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The eutrophication of water, such as excessive nitrogen and phosphorus, are closely associated with the outbreak of red tide. However, the response of dissolved inorganic phosphorus (DIP) to red tide remained unclear in water. In this study, three species of diatoms capable of causing red tides were cultured in simulated seawater with different concentrations of DIP. The changes of biomass, chlorophyll a concentration and the carbon stable isotope composition of microalgae, the DIP concentration and pH of the culture medium were compared among the experimental groups. In addition, correlation verification was used to test the correlation between the change of DIP concentration and other indicators. The results showed that in the experimental period, the DIP concentration of each experimental group decreased significantly first, and the concentration dropped to less than 40% of the initial level. After that, the pH of the medium, the biomass, chlorophyll a concentration and carbon stable isotope composition of the microalgae showed varying degrees of increase, and then stabilized or decreased. These also marked the outbreak of red tide. Moreover, the correlation test showed that there was a correlation between them and the change of DIP concentration. Therefore, by exploring the relationship between the change of DIP concentration in water and the occurrence of red tide, this study provides a possible direction for the current prediction of red tide, and provides a basis for further investigation of the occurrence mechanism of red tide. [Display omitted] • Outbreak of red tide of different algae species under different eutrophic levels. • The decrease of DIP concentration was earlier than the increase of other indicators of red tide algae. • The outbreak of red tide resulted in the accumulation of 13C in red tide algae. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]