Ciliate Fauna Research Articles

Continuous warming drives the colonization dynamics of periphytic ciliate fauna in marine environments.

In order to evaluate the influence of global warming on the ecosystem processes in marine environments, the changes in colonization dynamics of periphytic microbiota were studied using the periphytic ciliate communities as the test organism fauna under a continuous warming gradient of 22℃ (control), 25℃, 28℃, 31℃, and 34 ℃. The results demonstrated that (1) the test ciliate communities generally showed a similar temporal pattern in within the colonization process under the water temperatures from 22 up to 28℃; however, (2) the colonization dynamics were significantly changed, and the fitness of colonization curves to the MacArthur-Wilson model equation was failed under the temperature increased by 6 ℃, and (3) the loading or assimilative capacity of the test aquatic ecosystem was decreased with the increase of water temperature. Therefore, this study suggests that continuous warming may significantly drive the colonization dynamics of periphytic ciliates in marine ecosystems.

Rumen ciliates (Ciliophora, Trichostomatia) in Brazilian domestic cattle feeding on diets with crescent urea levels

Since their discovery, rumen ciliates of domestic cattle have been reported from various geographic locations. However, until now there is only one taxonomic inventory of ciliates associated with Brazilian cattle. The present study aimed to assess the community composition, relative abundance, richness, and density of rumen ciliates in Brazilian cattle, whose feeding diets were supplemented with crescent urea levels. Across all treatments analyzed, one subclass, two orders, three families, 11 genera, and 31 species of ciliates were identified. The ciliate community composition and species richness varied among the four treatments used. However, the total ciliate density was not affected by the experimental diets. We described a new entodiniid morphotype, Entodinium caudatum m. orbonuclearis, and recorded Oligoisotricha bubali for the second time in Brazil.

Endobiotic Ciliates from the Rumen of the European Bison Bison Bonasus (Linnaeus, 1758) from the Vologda Oblast of Russia

The fauna of endobiotic ciliates of the rumen of the European bison Bison bonasus from the Vologda oblast of Russia was investigated. In the studied bisons, 12 species of trichostomatids (Trichostomatia, Litostomatea) were found, ten of which were from the family Ophryoscolecidae and two species were from the family Isotrichidae. A high similarity of ciliate faunas in the rumen of different bison individuals in the studied population was noted. A comparative analysis of data on the species diversity and number of endobiotic ciliates in the rumen of various representatives of the genus Bison from different habitats was carried out.

Comparative Study of Rumen Ciliate Fauna of Goat and Sheep in Libya

This study aims to provide comparative information on the rumen ciliate fauna of goat (Capra aegagrus hircus) and sheep (Ovis aries) living in Zawiya, Libya.We obtained rumen samples from 16 goats and 17 sheep after the slaughter in Zawiya, Libya between June and August 2016. We immediately fixed the well-mixed samples with an equal volume of 18.5% formalin. We filtered and stained the samples in the laboratory with methyl green formalin saline solution to determine the nuclei and added 2% Lugol's iodine solution to visualize the skeletal plates.We found that the mean number (± standard deviation) of ciliates in the rumen contents from goats and sheep was 70.9±61.6×104 cells mL-1 (minimum-maximum value, 4.0-187.0×104 cells mL-1) and 96.3±49.3×104 cells mL-1 (minimum-maximum value, 19.5-235.0×104 cells mL-1), respectively. Results also showed that the total number of species per goat and sheep was 1-17 (mean, 8.2±4.7) and 1-13 (mean, 7.9±3.8), respectively. We identified 10 genera, 19 species, and 11 morphotypes in goats and 9 genera, 16 species, and 13 morphotypes in sheep. Additionally, we found that Entodinium simulans prevalence in all goats and sheep was 100%. On the other hand, we observed Hsiungia triciliata and Ostracodinium gracile in only one goat (6.3% prevalence) and Polyplastron multivesiculatum in only one sheep (5.9% prevalence). Overall, the ruminal ciliate fauna of goat and sheep in Libya comprised Entodinium species (mean for goats, 85.9%; mean for sheep, 83.5%).This study recorded Hsiungia triciliata as a new endosymbiont in goats. To our knowledge, this study is the first to report all of the species detected in goats from Libya. Similarly, this is the first to detect Diplodinium anisacanthum, Entodinium bursa, E. ellipsoideum, E. longinucleatum, E. simulans, Isotricha prostoma, Ophryoscolex caudatus, Ostracodinium gracile, and Polyplastron multivesiculatum in sheep from Libya.Bu çalışmanın amacı Zawiya, Libya’da bulunan keçilerin (Capra aegagrus hircus) ve koyunların (Ovis aries) işkembe siliyat faunası üzerine karşılaştırmalı bilgiler elde etmektir.İşkembe örnekleri Zawiya, Libya’daki 16 keçi ve 17 koyundan Haziran 2016 ve Ağustos 2016 tarihleri arasında kesim işlemlerinden hemen sonra alınmıştır. İyi karışmış örnekler eşit hacimli %18,5’lik formalin ile hemen tespit edilmiştir. Örnekler laboratuvarda süzülmüş ve metil yeşili formalin salin solüsyonuyla boyanmıştır. Metil yeşili formalin salin solüsyonu nukleusları belli etmek için kullanılmış ve iskelet plaklarını belli etmek için de örneklere %2’lik Lugol’ün iyot solüsyonu eklenmiştir.Libya’daki 16 keçinin ve 17 koyunun işkembe örneklerindeki siliyat sayısı (± standart sapma) sırasıyla, 70,9±61,6×104 hücre mL-1 (minimum-maksimum değer, 4,0-187,0×104 hücre mL-1) ve 96,3±49,3×104 hücre mL-1’dir (minimum-maksimum değer, 19,5-235,0×104 hücre mL-1). Keçi ve koyun başına türlerin toplam sayısı sırasıyla, 1-17 (ortalama, 8,2±4,7) ve 1-13’tür (ortalama, 7,9±3,8). Keçilerde 10 cins, 19 tür ve 11 morfotip teşhis edilirken, buna karşın koyunlarda 9 cins, 16 tür ve 13 morfotip tespit edilmiştir. Entodinium simulans bütün keçilerde ve koyunlarda %100’lük bir oranda tespit edilmiştir. Hsiungia triciliata ve Ostracodinium gracile sadece 1 keçide (%6,3 yaygınlık), aynı şekilde Polyplastron multivesiculatum sadece 1 koyunda (%5,9 yaygınlık) gözlemlenmiştir. Genelde, Libya’daki keçi ve koyunların işkembe siliyat faunası Entodinium türlerinden oluşmaktadır (keçiler için ortalama %85,9; koyunlar için ortalama %83,9).Hsiungia triciliata, keçiler için yeni bir endosimbiyonttur. Keçilerden tespit edilen tüm türler, Libya’dan ilk kez rapor edilmiştir. Diplodinium anisacanthum, Entodinium bursa, E. ellipsoideum, E. longinucleatum, E. simulans, Isotricha prostoma, Ophryoscolex caudatus, Ostracodinium gracile ve Polyplastron multivesiculatum Libya’daki koyunlarda ilk kez tespit edilmiştir.

Application of enzyme probiotic drug developed based on microorganisms of the rumen of reindeer (Rangifer tarandus) in feeding cows

In the current conditions of intense technologies of milk production, the feeding of dairy cows is aimed at providing fast rates of growth and maximum productivity over a short period. However, such systems of diets often have negative effects on the health of the animals as a result of metabolism malfunctioning. The present study was conducted to assess the influence of the enzyme probiotic preparation Rumit, developed based on cellulolytic bacteria isolated from the rumen of reindeer, on dairy activity, food intake, density of ciliate fauna of the rumen, feeding activity, and also metabolic profile and the level of natural resistance of newly-calved heifers. To conduct the experiment, we composed two groups (control and experimental) of first-calf heifers with 12 individuals in their first 100 days of lactation after calving. The first-calf heifers of the experimental group, in addition to the main diet, received the preparation in the amount of 50 g per individual daily in the lunch time feeding for 90 days. Inclusion of the probiotic increased the dairy productivity, particularly a 3.1 kg increase in the average yield of daily 4%-fat milk, 9.6 kg in the butterfat output, and 7.7 kg in that of dairy protein. With increase in dairy productivity, a 0.09 EFU (energy fodder units, equals 10 MJ) decrease was observed in energy expenditure for 1 kg of milk. Intake of the probiotic led to increase in the index of nutritional activity by 0.03 units and increase in the density of ciliates by 155, 900 individuals/mL. Use of the biopreparation had a positive effect on the metabolic processes in the organism of heifers. The animals of the experimental group were observed to have an increase in the content of the total protein in the blood, 12.5% decrease in the urea, and glucose concentration reached the normative values. In the first-calf heifers that had received the food supplement in addition to their diet, the physiological parameters of health normalized and the protective abilities of the organism activated, the pulse and respiration frequencies increased (by 3.8% and 6.6%), the phagocytic index grew by 30.2%, and the absorptive ability of neutrophils increased by 40%. Thus, enzyme probiotic preparation Rumit confirmed its efficiency when fed to newly-calved heifers.

The biodiversity and community structure of soil ciliates of Talish forests in south-eastern Azerbaijan

New information on the fauna of the soil ciliates of south-eastern Azerbaijan is presented in this article. As a result of surveys conducted in 2017–2019, 65 species of soil ciliates assigned to 33 families were recorded. The highest diversity of pedobiont ciliates was observed in Masalli and Lankaran forest soils. On the other hand, the lowest species diversity was recorded in the Astara region. The highest species diversity was found for the family Colpodidae, of which 7 species were found. Four of them belong to the pedobiont genus Colpoda. Almost all representatives of this genus are typically soil species and euribionts with wide ecological plasticity. In addition, two species that are the representatives of the genus Tillina were found in soil, but they can be occasionally found in freshwater bodies. It should be noted that the special climatic conditions of south-eastern Azerbaijan impact on the distribution regularity of ciliates in the mountain-forest soils. The accumulation of ciliates in forest soils in spring was observed in the upper horizon of the 5 cm soil litter layer in summer. Due to the decrease in humidity in upper layers, pedobiont ciliate migrates to deeper layers (10–15 cm), and in autumn with the increase in precipitation and humidity in the upper soil horizons, the mass of soil ciliates is again localized in the forest litter and in the upper soil layer. It is also worth noting another specific complex of ciliates in the forest soils of south-eastern Azerbaijan. In early spring and autumn, with the maximum moisture content in the forest soil, we often observed ciliates, which usually dwell in fresh waters. Among them are representatives of such genera as Zosterodasys, Nassula, Aspidisca, Blepharisma, Frontonia, Urotricha etc. The species diversity and community similarity index of soil ciliates in Talish forests of Lankaran natural area were also calculated. The study attempts to compare the difference in ciliates community among five different regions of south-eastern Azerbaijan. The analysis showed that there are 3 clusters of the similarity of species diversity of ciliate communities. The similarity between the ciliate fauna of the high mountainous regions and fauna of the plain regions was 52.15–69.00 %.

