Temporal variations in taxonomic relatedness of periphytic ciliate microfauna during its colonization periods in coastal waters of the Yellow Sea, northern China

Author(s):  
Yuping Xu ◽  
Wei Zhang ◽  
Yuanyuan Liu ◽  
Alan Warren ◽  
Henglong Xu

Temporal variations in the taxonomic relatedness of periphytic ciliate microfauna during colonization periods were studied in coastal waters of the Yellow Sea, northern China, from May to June 2010. Samples were collected at two depths of 1 and 3 m, using glass slides as artificial substrates. The colonization dynamics of ciliate microfauna on the slides revealed similar patterns in species composition at both depths. In the immature communities (1–7 days), the taxonomic patterns showed high variability compared to those in the mature ones (10 days and more). However, taxonomic relatedness parameters at the two depths differed during early stages of colonization (e.g. 1–3 days). Taxonomic diversity (Δ) was subject to high variability (coefficients of variation >10%) in both immature and mature communities, whereas taxonomic distinctness (Δ*), average taxonomic distinctness (Δ+) and variation in taxonomic distinctness (Λ+) showed high stability (coefficients of variation <10%) during the colonization times of 3–21 days. These findings suggest that 3–21-day exposure times are sufficient to detect the taxonomic distinctness of periphytic ciliate microfauna at water depths of 1–3 m for the purposes of ecological research and monitoring of marine ecosystems.

Author(s):  
Mamun Abdullah Al ◽  
Yangyang Gao ◽  
Guangjian Xu ◽  
Zheng Wang ◽  
Henglong Xu ◽  
...  

Biofilm-dwelling protozoa are a primary component of microbiota and play important roles in the functioning of microbial food webs such as the mediation of carbon and energy flux from plankton to benthos in marine ecosystems. To demonstrate the vertical pattern of the protozoan communities, a 1-month baseline survey was carried out in coastal waters of the Yellow Sea, northern China. A total of 40 samples were collected using glass slides as artificial substrates at four depths: 1, 2, 3.5 and 5 m. A total of 50 species were identified, comprising seven dominant and eight commonly distributed species. Species richness and individual species abundances showed a clear decreasing trend down the water column from 1 to 5 m, although the former peaked at a depth of 2 m. Multivariate approaches revealed that protozoan community structure differed significantly among the four depths, except for those at 2 and 3.5 m. Maximum values of species richness, diversity and evenness generally decreased with depth although they peaked at either 2 or 3.5 m. These results suggest that water depth may significantly shape the community patterns of biofilm-dwelling protozoa in marine ecosystems.


Author(s):  
Zhongwen Yang ◽  
Yuping Xu ◽  
Guangjian Xu ◽  
Henglong Xu

The temporal variation in the taxonomic distinctness of biofilm-associated diatom microflora within the colonization process was studied in coastal waters of the Yellow Sea, northern China from May to June 2014. Samples were collected at depths of 1 and 3 m, using glass slides as an artificial substratum. The colonization dynamics of diatom microflora showed similar species composition at both depths. In the young communities (1–7 days), the taxonomic patterns showed high variability compared with those in the mature ones (10 days and more). However, taxonomic distinctness indices at the two depths differed during early stages (e.g. 1–3 days). The taxonomic diversity (Δ) represented a high variability (coefficients of variation >10%) over all colonization periods, whereas the taxonomic distinctness (Δ*), average taxonomic distinctness (Δ+) and variation in taxonomic distinctness (Λ+) showed high stability (coefficients of variation <10%) after 7 days. Based on these findings, we suggest that the exposure time of more than 7 days may be sufficient to identify the taxonomic distinctness of biofilm-associated diatom microflora for both community research and monitoring programmes in marine ecosystems.


2019 ◽  
Vol 70 (11) ◽  
pp. 1611 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xiaoyun Bai ◽  
Congcong Guo ◽  
Mamun Abdullah Al ◽  
Alan Warren ◽  
Henglong Xu

Multifunctional trait analysis is increasingly recognised as an effective tool for assessing ecosystem function and environmental quality. Here, a baseline study was performed at four depths (i.e. 1, 2, 3.5 and 5m) in Yellow Sea coastal waters of northern China in order to determine the optimal depth for bioassessment using biological traits of biofilm-dwelling ciliates. Community-weighted means (CWM) from functional traits system were used to summarise the trait distribution and functional diversity of ciliates among the four depths during a 1-month colonisation period. Functional trait distribution revealed a clear temporal variation among the four depths. In total, 3 of 17 functional traits (i.e. feeding type, body size and flexibility) showed significant temporal patterns. Bootstrapped averaging and permutational multivariate analysis of variance (PERMANOVA) tests demonstrated that the colonisation pattern of biofilm-dwelling ciliates as expressed by CWM at 1 and 2m differed significantly from those at 3.5 and 5m. Functional diversity indices showed lower variability at 1 and 2m than at 3.5 and 5m. These results suggest that 1 and 2m are the preferred sampling depths for bioassessment of marine water quality using biological traits of biofilm-dwelling ciliates.


2018 ◽  
Vol 63 ◽  
pp. 34-43 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mamun Abdullah Al ◽  
Yangyang Gao ◽  
Guangjian Xu ◽  
Zheng Wang ◽  
Alan Warren ◽  
...  

Author(s):  
Wei Zhang ◽  
Henglong Xu

Ciliates are a primary component of the periphyton microfauna and play a crucial role in the functioning of microbial food webs. Seasonal variation in community structures of periphytic ciliate communities was studied, using glass slides as an artificial substratum, during a 1-year cycle (August 2011–July 2012) in coastal waters of the Yellow Sea, northern China. Samples were collected monthly at a depth of 1 m from four sampling stations. A total of 144 ciliate species representing 78 genera, 43 families, 17 orders and eight classes were recorded. Among these species, 31 distributed in all four seasons, while 11, 11, 13 and two forms occurred only in spring, summer, autumn and winter season, respectively. The species number and total abundance peaked in spring and autumn, with minimum values in winter. Ciliate community structures differed significantly between seasons, and were significantly correlated with the changes in environmental variables, especially temperature, pH, dissolved oxygen (DO) and the nutrients. Of 36 dominant species (top 15 ranked contributors in each season), nine (e.g. Pseudovorticella paracratera, Trochilia minuta and Zoothamnium sp.) were significantly correlated with pH, DO or nutrients. Species richness, evenness and diversity measures were significantly correlated with temperature, pH, DO or soluble reactive phosphates. Results demonstrated that periphytic ciliates exhibited a clear seasonal variation in community structures in response to environmental conditions and potentially might be used as a robust bioindicator for assessing environmental quality status in coastal waters.


2021 ◽  
Vol 168 ◽  
pp. 112367
Author(s):  
Mohammad Shafiqur Rahman ◽  
Syed Shabi Ul Hassan Kazmi ◽  
Uroosa ◽  
Henglong Xu

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