| Water samples were collected from 127 sites in the arid Southwest that supported abundant microalgal growth. The sampling locations contained water that was shallow (median 20 cm), warm (med. 27.0 C), alkaline (med. 8.0 SU) and saline (med. 6.035 mS cm;The large number of microalgal strains isolated was reduce to 115 using a high-salinity screening protocol. Growth rates and biomass accumulation was greatest in Type I Medium. Lipid yields were higher in SERI Type II with the chrysophytes demonstrating the most dramatic increase. Subjecting microalgal strains to brief periods of nitrogen deprivation after logarithmic growth stimulated lipid storage.;Microalgae were collected from 206 planktonic, benthic or neustonic sampling locations in the arid Southwest. Microalgae were subjected to elevated salinities and light intensities before using agar plating techniques to isolate genera. Approximately 800 microalgal strains were isolated. During characterization experiments rapid microalgal growth occurred in SERI Type I or II Media at 10 mS cm... |