Diversity and Distribution of Free-living Ciliates from High-Arctic Kara Sea Sediments

For the first time, free-living ciliates were studied in sediments from a variety of habitats in the Kara Sea (the Arctic Ocean). Ciliates were found in a wide range of environmental conditions (from the intertidal zone up to depths of 554m, from salinities ranging from 0 to 34psu, and from coarse sands and gravel to muddy sediments), with total abundances varying from 1 to 127ind/cm3. Altogether, 114 species were identified, most of which were widely distributed and were previously reported from other Arctic regions. An unsaturated species accumulation curve and the presence of many rare species indicated that the Kara Sea is potentially as rich in ciliates as other regions. Fine- and medium-grained sands exhibited the richest and most abundant ciliate fauna, with many interstitial forms occurring up to depths of 200m; whereas both the coarse sands of the exposed intertidal beaches and the sublittoral muds were poorly inhabited by non-specific euryoecious species. The granulometric composition of sediments was suggested to be the main driver controlling the diversity and composition of ciliate communities, while the other factors, such as salinity, water productivity and depth, were of secondary importance.

Deep-sea ciliates: Recorded diversity and experimental studies on pressure tolerance

Microbial eukaryotes play an important role in biogeochemical cycles not only in productive surface waters but also in the deep sea. Recent studies based on metagenomics report deep-sea protistan assemblages totally different from continental slopes and shelf waters. To give an overview about the ciliate fauna recorded from the deep sea we summarized the available information on ciliate occurrence in the deep sea. Our literature review revealed that representatives of the major phylogenetic groups of ciliates were recorded from the deep sea (> 1000m depth): Karyorelictea, Heterotrichea, Spirotrichea (Protohypotrichia, Euplotia, Oligotrichia, Choreotrichia, Hypotrichia), Armophorea (Armophorida), Litostomatea (Haptoria), Conthreep (Phyllopharyngea incl. Cyrtophoria, Chonotrichia, Suctoria; Nassophorea incl. Microthoracida, Synhymeniida, Nassulida; Colpodea incl. Bursariomorphida, Cyrtolophosidida; Prostomatea; Plagiopylea incl. Plagiopylida, Odontostomatida; Oligohymenophorea incl. Peniculia, Scuticociliatia, Hymenostomatia, Apostomatia, Peritrichia, Astomatia). Species occurring in both habitats, deep sea and shallow water, are rarely found to our knowledge to date. This indicates a high deep-sea specific ciliate fauna. Our own studies of similar genotypes (SSU rDNA and cox1 gene) revealed that two small scuticociliate species (Pseudocohnilembus persalinus and Uronema sp.) could be isolated from surface as well as deep waters (2687m, 5276m, 5719m) of the Pacific. The adaptation to deep-sea conditions was investigated by exposing the ciliate isolates directly or stepwise to different hydrostatic pressures ranging from 1 to 550atm at temperatures of 2°C and 13°C. Although the results indicated no general barophilic behavior, all four isolated strains survived the highest established pressure. A better survival at 550atm could be observed for the lower temperature. Among microbial eukaryotes, ciliates should be considered as a diverse and potentially important component of deep-sea microeukaryote communities.

Rumen Ciliate Fauna of Domestic Sheep (Ovis aries) in İzmir, Turkey and Scanning Electron Microscopic Observations

Species composition and distribution of ciliates were investigated in the rumen contents of 15 domestic sheep (Ovis aries) living in İzmir, Turkey. Twenty-three species and 11 morphotypes belonging to nine genera were identified. The density of ciliates was 118.3 ± 63.5 × 104 cells ml−1, and the mean number of ciliate species per host was 13.5 ± 5.3. Entodinium simulans was the most abundant species, with a prevalence of 100%. Two morphotypes of Diplodinium flabellum were identified, such as D. flabellum m. aspinatum and D. flabellum m. monospinatum, and E. simulans m. dubardi was found for the first time in domestic sheep in Turkey. The scanning electron microscopic observations of Entodinium longinucleatum, E. bursa, E. rectangulatum m. rectangulatum, E. semahatae, E. exiguum, E. minimum, E. simulans m. caudatum, E. dilobum, Diplodinium flabellum m. aspinatum, D. dentatum, Isotricha prostoma, Metadinium affine, Enoploplastrom triloricatum, Dasytricha ruminantium, Ophryoscolex caudatus m. tricoronatus, Epidinium ecaudatum m. parvicaudatum, and Polyplastron multivesiculatum were studied.

Ciliate Protozoa from the Rumens of Japanese Serows (Capricornis crispus) Captured in the Northern Part of Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan

Ciliate fauna collected from the rumens of eight wild Japanese serows (Capricornis crispus) captured in the northern part of Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan, were compared with the ciliate faunas found in other Japanese wild ruminants. We identified six species belonging to two genera of ciliates (Entodinium nanellum, Ent. minimum, Ent. simplex, Ent. dubardi, Ent. longinucleatum, and Elytroplastron bubali), all of which had been reported in a previous study examining the rumen contents of Japanese serows in Gifu and Miyagi Prefectures. However, four of the previously identified ciliate species (Dasytricha ruminantium, Ent. lobosospinosum, Ent. ekendrae, and Epidinium ecaudatum) were not detected in this study. Ely. bubali was detected frequently, suggesting that this species is characteristic of the rumen of Japanese serows. Furthermore, the six ciliate species in this study were observed in over 70% of the studied serows, suggesting that these ciliate species are widely distributed in the rumens of serows in this study area.

Strengths and Biases of High-Throughput Sequencing Data in the Characterization of Freshwater Ciliate Microbiomes.

Molecular surveys of eukaryotic microbial communities employing high-throughput sequencing (HTS) techniques are rapidly supplanting traditional morphological approaches due to their larger data output and reduced bench work time. Here, we directly compare morphological and Illumina data obtained from the same samples, in an effort to characterize ciliate faunas from sediments in freshwater environments. We show how in silico processing affects the final outcome of our HTS analysis, providing evidence that quality filtering protocols strongly impact the number of predicted taxa, but not downstream conclusions such as biogeography patterns. We determine the abundance distribution of ciliates, showing that a small fraction of abundant taxa dominates read counts. At the same time, we advance reasons to believe that biases affecting HTS abundances may be significant enough to blur part of the underlying biological picture. We confirmed that the HTS approach detects many more taxa than morphological inspections, and highlight how the difference varies among taxonomic groups. Finally, we hypothesize that the two datasets actually correspond to different conceptions of "diversity," and consequently that neither is entirely superior to the other when investigating environmental protists.

Ciliated protozoa community of a combined UASB-activated sludge system in southeastern Brazil.

The aims of the present study were (1) to evaluate the abundance and taxonomic composition of ciliated protozoa in the activated sludge of a full-scale combined anaerobic-aerobic system operating in a tropical country and (2) to study the relationship between the effluent quality, the physicochemical variables, and the ciliates present in the operating system. The total ciliate fauna of the activated sludge of the Piçarrão Wastewater Treatment Plant (Piçarrão WWTP) was composed of 36 morphospecies belonging to 33 genera. These included 21 species observed in the activated sludge samples on the day of collection and 15 species found in cultures. The activated sludge of the Piçarrão WWTP contained a diversified ciliate community composed mainly of indicator organisms. The most frequently occurring morphospecies were Aspidisca cicada, Vorticella spp., Gastronauta aloisi, Acineria uncinata, and Epistylis plicatilis complex. These results showed that satisfactory operating conditions prevailed at the Piçarrão WWTP. In the combined UASB-activated sludge system, the presence of Aspidisca cicada suggests the occurrence of denitrification in the process while the presence of Acineria uncinata and G. alosi indicates the removal of carbonaceous organic matter.

Freshwater ciliates from Beytepe Pond in Ankara with new records for Turkey

In this study, the ciliate biota from four sites within a pond in Central Anatolia has been examined. A total of 57 species have been identified, 4 of which are newly recorded within the Turkish ciliate fauna, including Oxytricha similis , Pleuronema crassum, Astylozoon pyriforme, and Pseudovorticella monilata. Turkish populations of these newly recorded species have been morphologically described. Furthermore, 17 species have been newly recorded in Central Anatolia. An overwhelming majority of the ciliates found belonged to 3 systematic groups: 1) Oligohymenophorea (44%, 25 species), 2) Spirotrichea (21%, 12 species), and 3) Litostomatea (21%, 12 species). All ciliate species recorded during the present study have been listed along with information on their occurrence at different sites in Anatolia, namely Mogan Lake, Ankara, Sir Dam lake, Kahramanmaras, and Van Province, and the distribution of ciliates has been discussed from a broader perspective.

