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Direct and indirect effects in microcosm communities of protists

Direct and indirect effects in microcosm communities of protists Increased complexity in biological communities can increase the variety of interactions among species, but the relative strengths and long-term consequences of various direct and indirect interactions require further investigation. I studied interactions among four species of protists by monitoring their population dynamics when they were cultured either together or in seven different subset communities. Two protists were bacterivores ( Chilomonas and Tetrahymena ) and two were predators ( Actinosphaerium and Euplotes ). Actinosphaerium was omnivorous, and could eat both predatory Euplotes and bacterivores. Three indirect effects occurred among the four species of protists, including indirect facilitation of one predator by the other, apparent competition between bacterivores, and indirect facilitation of one bacterivore by the omnivorous predator. Community structure and invasibility depended on both direct and indirect effects; thus both can be mechanisms for assembly rules. http://www.deepdyve.com/assets/images/DeepDyve-Logo-lg.png Oecologia Springer Journals

Direct and indirect effects in microcosm communities of protists

Oecologia , Volume 93 (2) – Mar 1, 1993

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References (31)

Publisher
Springer Journals
Copyright
Copyright © 1993 by Springer-Verlag
Subject
Life Sciences; Ecology; Plant Sciences
ISSN
0029-8549
eISSN
1432-1939
DOI
10.1007/BF00317669
Publisher site
See Article on Publisher Site

Abstract

Increased complexity in biological communities can increase the variety of interactions among species, but the relative strengths and long-term consequences of various direct and indirect interactions require further investigation. I studied interactions among four species of protists by monitoring their population dynamics when they were cultured either together or in seven different subset communities. Two protists were bacterivores ( Chilomonas and Tetrahymena ) and two were predators ( Actinosphaerium and Euplotes ). Actinosphaerium was omnivorous, and could eat both predatory Euplotes and bacterivores. Three indirect effects occurred among the four species of protists, including indirect facilitation of one predator by the other, apparent competition between bacterivores, and indirect facilitation of one bacterivore by the omnivorous predator. Community structure and invasibility depended on both direct and indirect effects; thus both can be mechanisms for assembly rules.

Journal

OecologiaSpringer Journals

Published: Mar 1, 1993

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