Suttle, C.A., J.G. Stockner, K.S. Shortreed and P.J. Harrison. 1988. Time-course of size-fractionated phosphate uptake: Are large cells better competitors for pulses of phosphate than smaller cells? Oecologia 74:571-576.

Time-course experiments of phosphate uptake by sizefractionated phytoplankton were conducted in oligotrophic Kennedy and Sproat Lakes. The objective was to determine if large phytoplankton obtained more phosphate than smaller cells, when the nutrient was present at higher concentrations. Studies at Kennedy Lake revealed that uptake rates in the 0.2-3.0 µm fraction were very sensitive to the time they were exposed to elevated concentrations; rates determined over the 60-120 min interval were less than 30% of those recorded over the 060 min interval.