Ciliate communities and hidden biodiversity in freshwater biotopes of the Pistoia province (Tuscany, Italy)

Ciliates are essential components of aquatic environments, playing a pivotal role in microbial loops. Thus, the composition and dynamics of ciliate communities have been subjected to intense studying. Morphological methods have been traditionally employed, until the development of next-generation sequencing recently allowed to explore the topic with exclusively molecular techniques. However, the results of the two approaches are hardly comparable, and the pictures they offer can be quite different. This may be due, among other reasons, to two factors: (1) morphological descriptions may miss a large portion of “hidden biodiversity” (including rare species and resistance forms) that is detected instead by molecular methods; (2) identification errors may arise due to difficulties in recognizing microbial taxa without in-depth analyses. In this survey of freshwater systems of the Pistoia province (Tuscany, Italy) we address both issues, trying to quantify the hidden diversity through prolonged observations of differentially treated sample aliquots, combining morphological identification with Sanger sequencing. We provide the first insights into the ciliate fauna of this area presenting results that are suitable for future comparisons thanks to their multidisciplinary origin, and supply the first molecular data on well-known taxa such as Linostomella and Disematostoma.

Fecal Ciliate Composition of Domestic Horses (Equus caballus Linnaeus, 1758) Living in Kyrgyzstan.

Species composition and distribution of intestinal ciliates were investigated in the feces from 15 domestic horses living in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan. Twenty-three species belonging to 14 genera were identified. This is the first study on intestinal ciliates in domestic horses living in Kyrgyzstan. The mean number of ciliates was 14.1 ± 6.8 x10(4) cells ml(-1) of feces and the mean number of ciliate species per host was 6.0 ± 3.2. No endemic or new species were detected. Blepharocorys was the major genus as these ciliates were detected in high proportions. In contrast Holophryoides, Allantosoma were only observed at low frequencies. Recorded ciliate species in this investigation had almost the same characteristics as those described in previous studies. There was no important geographic variation in the intestinal ciliate fauna of equids.

Ecological specificity and spatial and temporal distribution of ciliates from the pelagic plankton of a fresh meromictic waterbody

The data on changes in the vertical distribution of free-living ciliates from a freshwater meromictic pond (city of Samara) within a year are presented. The specific character of the waterbody is that the taxonomic diversity of ciliates of pelagic plankton is mainly formed not by usual euplanktonic species, but by ciliates of highly specialized ecological groups such as mixotrophs, “benthic migrants,” and sapropelic species. The ciliate fauna is similar to the fauna of thermally stratified lakes with anaerobic hypolimnion. The maximal abundance and biomass of ciliates during the year and their high absolute values are determined by the existence of stable gradients of abiotic factors and, in the first turn, concentrations of oxygen, hydrogen sulfide, and oxidation-reduction potential.

Colonization dynamics in trophic-functional patterns of biofilm-dwelling ciliates using two methods in coastal waters

