Climate change could impact nutrient bioavailability in aquatic environment. To understand the interaction of nutrient bioavailability and elevated CO₂, Chlorella vulgaris cells were grown in ambient air or 5% CO₂ in different concentrations of nitrogen and phosphorus in a photobioreactor. The chlorophyll content, photosynthesis and respiration rates increased in 5% CO₂ to support higher biomass production. The nutrient limitation in the growth media resulted in reduced photosynthetic rates of the algal cells and their PSI, PSII, and whole chain electron transport rates and biomass production. Conversely, their lipid content increased partly due to upregulation of expression of several lipid biosynthesis genes. The order of downregulation of photosynthesis and upregulation in lipid production due to nutrient limitation was in the order of N > P. The N-50 and 5% CO₂ culture had only 10% reduction in biomass and 32% increase in lipids having 85% saturated fat required for efficient biofuel production. This growth condition is ideal for generation of biodiesel required to reduce the consumption of fossil fuel and combat global warming.

气候变化可能影响水生环境中的养分生物利用度。为了了解营养生物利用度和 CO ₂升高之间的相互作用，普通小球藻细胞在环境空气或 5% CO ₂的光生物反应器中以不同浓度的氮和磷生长。叶绿素含量、光合作用和呼吸速率在 5% CO _{2 中}增加以支持更高的生物质产量。生长培养基中的营养限制导致藻类细胞的光合速率及其 PSI、PSII 和全链电子传递速率和生物量生产降低。相反，它们的脂质含量增加部分是由于几种脂质生物合成基因的表达上调。由于营养限制，光合作用下调和脂质生产上调的顺序是 N > P。N-50 和 5% CO ₂培养物的生物量仅减少 10%，脂质增加 32%，具有 85%有效生产生物燃料所需的饱和脂肪。这种生长条件非常适合生产减少化石燃料消耗和应对全球变暖所需的生物柴油。