Declines in both redundant and trace species characterize the latitudinal diversity gradient in tintinnid ciliates.

ABSTRACT: The latitudinal diversity gradient is a well-known biogeographic pattern. However, rarely considered is how a cline in species richness may be reflected in the characteristics of species assemblages. Fewer species may equal fewer distinct ecological types, or declines in redundancy (species functionally similar to one another) or fewer trace species, those occurring in very low concentrations. We focused on tintinnid ciliates of the microzooplankton in which the ciliate cell is housed inside a species-specific lorica or shell. The size of lorica oral aperture, the lorica oral diameter (LOD), is correlated with a preferred prey size and maximum growth rate. Consequently, species of a distinct LOD are distinct in key ecologic characteristics, whereas those of a similar LOD are functionally s

SUBMITTER: Dolan JR 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4989310 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature