Phytoplankton respond to phosphorous limitation with a decrease in cellular phosphorous content. Using the populations in the oligotrophic Saragossa Sea as an example, it is now shown that phytoplankton, but not heterotrophic bacteria, substitute their membrane phospholipids with lipid classes containing sulphur and nitrogen, which may provide them with a competitive advantage in these environments.
- Benjamin A. S. Van Mooy
- Helen F. Fredricks
- Eric A. Webb