Selective feeding behaviour of free-living protists: views on and avenues for continued study

David Montagnes, Anna Barbosa, Jens Boenigk, Keith Davidson, Klaus Jürgens, Miroslav Macek, Jackie Parry, Emily Roberts, Karel Simek

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

145 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Phagotrophic protists are diverse and abundant in aquatic and terrestrial environments, making them fundamental to the transfer of matter/energy within their respective food webs. Recognising their grazing impact is essential to evaluate the role of protists in ecosystems, and this includes appreciating prey selectivity. Efforts have been made by groups and individuals to understand selective grazing behaviour by protists: many approaches and perspectives have been pursued, not all of which are compatible. This article, which is not a review, is the product of our discourse on this subject at the SAME 10 meeting. It is the work of individuals, assembled for their breadth of backgrounds, approaches, views, and expertise. Firstly, to communicate ideas and approaches, we develop a framework for selective feeding processes and suggest 6 steps: searching, contact, capture, processing, ingestion, digestion. We then separate study approaches into 2 categories: (1) those examining whole organisms at the community, population, and individual levels, and (2) those examining physiology and molecular attributes. Finally, we explore general problems associated with the field of protistan selective feeding (e.g. linking food selection into food webs and modeling). We do not present all views on any one topic, nor do we cover all topics; instead, we offer opinions and suggest avenues for continued study. Overall, this paper should stimulate further discourse on the subject and provide a roadmap for the future.
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)83-98
Number of pages16
JournalAquatic Microbial Ecology
Volume53
Issue number3
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2008

Keywords

  • HETEROTROPHIC NANOFLAGELLATE
  • MICROBIAL FOOD WEBS
  • MARINE PHAGOTROPHIC PROTOZOA
  • Marine & Freshwater Biology
  • CILIATE FAVELLA SP
  • HARTMANNELLA-VERMIFORMIS
  • PREDATOR-PREY INTERACTIONS
  • OXYRRHIS-MARINA
  • PLANKTONIC PROTISTS
  • SIZE SELECTION
  • Ecology
  • Microbiology
  • AMINO-ACIDS

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