To test the roles of NO$_3^-$ concentration and light as controlling factors of NO$_3^-$ uptake in the NO$_3^-$-low and -high environments and to assess the significance of night-time nitrogen (N) uptake in estimating the daily N uptake rate, 2 diel studies of N uptake were conducted in NO$_3^-$-low (the eastern part of the Yellow Sea) and NO$_3^-$-high (the marginal ice zone of the northwestern Weddell Sea) environments on June 14 to 15, 1996 and January 15 to 16, 1995, respectively. Ourobservations confirmed that NO$_3;^-$ uptake by phytoplankton is mainly determined by ambient NO$_3^-$ concentration in NO$_3^-$-low environment and by light in NO$_3^-$-high environment, respectively, Our results suggest the need for diel studies to accurately estimate the daily N uptake rates and thus new and regenerated production because the daily rates calculated without considering the night-time N uptake would be significantly underestimated (up to 41%), particularly in the NO$_3^-$-low environment.