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Status and Future Needs in Protozoan Ecology

  • Conference paper
Protozoa and Their Role in Marine Processes

Part of the book series: NATO ASI Series ((ASIG,volume 25))

Abstract

Those of us who have been developing the concept of a marine microbial food web have believed for many years that Protozoa are major movers of energy and nutrients. Indeed, Vernadskii (1926) repeatedly referred to the special significance of microorganisms, including specific references to Protozoa as movers of materials on a global, biogeochemical scale. However, until recently this remained more a matter of opinion than established fact. The conferees brought together an impressive body of facts regarding both the magnitude and the diversity of protozoan activity. That protozoa are a dominant force in the ocean’s metabolism is no longer in doubt. A comprehensive understanding of protozoan metabolism in the ocean is a prerequisite to a full understanding of and to quantitatively model cycles of carbon and other biologically essential elements on a global scale. During this conference we defined the limits of our knowledge of protozoan ecology and highlighted a number of pressing needs, both for basic understanding of the biosphere and its function and for answering questions of immediate practical importance.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Zoology and Institute of Ecology, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, 30602, USA

    Lawrence R. Pomeroy

Authors
  1. Lawrence R. Pomeroy
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Plymouth Marine Laboratory, Citadel Hill, Plymouth, Devon, PL1 2PB, UK

    P. C. Reid  & C. M. Turley  & 

  2. Plymouth Marine Laboratory, Prospect Place, West Hoe, Plymouth, Devon, PL1 3DH, UK

    P. H. Burkill

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© 1991 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg

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Pomeroy, L.R. (1991). Status and Future Needs in Protozoan Ecology. In: Reid, P.C., Turley, C.M., Burkill, P.H. (eds) Protozoa and Their Role in Marine Processes. NATO ASI Series, vol 25. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-73181-5_27

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-73181-5_27

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-642-73183-9

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-642-73181-5

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

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