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Gracilaria foliifera (Forsskål) Borgesen and Neoagardhiella baileyi (Harvey ex Kützing) Wynne & Taylor were grown in continuous-flow culture under cocentration of nitrogen enrichment supplied to the plants. Growth rate appeared to follow saturation-type nutrient uptake kinetics for plants receiving ammonium, nitrate, urea or sewage effluent enrichments. Ammonium enrichment produced higher growth rates than nitrate or sewage enrichment. The lowest growth rates occurred in the chambers receiving unenriched seawater or urea. Half saturation constants (K) for growth were in the range of 0.2-0.4 μM N for all N enrichments examined. The low estimated values of K compare closely with those found for microalgae and indicate that both species possess the ability to utilize very low concentrations of N. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]