Research Institute for Limnology, University of Innsbruck, Herzog Odilostrasse 101, Mondsee, 5310, Austria.
J Eukaryot Microbiol. 2013 Nov-Dec;60(6):578-87. doi: 10.1111/jeu.12063. Epub 2013 Jul 19.
We investigated the ecology and life strategy of Glaucomides bromelicola (family Bromeliophryidae), a very common ciliate in the reservoirs (tanks) of bromeliads, assessing its response to food quality and quantity and pH. Further, we conducted competition experiments with the frequently coexisting species Bromeliothrix metopoides (family Colpodidae). In contrast to B. metopoides and many other colpodean ciliates, G. bromelicola does not form resting cysts, which jeopardizes this ciliate when its small aquatic habitats dry out. Both species form bactivorous microstomes and flagellate-feeding macrostomes. However, only G. bromelicola has a low feeding threshold and is able to adapt to different protist food. The higher affinity to the local bacterial and flagellate food renders it the superior competitor relative to B. metopoides. Continuous encystment and excystment of the latter may enable stable coexistence of both species in their natural habitat. Both are tolerant to a wide range of pH (4-9). These ciliates appear to be limited to tank bromeliads because they either lack resting cysts and vectors for long distance dispersal (G. bromelicola) and/or have highly specific food requirements (primarily B. metopoides).
我们研究了 Glaucomides bromelicola（Bromeliophryidae 科）的生态学和生活策略，这种纤毛虫在凤梨科植物的贮水器（水槽）中非常常见，评估了其对食物质量和数量以及 pH 值的反应。此外，我们还与经常共存的物种 Bromeliothrix metopoides（Colpodidae 科）进行了竞争实验。与 B. metopoides 和许多其他科尔帕德纤毛虫不同，G. bromelicola 不会形成休眠孢囊，这使其在小型水生栖息地干涸时面临风险。这两个物种都形成了吞噬性的微口和鞭毛喂养的大口。然而，只有 G. bromelicola 具有较低的摄食阈值，并且能够适应不同的原生动物食物。对当地细菌和鞭毛食物的较高亲和力使它相对于 B. metopoides 成为更具竞争力的竞争者。后者的连续休眠和出芽可能使这两个物种在其自然栖息地中稳定共存。两者都能耐受广泛的 pH 值（4-9）。这些纤毛虫似乎仅限于水槽凤梨科植物，因为它们要么缺乏休眠孢囊和远距离传播的载体（G. bromelicola），要么具有高度特定的食物需求（主要是 B. metopoides）。
