C: N: P OF THE PRASINOPHYTE CHLOROPICON UNDER NITROGEN STARVATION

Chloropicophyceae (Prasinophyte Clade VII), naked non-motile coccoid cells with a cell size ranging from 1-3 µm, are one of the dominant picoplanktonic groups in oceanic waters. However, data on their cellular elemental stoichiometry in response to nutrient limitation is very limited. Here we quantify the elemental composition of three Chloropicophyceae; Chloropicon primus, C. maureeniae, C. laureae under nitrogen starvation and nutrient-sufficient conditions. After 12 days of nitrogen starvation the C: N increased by 238.003 ± 71.44 %, C: P increased by 123.79 ± 44.19 and N: P decreased by -33.34 ± 6.18 % across the species.