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Protistan epibionts affect prey selectivity patterns and vulnerability to predation in a cyclopoid copepod
Ram Kumar1, Suman Kumari2, Anshu Malika3
1Department of Environmental Science, Central University of South Bihar, Gaya, Bihar, 824326, India. ramkumar@cub.ac.in.
Scientific Reports
|December 31, 2022
Summary
Ciliate epibionts commonly colonize zooplankton, with Mesocyclops copepods showing higher susceptibility. Epibiont presence significantly reduces predator attack success, impacting aquatic food webs.
Area of Science:
- Aquatic Ecology
- Microbial Ecology
- Zooplankton Biology
Background:
- Ciliate epibionts frequently colonize crustacean zooplankton in aquatic ecosystems.
- The ecological dynamics of these epibiont-host associations remain underexplored.
- This study investigates ciliate epibiont occurrence on copepods, focusing on Mesocyclops species.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the prevalence and host specificity of ciliate epibionts on different zooplankton species.
- To assess the impact of epibionts on the predation behavior of Mesocyclops copepods.
- To investigate the influence of environmental factors and host life stage on epibiont colonization.
Main Methods:
- Field sampling from winter to spring to identify epibiont-host interactions.
- Microscopic analysis of epibiont load relative to host surface area and life stage.
- Laboratory experiments observing predation events by infested and uninfested copepods.
Main Results:
- Copepodites and nauplii of Mesocyclops exhibited the highest epibiont infestation per unit body surface area.
- Epibiont type varied seasonally, with autotrophs in winter and heterotrophic ciliates in spring.
- Infested copepods showed a significantly lower probability of prey attack compared to uninfested individuals.
Conclusions:
- Epibiont colonization varies with host species, life stage, and environmental conditions.
- Epibionts can significantly alter host predation success, with implications for aquatic food web dynamics.
- Further research is needed to understand the long-term ecological consequences of epibiont-copepod associations.
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