Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

Diversity of Protists I01:15

Diversity of Protists I

Excavata is a diverse group of protists that includes both chemoorganotrophic and phototrophic species, with some thriving in anaerobic environments. Among the key groups within Excavata are diplomonads and parabasalids, which are flagellated protists that lack mitochondria and chloroplasts. These microorganisms typically inhabit anoxic environments, such as the intestines of animals, where they exist either symbiotically or as parasites, relying on fermentation for energy production. Some...
Diversity of Protists IV01:27

Diversity of Protists IV

Amoebozoa represent a diverse group of terrestrial and aquatic protists that utilize lobe-shaped pseudopodia for locomotion and feeding. This characteristic differentiates them from the Rhizaria, which possess threadlike pseudopodia. The primary classifications within Amoebozoa include gymnamoebas, entamoebas, and the plasmodial and cellular slime molds. Phylogenetic evidence indicates that Amoebozoa diverged from a lineage that ultimately gave rise to fungi and animals.Gymnamoebas and...
Diversity of Protists III01:27

Diversity of Protists III

Rhizaria are a diverse group of unicellular protists characterized by their threadlike cytoplasmic extensions known as pseudopodia. These structures aid in both locomotion and feeding, giving Rhizaria an amoeboid appearance. Their amoeboid morphology once led to taxonomic confusion, but molecular phylogenetics has clarified their evolutionary placement and emphasized their shared use of pseudopodia despite divergent lineages.This clade comprises diverse lineages such as Chlorarachniophyta,...
Diversity of Protists II01:27

Diversity of Protists II

Alveolates are a group of organisms recognized by the presence of alveoli, which are cytoplasmic sacs located beneath the cell membrane. While their function remains uncertain, alveoli may help regulate water balance by controlling how much water enters and leaves the cell. In dinoflagellates, these structures may serve as armor plates. There are three major types of alveolates: ciliates, which move using cilia; dinoflagellates, which use flagella for movement; and apicomplexans, which are...
Overview of Protists01:27

Overview of Protists

Protists are diverse eukaryotic microorganisms that lack the specialized tissues of plants and animals and the chitinous cell walls of fungi. Their early divergence within Eukarya resulted in structural, functional, and ecological diversity. They are classified into supergroups such as Archaeplastida, Excavata, Amoebozoa, Rhizaria, Alveolata, and Stramenopiles, determined through genetic analysis and structural similarities.Structural and Functional AdaptationsProtists have various adaptations...
Marine Microbial Ecology01:30

Marine Microbial Ecology

Marine microbial ecosystems are shaped by distinct physicochemical limits, including high salinity, low nutrient availability, and fluctuating oxygen levels. These conditions favor smaller microbial cell sizes, which maximize their surface-to-volume ratio for efficient nutrient uptake.Microbial activity and community composition are closely linked to biogeochemical cycles, particularly in dynamic environments like estuaries, where halotolerant microbes thrive in response to variable salinity...

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Interannual variation in freshwater and marine phycotoxins quantified from oysters cultured across diverse coastal sites.

Aquaculture reports·2026
Same author

Microbial community dynamics over large spatial and environmental gradients in a subtropical ocean basin.

Applied and environmental microbiology·2026
Same author

Characterizing seasonal persistence of low levels of Pseudo-nitzschia australis in the Gulf of Maine with environmental DNA.

Harmful algae·2026
Same author

Experimental and field comparisons of two common methods for measuring microzooplankton grazing rates.

Frontiers in microbiology·2025
Same author

Nitrogen and phosphorus differentially control marine biomass production and stoichiometry.

Nature communications·2025
Same author

Contemporary eDNA methods complement conventional microscopy in zooplankton diet studies: Case study with American lobster postlarvae.

PloS one·2025

Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 23, 2026

Establishment of Microbial Eukaryotic Enrichment Cultures from a Chemically Stratified Antarctic Lake and Assessment of Carbon Fixation Potential
14:38

Establishment of Microbial Eukaryotic Enrichment Cultures from a Chemically Stratified Antarctic Lake and Assessment of Carbon Fixation Potential

Published on: April 20, 2012

Marine protistan diversity.

David A Caron1, Peter D Countway, Adriane C Jones

  • 1Department of Biological Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California 90089-0371, USA. dcaron@usc.edu

Annual Review of Marine Science
|March 31, 2012
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Marine protists are diverse single-celled eukaryotes crucial for aquatic ecosystems. Genetic advancements reveal their vast diversity and ecological roles, aiding in predicting environmental change impacts.

More Related Videos

An Aquatic Microbial Metaproteomics Workflow: From Cells to Tryptic Peptides Suitable for Tandem Mass Spectrometry-based Analysis
08:09

An Aquatic Microbial Metaproteomics Workflow: From Cells to Tryptic Peptides Suitable for Tandem Mass Spectrometry-based Analysis

Published on: September 15, 2015

Unraveling the Unseen Players in the Ocean - A Field Guide to Water Chemistry and Marine Microbiology
10:43

Unraveling the Unseen Players in the Ocean - A Field Guide to Water Chemistry and Marine Microbiology

Published on: November 5, 2014

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: May 23, 2026

Establishment of Microbial Eukaryotic Enrichment Cultures from a Chemically Stratified Antarctic Lake and Assessment of Carbon Fixation Potential
14:38

Establishment of Microbial Eukaryotic Enrichment Cultures from a Chemically Stratified Antarctic Lake and Assessment of Carbon Fixation Potential

Published on: April 20, 2012

An Aquatic Microbial Metaproteomics Workflow: From Cells to Tryptic Peptides Suitable for Tandem Mass Spectrometry-based Analysis
08:09

An Aquatic Microbial Metaproteomics Workflow: From Cells to Tryptic Peptides Suitable for Tandem Mass Spectrometry-based Analysis

Published on: September 15, 2015

Unraveling the Unseen Players in the Ocean - A Field Guide to Water Chemistry and Marine Microbiology
10:43

Unraveling the Unseen Players in the Ocean - A Field Guide to Water Chemistry and Marine Microbiology

Published on: November 5, 2014

Area of Science:

  • Microbiology
  • Eukaryotic Biology
  • Marine Ecology

Background:

  • Protists, single-celled eukaryotes, have been studied for centuries.
  • They exhibit vast diversity in size, form, and function, contributing significantly to Eukarya's genetic diversity.
  • Marine protists are vital primary producers, consumers, decomposers, and trophic links in aquatic food webs.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To highlight the evolutionary relationships among major protist clades.
  • To emphasize the impact of genetic approaches in understanding protist diversity.
  • To explore how protistan diversity influences ecosystem function and informs predictive modeling.

Main Methods:

  • Utilizing genetic approaches to uncover protist diversity, including cryptic species and new clades.
  • Employing new genetic tools for species identification and biogeographical studies.
  • Analyzing species richness and community composition to understand ecosystem function.

Main Results:

  • Genetic methods have revealed a greater diversity of protists than previously known.
  • Evolutionary relationships among major protist clades are becoming clearer.
  • Studies demonstrate the link between protistan diversity and ecosystem functioning.

Conclusions:

  • Genetic research has significantly advanced our understanding of protist diversity and evolution.
  • Protistan diversity is key to ecosystem function and resilience.
  • This knowledge is essential for developing models to predict microbial community responses to environmental changes.