Open AccessSpatial distribution of protists in the presence of macroaggregates in a marine system
Author(s) -
Artolozaga Itxaso,
Ayo Begoña,
Latatu Ainhoa,
Azúa Iñigo,
Unanue Marian,
Iriberri Juan
Publication year - 2000
Publication title -
fems microbiology ecology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.377
H-Index - 155
eISSN - 1574-6941
pISSN - 0168-6496
DOI - 10.1111/j.1574-6941.2000.tb00741.x
Subject(s) - biology , microcosm , seawater , plankton , ecology , spatial distribution , phytoplankton , ecological niche , nutrient , habitat , statistics , mathematics
The spatial distribution of marine protistan communities in the presence of organic macroaggregates, formed from natural seawater, was studied in several microcosm experiments. The presence of macroaggregates had two main effects. First, the size of the communities of bacteria, flagellates and ciliates increased, as these communities were three orders of magnitude higher in the aggregates than in the microcosm water. In addition, it brought the diversification on the niches accessible to planktonic microorganisms, as three phases were formed: water, aggregates and aggregate–water interphase. Some of the detected protistan taxa were only found in the water, and therefore they can be considered as truly free‐swimming protists. Others quickly colonised the aggregates, and finally, some of them showed a preference for the aggregate–water interphase. We discuss this spatial structuring of the protistan community on the basis of their feeding strategies and structural and behavioural characteristics.