Coccolithophores do not increase particulate carbon production under nutrient limitation: A case study using Emiliania huxleyi (PML B92/11)

•POC production increased under P limitation in batch culture.•POC production increased under N limitation in batch culture.•The increase in POC production is an artefact.

The coccolithophore Emiliania huxleyi (PML B92/11) was grown in batch culture under nitrogen (N) as well as phosphorus (P) limitation. Growth rate, particulate inorganic carbon (PIC), particulate organic carbon (POC), particulate organic nitrogen (PON), and particulate organic phosphorus (POP) production were determined. While PON production decreased by 96% under N-limitation and POP production decreased by 85% under P-limitation, growth rate decreased by 31% under N- and by 26% under P-limitation. POC production increased by a factor of 1.5 under N-limitation and by a factor of 3.3 under P-limitation. PIC production increased by a factor of 1.2 under N-limitation and did not change under P-limitation. It is concluded that the decrease in PON production under N-limitation and the decrease in POP production under P-limitation represent a physiological response of the cells while the increase in particulate carbon production represents a methodological artefact. The latter conclusion is based on a direct comparison of this strain's responses to nutrient limitation in different experimental setups, i.e., batch-, semi-continuous-, and continuous cultures.