No, we have not advanced lab technics to run that experiment. The chemical warfare is an hypothesis , supported by scientific documentation and the fact that cyanobacteria is not receding when organic carbon is dosed. Nutrient depletion alone does not justify the observed effects
They both complex organisms that may need to be addressed separately, in regards to dinoflagellates I can see the nutrients being a factor to be outcompeted by heterotrophic bacteria especially now under the new information you have brought forward.
I see it working in a different way from you. The way I see it working is in the different between organic nutrients and inorganic nutrients, as we know in the sea blooms of dinoflagellates can be caused as a result from farming fertilisers that reach the ocean, lakes and rivers, farmers use mainly organic forms of nutrients nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium also known as NPK fertilisers. Once dissolved in water they will still be in dissolved organic form that there is evidence that is most preferred to dinoflagellates most likely for being partially a plant, therefore the dissolved NPK will be also important to dinoflagellates.
In our system the same thing is likely to happen all nutrients start from a organic form with the exception of ammonia that is inorganic, organic nutrients don’t stay organic for long as several cycles will transform them into inorganic nutrients the final stage. This means that a rapid decrease in inorganic nutrients can theoretically create a event were organic nutrients become more available than inorganic nutrients allowing opportunistic species that rely on organic nutrients for energy like dinoflagellates and Cyanobacteria to bloom.
The other nutrient event that allows for organic nutrients to be high is the situation we’re inorganic nutrients like phosphates and nitrates get fully depleted from a system ( this is the most common situation we observe them to bloom in aquaria).
the reason I see your essay being successful is because it completes the missing link, once a system gets depleted from inorganic nutrients heterotrophic bacteria becomes limited for obtaining energy, mass or tissue depending on the inorganic nutrient limitation this will mean that they can’t use any of the other dissolved nutrient’s until they are artificially replenished. If it’s left to late and dinoflagellates develop they will start consuming the organic nutrients not allowing them to reach the inorganic phase (that heterotrophic bacteria needs) that will ensure that they will be the dominant species until nutritional conditions are changed to favour the growth of heterotrophic bacteria once again.
the reason you may have observed the increase in nitrates and phosphates alone is because most inorganic forms of phosphates contain also organic forms of phosphates that once again may not be sufficient to kickstart the heterotrophic bacteria as there is a energy source for dinoflagellates in those elements, the genius part of your discovery is the addition of dissolved organic carbon that will allow for heterotrophic bacteria to grow in a situation we’re a system may be Dissolved organic carbon limited, meaning that only increasing nitrates and phosphates alone will not always be the solution sometimes a additional increase in Doc will also be needed.
hopefully not to confusing although I believe you just brought to light the missing link in the fight against Dinoflagellates. One a side note I don’t know how heterotrophic bacteria keeps dinoflagellates and Cyanobacteria at bay all I know is once they become limited at the inorganic nutrients level this two species always tent to flourish.
