Purification and culture characteristics of 36 benthic marine diatoms isolated from the Solthörn tidal flat (Southern North Sea)

Marine benthic diatoms growing in biofilms on sediment surfaces generally occur associated with heterotrophic bacteria, whereas modern molecular techniques and analyses of species‐specific physiology create a demand for axenic cultures. Numerous benthic diatoms were isolated from surface sediments during a monitoring of the Solthörn tidal flat (southern North Sea, Germany) from May 2008 to May 2009. Of these, around 50% could be purified from the accompanying heterotrophic bacteria using different antibiotics combined with physical separation methods (vortexing, ultrasound). Overall, seven different antibiotics were tested at different concentrations, and a best working protocol was developed. The axenic strains were stable on average for only around 15 months, indicating a symbiotic interaction between the benthic diatoms and the associated bacteria. While most short‐term effects during the purification process were restricted to differences in growth rates among xenic and axenic diatom strains, long‐term cultivation led to distinct changes in cell volumes and growth characteristics of the axenic strains.