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Interstitial ciliates: benthic microaerophiles or planktonic anaerobes?
Brett H Hayward1, Rita Droste, Slava S Epstein
1Department of Biology, Northeastern University, Boston MA 02115, USA.
The Journal of Eukaryotic Microbiology
|October 18, 2003
Summary
Marine benthic ciliates Geleia sp. and Tracheloraphis sp. were found living in the water column, not just sediments. These organisms prefer anoxic conditions and adopt a planktonic lifestyle when seasonal anoxia occurs.
Area of Science:
- Marine biology
- Microbial ecology
- Protistology
Background:
- Marine benthic interstitial ciliates typically inhabit soft sediments.
- Geleia sp. and Tracheloraphis sp. are known interstitial ciliates.
- Their presence in the water column is considered uncharacteristic.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the unusual observation of benthic ciliates in the water column of a salt pond.
- To determine the distribution patterns and habitat preferences of Geleia sp. and Tracheloraphis sp.
- To challenge the traditional view of these ciliates as strictly benthic and aerobic organisms.
Main Methods:
- Observation of marine benthic interstitial ciliates in a chemically stratified salt pond.
- Quantification of planktonic populations and analysis of vertical distribution.
- Assessment of environmental conditions, including oxygen levels.
Main Results:
- Geleia sp. and Tracheloraphis sp. were found in high abundance (up to 800 and 250 cells/liter) in the water column.
- These ciliates were absent from the oxygenated epilimnion but present throughout the anoxic hypolimnion and at the oxic/anoxic interface.
- The observed distribution could not be explained by passive removal from sediments.
Conclusions:
- Geleia sp. and Tracheloraphis sp. favor anoxic environments.
- These ciliates can switch to a planktonic lifestyle in response to seasonal anoxia in the water column.
- The typical presence of these ciliates in sediments is likely due to the availability of their preferred anoxic niche.