The colonization dynamics in trophic-functional structure of biofilm-dwelling ciliate fauna were studied using two methods based on an artificial substratum in Korean coastal waters of the Yellow Sea during April 2007. Polyurethane foam enveloped slide (PFES) and conventional slide (CS) systems were used to collect ciliate samples at a depth of 1 m. The ciliate fauna represented similar colonization dynamics in trophic-functional patterns that were driven mainly by the algivores, bacterivores and non-selectives in both systems. Simple trophic-functional patterns (e.g. algivores and non-selectives) occurred within the ciliate fauna at the initial stage (1–3 days), while complex patterns (e.g. algivores, non-selectives and bacterivores) were established at the transitional (5–7 days) and equilibrium (9–19 days) stages. However, the time in which ciliate fauna reached a stable trophic-functional pattern was shorter in the PFES than in the CS system. Among four trophic-functional types, the algivores and bacterivores significantly fitted the MacArthur-Wilson and logistic models in colonization and growth curves in both systems, respectively. Furthermore, the species richness and diversity of algivores and bacterivores were significantly higher in the PFES system than in the CS. These results suggest that the PFES system was more effective than the conventional slide method for a colonization survey on trophic-functional patterns of biofilm-dwelling ciliate fauna in marine ecosystems.

Insights into assessing water quality using taxonomic distinctness based on a small species pool of biofilm-dwelling ciliate fauna in coastal waters of the Yellow Sea, northern China

The aim of this study is to determine the feasibility of using a small species pool from a raw dataset of biofilm-dwelling ciliates for bioassessment based on taxonomic diversity. Samples were collected monthly at four stations within a gradient of environmental stress in coastal waters of the Yellow Sea, northern China from August 2011 to July 2012. A 33-species subset was identified from the raw 137-species dataset using a multivariate method. The spatial patterns of this subset were significantly correlated with the changes in the nutrients and chemical oxygen demand. The taxonomic diversity indices were significantly correlated with nutrients. The pair-wise indices of average taxonomic distinctness (Δ+) and the taxonomic distinctness (Λ+) showed a clear departure from the expected taxonomic pattern. These findings suggest that this small ciliate assemblage might be used as an adequate species pool for discriminating water quality status based on taxonomic distinctness in marine ecosystems.

Identification of potential surrogates to determine functional parameters of periphytic ciliate colonization for bioassessment in coastal waters

Protozoa, and specifically ciliates, can be used as bioindicators to assess environmental impacts. We developed a feasible, time-efficient protocol to determinate the functional parameters of periphytic ciliate colonization for bioassessment. Ciliate colonization dynamics at five different taxonomic levels (species, genus, family, order, class) were studied in coastal waters of the Yellow Sea, northern China from May to June 2010. Samples were collected, using glass slides as an artificial substratum, at depths of 1 and 3m. The results showed that: (1) ciliates colonization curves had similar patterns, increasing in taxa over time (at all taxonomic levels), and the MacArthur–Wilson model provided a good fit to these data, at both depths: as taxonomic level increased (from species to class) the colonization rates (G) remained reasonably consistent, below class, and the time to reach the 90% equilibrium species number (T90%) decreased; (2) colonization dynamics showed similar temporal variations in community pattern at all five taxonomic levels; and (3) predictors of biodiversity (total number of taxa, richness, diversity, evenness) at the species level were tightly coupled (linearly) with biodiversity estimates at all higher levels, except class. These findings suggest that the high taxonomic levels, up to order, may be used as robust, time-efficient surrogates to determine the functional parameters of periphytic ciliate fauna. These observations provide guidance on improving sampling strategy for marine monitoring programs on large spatial and temporal scales.

Do early colonization patterns of periphytic ciliate fauna reveal environmental quality status in coastal waters?

The feasibility for developing a protocol to assess marine water quality based on early colonization features of periphytic ciliate fauna was studied in coastal waters of the Yellow Sea, northern China. The ciliate communities with 3-28-day ages were collected monthly at four stations with a spatial gradient of environmental stress from August 2011 to July 2012. The spatial patterns of both early (3-7 days) and mature (>10 days) communities of the ciliates represented significant differences among the four stations, and were significantly correlated with environmental variables, especially nutrients and chemical oxygen demand (COD). Seven and eight dominant species were significantly correlated with nutrients or COD within the early and mature communities, respectively. The species richness indices were strongly correlated with nutrients, especially in mature communities. These findings suggest that it is possible to assess the status of water quality using early colonization features of periphytic ciliate fauna in coastal waters.