{"id":{"repo_id":"uwo","oai_identifier":"oai:uwo.scholaris.ca:20.500.14721/27627"},"canonical_url":"https://search.dev.ndltd.org/etd/uwo/oai:uwo.scholaris.ca:20.500.14721/27627","repository":{"repo_id":"uwo","name":"Western University","base_url":"https://uwo.scholaris.ca/server/oai/request"},"display":{"title":"Urea as an Effective Nitrogen Source for Cyanobacteria","abstract":"Urea use has grown substantially in the past half-century, with urea now accounting for > 50% of nitrogen fertilizer applications worldwide. The shift from inorganic nitrogen fertilizers to urea-based sources has coincided with the reappearance of cyanobacteria blooms in freshwaters. Here, we examined urea as a nitrogen source for three bloom-forming cyanobacteria species. We found that (1) urea was consumed more rapidly relative to inorganic nitrogen substrates, suggesting that cyanobacteria exhibit a preference for urea; (2) urea was consumed in excess of cellular requirements; and (3) urea may offer cyanobacteria a competitive edge over eukaryotic algae by enhancing light absorption capabilities. These findings build on the growing body of literature demonstrating the importance of urea in freshwater eutrophication and satisfying the nitrogenous needs of cyanobacteria. As society’s reliance on urea is projected to escalate, it is important that we understand the unintended consequences of urea discharge on receiving freshwaters.","abstract_html":"Urea use has grown substantially in the past half-century, with urea now accounting for > 50% of nitrogen fertilizer applications worldwide. The shift from inorganic nitrogen fertilizers to urea-based sources has coincided with the reappearance of cyanobacteria blooms in freshwaters. Here, we examined urea as a nitrogen source for three bloom-forming cyanobacteria species. We found that (1) urea was consumed more rapidly relative to inorganic nitrogen substrates, suggesting that cyanobacteria exhibit a preference for urea; (2) urea was consumed in excess of cellular requirements; and (3) urea may offer cyanobacteria a competitive edge over eukaryotic algae by enhancing light absorption capabilities. These findings build on the growing body of literature demonstrating the importance of urea in freshwater eutrophication and satisfying the nitrogenous needs of cyanobacteria. As society’s reliance on urea is projected to escalate, it is important that we understand the unintended consequences of urea discharge on receiving freshwaters.","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Erratt, Kevin J"],"institution":"The University of Western Ontario","degree_name":"M Sc","degree_level":null,"degree_discipline":"Biology","degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":[],"advisors":["Irena Creed","Charles Trick"],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2017,"date_issued":"2017-10-02","date_published":"2017-10-02","updated_at":"2026-07-27T21:56:20Z","subjects":["freshwater","cyanobacteria","cyanobacteria harmful algal blooms (cyanoHABs)","eutrophication","fertilizer","nitrogen","urea"],"languages":["en_ca"],"rights":[],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[]},"links":{"outbound_url":"https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14721/27627","outbound_label":"Handle","outbound_source":"dc:identifier.uri"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:contributor.advisor","label":"Advisor","values":["Irena Creed","Charles Trick"]},{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Erratt, Kevin J"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"dc:date.accessioned","label":"Dc Date Accessioned","values":["2025-07-10T15:31:10Z"]},{"key":"dc:date.available","label":"Dc Date Available","values":["2025-07-10T15:31:10Z"]},{"key":"dc:date.issued","label":"Date","values":["2017-10-02"]},{"key":"dc:publisher","label":"Institution","values":["The University of Western Ontario"]},{"key":"dc:type","label":"Dc Type","values":["thesis"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_discipline","label":"Discipline","values":["Biology"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_name","label":"Degree Name","values":["M Sc"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["freshwater","cyanobacteria","cyanobacteria harmful algal blooms (cyanoHABs)","eutrophication","fertilizer","nitrogen","urea"]}]},{"id":"language_rights","label":"Language and Rights","entries":[{"key":"dc:language.iso","label":"Language (ISO)","values":["en_ca"]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier.uri","label":"Identifier URI","values":["https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14721/27627"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description","label":"Description","values":["The thesis cover page in the PDF document includes references to Western University’s previous institutional repository platform, known as Scholarship@Western, and links to that platform (beginning with ir.lib.uwo.ca). In citing or referring to this thesis, use the DOI or handle from this page instead. Sample citation: Author name, \"Thesis title.\" (Year). Western University Open Repository. https://doi.org/10.71858/123456."]},{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["Urea use has grown substantially in the past half-century, with urea now accounting for > 50% of nitrogen fertilizer applications worldwide. The shift from inorganic nitrogen fertilizers to urea-based sources has coincided with the reappearance of cyanobacteria blooms in freshwaters. Here, we examined urea as a nitrogen source for three bloom-forming cyanobacteria species. We found that (1) urea was consumed more rapidly relative to inorganic nitrogen substrates, suggesting that cyanobacteria exhibit a preference for urea; (2) urea was consumed in excess of cellular requirements; and (3) urea may offer cyanobacteria a competitive edge over eukaryotic algae by enhancing light absorption capabilities. These findings build on the growing body of literature demonstrating the importance of urea in freshwater eutrophication and satisfying the nitrogenous needs of cyanobacteria. As society’s reliance on urea is projected to escalate, it is important that we understand the unintended consequences of urea discharge on receiving freshwaters."]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["Urea as an Effective Nitrogen Source for Cyanobacteria"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:contributor.advisor":["Irena Creed","Charles Trick"],"dc:creator":["Erratt, Kevin J"],"dc:date.accessioned":["2025-07-10T15:31:10Z"],"dc:date.available":["2025-07-10T15:31:10Z"],"dc:date.issued":["2017-10-02"],"dc:description":["The thesis cover page in the PDF document includes references to Western University’s previous institutional repository platform, known as Scholarship@Western, and links to that platform (beginning with ir.lib.uwo.ca). In citing or referring to this thesis, use the DOI or handle from this page instead. Sample citation: Author name, \"Thesis title.\" (Year). Western University Open Repository. https://doi.org/10.71858/123456."],"dc:description.abstract":["Urea use has grown substantially in the past half-century, with urea now accounting for > 50% of nitrogen fertilizer applications worldwide. The shift from inorganic nitrogen fertilizers to urea-based sources has coincided with the reappearance of cyanobacteria blooms in freshwaters. Here, we examined urea as a nitrogen source for three bloom-forming cyanobacteria species. We found that (1) urea was consumed more rapidly relative to inorganic nitrogen substrates, suggesting that cyanobacteria exhibit a preference for urea; (2) urea was consumed in excess of cellular requirements; and (3) urea may offer cyanobacteria a competitive edge over eukaryotic algae by enhancing light absorption capabilities. These findings build on the growing body of literature demonstrating the importance of urea in freshwater eutrophication and satisfying the nitrogenous needs of cyanobacteria. As society’s reliance on urea is projected to escalate, it is important that we understand the unintended consequences of urea discharge on receiving freshwaters."],"dc:identifier.uri":["https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14721/27627"],"dc:language.iso":["en_ca"],"dc:publisher":["The University of Western Ontario"],"dc:subject":["freshwater","cyanobacteria","cyanobacteria harmful algal blooms (cyanoHABs)","eutrophication","fertilizer","nitrogen","urea"],"dc:title":["Urea as an Effective Nitrogen Source for Cyanobacteria"],"dc:type":["thesis"],"thesis:degree_discipline":["Biology"],"thesis:degree_name":["M Sc"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-27T21:56:20Z"}