Parasitic taxa are key to the vertical stratification and community variation of pelagic ciliates from the surface to the abyssopelagic zone.

ABSTRACT:

Background

An increase in upper-ocean thermal stratification is being observed worldwide due to global warming. However, how ocean stratification affects the vertical profile of plankton communities remains unclear. Understanding this is crucial for assessing the broader implications of ocean stratification. Pelagic ciliates cover multiple functional groups, and thus can serve as a model for studying the vertical distribution and functional strategies of plankton in stratified oceans. We hypothesize that pelagic ciliate communities exhibit vertical stratification caused by shifts in functional strategies, from free-living groups in the photic zone to parasitic groups in deeper waters.

Results

306 samples from the surface to the abyssopelagic zone were collected from 31 stati

SUBMITTER: Wan Y 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11539804 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature