The ecology of dinoflagellates
Dinoflagellates are microscopic unicellular organisms or protists belonging to the division of Dinoflagellata (Fensome et al., 1993). They inhabit most types of aquatic environments, from lakes to open ocean, and from equatorial to arctic settings. When blooming, dinoflagellates can be responsible for “red tides”, so called because the very large number of cells in the surface water induces a color change. A few dinoflagellate species produce neurotoxins that may be bioconcentrated by filtering organisms, notably shellfishes, which then become poisonous and dangerous for the health of animals feeding on them.
Living dinoflagellates are characterized by two flagella, which permit swimming motion. Many dinoflagellates are phototrophic (i.e., undergoing photosynthesis) and form an important part of the planktonic primary production in lakes and oceans. Some dinoflagellates are heterotrophic (i.e., feeding on other organisms), and others are symbionts of...
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Vernal, A.d. (2009). Dinoflagellates. In: Gornitz, V. (eds) Encyclopedia of Paleoclimatology and Ancient Environments. Encyclopedia of Earth Sciences Series. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4020-4411-3_70
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