YES

I made this point back in 1999-2000 on the APD, such evidence falls on deaf ears in the hobby as a rule. All marine and freshwater phycologist already know this.
Basic stuff that's taught to aquatic biologist.

Sans Jensen is a good researcher in Europe.

When I talk about the algae not being in the same ecological niche, it's that 1/2 constants, the nutrient demand differences and so forth, but some fool will demand me to prove it further, bitch and whine.

Show them some Master's level research project, spending 2-3 years on it and cover every possible base.............all while they don't do jack and are too damn lazy to look up a single reference themselves.

These same folks also have basic troubles with algae, virtually no control over their problems but are extremely verbose when it comes to posting their lack of knowledge on the matter.

What would be interesting, but seldom done, is the kinetic differences between NH4 and NO3 of these groups.

I often use the mouse and elephant as an example, the mouse clearly is quick and can nab small amounts of plant material, whereas the much larger elephant requires larger amounts of food.

Also, they did not discuss the life histories of the macro vs the micro algae, or perhaps in the discussion or intro they did address it, but like elephants and mice, one breeds like flies sexually, the other is very slow.

Same deal with algae and our plants, the plants we only have vegetative methods as a rule, the algae are all sexual in our tanks, this affords them many resistant resting stages till things go sour again.

I'm not sure why so many think they out compete eachother, because they are not even in the same niche.

For competition to occur, you need to have competition for resources.
Algae and plants are not limited by resources in our tanks though...........
When we stop adding enough CO2, nutrients etc, then the micro algae attack.

The form of the Nitrogen would also make a difference, relative to a single cell/spore, the NH4 represents a much larger energy bonus and a good signle that all the best form of N is available and ready to be utilized by the spores.

NO3 is not nearly as desirable to a spore and oftern will not tell you if the nutrients are good enough to grow and make it through a life cycle.

NH4 to a large billion celled plant while having less energy demand for its usage, represents a much smaller gain for the plant vs the single celled algae spore.
So there's less difference using NH4 vs NO3 in plant culture vs algae.

Once the algae has committed to germination, it must be aggressive and finish it's life cycle. So it'll use whatever is around, NO3 or NH4, whatever it takes to make a go of it.

Regards,
Tom Barr