Systematics and species-specific response to pH of Oxytricha acidotolerans sp. nov. and Urosomoida sp. (Ciliophora, Hypotricha) from acid mining lakes

Publikation: Beitrag in FachzeitschriftForschungsartikelBeigetragenBegutachtung

Beitragende

  • Thomas Weisse - , Österreichische Akademie der Wissenschaften (Autor:in)
  • Michael Moser - , Österreichische Akademie der Wissenschaften (Autor:in)
  • Ulrike Scheffel - , Österreichische Akademie der Wissenschaften (Autor:in)
  • Peter Stadler - , Österreichische Akademie der Wissenschaften (Autor:in)
  • Thomas Berendonk - , Professur für Limnologie (Gewässerökologie) (Autor:in)
  • Guntram Weithoff - , Universität Potsdam (Autor:in)
  • Helmut Berger - , Technisches Büro für Ökologie (Autor:in)

Abstract

We investigated the morphology, phylogeny of the 18S rDNA, and pH response of Oxytricha acidotolerans sp. nov. and Urosomoida sp. (Ciliophora, Hypotricha) isolated from two chemically similar acid mining lakes (pH. ∼. 2.6) located at Langau, Austria, and in Lusatia, Germany. Oxytricha acidotolerans sp. nov. from Langau has 18 frontal-ventral-transverse cirri but a very indistinct kinety 3 fragmentation so that the assignment to Oxytricha is uncertain. The somewhat smaller species from Lusatia has a highly variable cirral pattern and the dorsal kineties arranged in the Urosomoida pattern and is, therefore, preliminary designated as Urosomoida sp. The pH response was measured as ciliate growth rates in laboratory experiments at pH ranging from 2.5 to 7.0. Our hypothesis was that the shape of the pH reaction norm would not differ between these closely related (3% difference in their SSU rDNA) species. Results revealed a broad pH niche for O. acidotolerans, with growth rates peaking at moderately acidic conditions (pH 5.2). Cyst formation was positively and linearly related to pH. Urosomoida sp. was more sensitive to pH and did not survive at circumneutral pH. Accordingly, we reject our hypothesis that similar habitats would harbour ciliate species with virtually identical pH reaction norm.

Details

OriginalspracheEnglisch
Seiten (von - bis)255-271
Seitenumfang17
FachzeitschriftEuropean journal of protistology
Jahrgang49
Ausgabenummer2
PublikationsstatusVeröffentlicht - Mai 2013
Peer-Review-StatusJa

Externe IDs

PubMed 23021638
ORCID /0000-0002-9301-1803/work/161409780

Schlagworte

ASJC Scopus Sachgebiete

Schlagwörter

  • Acid mining lakes, Growth rates, Oxytricha, PH response, SSU rDNA, Urosomoida