A seasonal study of the carbon content of planktonic naked amoebae in the Hudson Estuary and in a productive freshwater pond with comparative data for ciliates.

The total carbon contents of gymnamoebae and ciliates, dwelling in the water column of the Hudson Estuary and a highly productive freshwater pond, were monitored during a 7-month period from April through October 2006. The carbon contents of the gymnamoebae and the ciliates were greater in the pond compared with the estuary, and carbon contents of gymnamoebae were greater in the spring and autumn in both locations than those of ciliates. Given the global distribution of gymnamoebae, these results suggest that greater attention should be given to the potential role of gymnamoebae in microbial food webs.