Vibrio alginolyticus growth kinetics and the metabolic effects of iron.

Transmission of occurs opportunistically through direct seawater exposure and is a function of its abundance in the environment. Like other spp., are considered conditionally rare taxa in marine waters, with populations capable of forming large, short-lived blooms under specific environmental conditions, which remain poorly defined. Prior research has established the importance of temperature and salinity as the major determinants of geographical and temporal range. However, bloom formation can be strongly influenced by other factors that may be more episodic and localized, such as changes in iron availability. Here we confirm the broad temperature and salinity tolerance of and demonstrate the importance of iron supplementation as a key factor for growth in the absence of thermal or osmotic stress. The results of this research highlight the importance of episodic iron input as a crucial metric to consider for the assessment of risk.