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The relative importance of different ciliate taxa in the pelagic food web of lake constance

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Abstract

Abundance, biovolume, and species composition of pelagic ciliates in Lake Constance were recorded over two annual cycles (1987/88). Production was estimated from mean annual biovolumes and size-specific growth rates obtained from the literature. Cell concentrations and biovolumes ranged from 0.1 to 120 cells ml−1 and from 3 to 1,200 mm3 m−3, respectively. Mean annual values were, respectively, 6.8 cells ml−1 and 94 mm3 m−3 in 1987, and 12.0 cells ml−1 and 130 mm3 m−3 in 1988. In both years, prostome nanociliates (<20μm) dominated numerically, while strobiliids in the size range 20–35μm contributed most significantly to ciliate production. Ciliate community production, according to a crude calculation, yielded approximately 10–15 g C m−2 year−1.

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  1. Limnological Institute, University of Konstanz, P.O. Box 5560, D-7750, Konstanz, Federal Republic of Germany

    Helga Müller

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Müller, H. The relative importance of different ciliate taxa in the pelagic food web of lake constance. Microb Ecol 18, 261–273 (1989). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02075813

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