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The World of Protozoa, Rotifera, Nematoda and Oligochaeta

Ref ID : 17

Warren, D.N.; Nitrogen flow through a Brachionus/Chlorella mass culture system. Hydrobiologia 186/187:401-408, 1989

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A model of nitrogen flow is presented through the Brachionus plicatilis/Chlorella saccharophila mass (batch) culture system, from the initial input of inorganic nitrogen to the algal culture medium to the final production of rotifers, dissolved nitrogen and particulate nitrogen. A nitrogen budget was first formulated for B. plicatilis relating ingestion, excretion, egestion, somatic growth and reproductive growth. Measurements were made on rotifers from 20 degrees C and 10 degrees C cultures. The calculated model of nitrogen flow through the rotifer/algal batch culture system estimates the percentages of the original input nitrogen which will be incorporated into algal nitrogen, rotifer nitrogen and the particulate and dissolved nitrogen pools. It is suggested that the dissolved nitrogen pool could be recycled directly for use in subsequent algal culture.