Figure 6

Data analysis and quality control. Examples (a-h) of common microalgal growth curve morphologies (red) and modelled fits calculated using GraphPad Prism (black). Growth curve patterns that must be accounted for include (a) Robust growth. (b) No growth. (c) Growth with lower maximum OD. (d) Cell growth, followed by cell death. (e) Growth Intermediate circadian rhythm. (f) A long lag phase. (g) Strong circadian rhythm. (h) Initial growth followed by plateau. The main aim of this curve fitting step is to automate the identification of typical growth curves and eliminate atypical growth curves that could introduce errors into the downstream analysis to provide sigmoidal fits that could be used to determine specific growth rates more accurately.