google Scholar 

  16. Jaag, O., Intern. Assoc. Limnol. Proc., 10, 192 (1949).

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Physiological Botany, Uppsala, Sweden

    CURT FORSBERG

Authors
  1. CURT FORSBERG
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

FORSBERG, C. Phosphorus, a Maximum Factor in the Growth of Characeae. Nature 201, 517–518 (1964). https://doi.org/10.1038/201517a0

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/201517a0

This article is cited by

Comments

By submitting a comment you agree to abide by our Terms and Community Guidelines. If you find something abusive or that does not comply with our terms or guidelines please flag it as inappropriate.

Search

Advanced search

Quick links

Nature Briefing

Sign up for the Nature Briefing newsletter — what matters in science, free to your inbox daily.

Get the most important science stories of the day, free in your inbox. Sign up for Nature Briefing