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dc.contributor.authorDutkiewicz, Stephanie
dc.contributor.authorBarton, Andrew D.
dc.contributor.authorWard, Ben
dc.contributor.authorFollows, Michael J
dc.date.accessioned2015-07-22T18:06:07Z
dc.date.available2015-07-22T18:06:07Z
dc.date.issued2011-06
dc.date.submitted2010-11
dc.identifier.issn00030147
dc.identifier.issn15375323
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/97884
dc.description.abstractMixotrophic organisms combine autotrophic and heterotrophic nutrition and are abundant in both freshwater and marine environments. Recent observations indicate that mixotrophs constitute a large fraction of the biomass, bacterivory, and primary production in oligotrophic environments. While mixotrophy allows greater flexibility in terms of resource acquisition, any advantage must be traded off against an associated increase in metabolic costs, which appear to make mixotrophs uncompetitive relative to obligate autotrophs and heterotrophs. Using an idealized model of cell physiology and community competition, we identify one mechanism by which mixotrophs can effectively outcompete specialists for nutrient elements. At low resource concentrations, when the uptake of nutrients is limited by diffusion toward the cell, the investment in cell membrane transporters can be minimized. In this situation, mixotrophs can acquire limiting elements in both organic and inorganic forms, outcompeting their specialist competitors that can utilize only one of these forms. This advantage can be enough to offset as much as a twofold increase in additional metabolic costs incurred by mixotrophs. This mechanism is particularly relevant for the maintenance of mixotrophic populations and productivity in the highly oligotro phic subtropical oceans.en_US
dc.description.sponsorshipUnited States. National Aeronautics and Space Administrationen_US
dc.description.sponsorshipGordon and Betty Moore Foundationen_US
dc.language.isoen_US
dc.publisherUniversity of Chicago Pressen_US
dc.relation.isversionofhttp://dx.doi.org/10.1086/660284en_US
dc.rightsArticle is made available in accordance with the publisher's policy and may be subject to US copyright law. Please refer to the publisher's site for terms of use.en_US
dc.sourceMIT web domainen_US
dc.titleBiophysical Aspects of Resource Acquisition and Competition in Algal Mixotrophsen_US
dc.typeArticleen_US
dc.identifier.citationWard, Ben A., Stephanie Dutkiewicz, Andrew D. Barton, and Michael J. Follows. “Biophysical Aspects of Resource Acquisition and Competition in Algal Mixotrophs.” The American Naturalist 178, no. 1 (July 2011): 98–112. © 2011 The University of Chicagoen_US
dc.contributor.departmentMassachusetts Institute of Technology. Center for Global Change Scienceen_US
dc.contributor.departmentMassachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciencesen_US
dc.contributor.mitauthorWard, Ben A.en_US
dc.contributor.mitauthorDutkiewicz, Stephanieen_US
dc.contributor.mitauthorBarton, Andrew D.en_US
dc.contributor.mitauthorFollows, Michael J.en_US
dc.relation.journalThe American Naturalisten_US
dc.eprint.versionFinal published versionen_US
dc.type.urihttp://purl.org/eprint/type/JournalArticleen_US
eprint.statushttp://purl.org/eprint/status/PeerRevieweden_US
dspace.orderedauthorsWard, Ben A.; Dutkiewicz, Stephanie; Barton, Andrew D.; Follows, Michael J.en_US
dc.identifier.orcidhttps://orcid.org/0000-0002-3102-0341
mit.licensePUBLISHER_POLICYen_US
mit.metadata.statusComplete


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