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Updated: Jan 23, 2026

Streamlined Sampling and Cultivation of the Pelagic Cosmopolitan Larvacean, Oikopleura dioica
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Cosmopolitan Metapopulations?

Tom Fenchel1, Bland J Finlay2, Genoveva F Esteban3

  • 1Marine Biological Laboratory, University of Copenhagen, Strandpromenaden 5, DK-3000 Helsingør, Denmark.

Protist
|June 11, 2019
PubMed
Summary
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Microbial eukaryotes, unlike larger organisms, may form widespread, cosmopolitan metapopulations. This review examines protist species distribution and biogeography over the last 15 years.

Area of Science:

  • Microbial Ecology
  • Biogeography
  • Protistology

Background:

  • Metapopulations connect spatially separated populations of the same species.
  • Macroscopic organisms typically exhibit restricted metapopulation distributions.
  • Microbial eukaryotes, due to their vast numbers, may defy this pattern.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To revisit the seminal 2004 paper on protist metapopulations.
  • To evaluate advancements in understanding protist species distribution over 15 years.
  • To assess the cosmopolitan nature of microbial eukaryote populations.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review and synthesis.
  • Analysis of protist biogeographical studies.
  • Re-evaluation of the metapopulation concept in microbial eukaryotes.
Keywords:
Protist biogeographycosmopolitan distributionintraspecific genotypic polymorphism.

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Microbial Communities in Nature and Laboratory - Interview
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Last Updated: Jan 23, 2026

Streamlined Sampling and Cultivation of the Pelagic Cosmopolitan Larvacean, Oikopleura dioica
11:55

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Published on: June 16, 2020

9.5K
Microbial Communities in Nature and Laboratory - Interview
29:13

Microbial Communities in Nature and Laboratory - Interview

Published on: May 28, 2007

6.8K

Main Results:

  • Protist species distribution challenges traditional metapopulation models.
  • Evidence suggests a cosmopolitan distribution for many microbial eukaryotes.
  • The concept of single, widespread protist populations is supported.

Conclusions:

  • Microbial eukaryotes exhibit unique biogeographical patterns.
  • The vast abundance and dispersal of protists lead to cosmopolitan metapopulations.
  • Further research is needed to fully understand microbial eukaryote distribution.