Abstract
To determine an optimal sampling strategy for collecting samples with an expected taxonomic breadth, a 1-year baseline colonization survey was conducted in Chinese coastal waters using glass slides as an artificial substratum for biofilm-dwelling ciliates. A total of 240 slide samples were collected at a depth of 1 m in a four-season cycle. The taxonomic composition and structure of the ciliate communities differed from spring to winter. The colonization dynamics in taxonomic distinctness showed a significant variability among the four seasons. Expectation tests on the pairs of average taxonomic distinctness indices demonstrated a seasonal variability in taxonomic breadth of the ciliates, with high expectation levels in spring and autumn and low levels in the other two seasons. These findings suggest that there was a significant seasonal variability in taxonomic breadth for colonization surveys of biofilm-dwelling ciliates, and that an optimal sampling strategy should be determined for bioassessment in marine ecosystems.
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