Abstract
Five transects of contiguous samples from the surface of a small pond and one transect from its bottom were collected in order to quantify microspatial heterogeneity in the distribution of ciliated protozoa. Examination of the frequency-abundance relations for these transects suggests that they can be approximated by negative binomial distributions with a commonk of 1.87. Contagiousness or crowding increases with population density.
Mean patch size and mean interpatch distance were measured for 4 transects as 1.5 to 2 cm and 3 to 4 cm, respectively. This heterogeneity is suggested to arise from behavioral aggregation about discrete food sources and be very ephemeral.
Blocking of adjacent contiguous samples was used to investigate the effect of sample size on the apparent correlation between the numbers of pairs of taxa. In all cases examined, taxa were relatively independent in their distribution at small sample sizes and became more negatively or positively associated as samples were combined. This may reflect that the small scale patches are essentially monospecific.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Box, G. E. P., and J. M. Jenkins: Time Series Analysis-Forecasting and Control, Rev. ed. Holden-Day, San Francisco (1976)
Cairns, J., Jr., J. A. Ruthven, and R. L. Kaesler: Distribution of protozoa in a small stream. Am. Midl. Nat.92, 406–414 (1974)
Cairns, J., Jr., and W. H. Yongue, Jr.: The distribution of protozoa on a relatively homogeneous substrate. Hydrobiologia31, 65–72 (1968)
Cassie, R. M.: Microdistribution of the plankton. Oceanogr. Mar. Biol.1, 223–252 (1963)
Hammer, W. M., and J. H. Carlton: Copepod swarms: attributes and role in coral reef ecosystems. Limnol. Oceanogr.24, 1–14(1979)
Iwao, S., and E. Kuno: An approach to the analysis of aggregation pattern in biological populations. In G. P. Patil, E. C. Pielou, and W. E. Waters (eds.): Spatial Patterns and Statistical Distributions. Pennsylvania State University Press, University Park, Pa. (1971)
Lewis, W. M., Jr.: Comparison of temporal and spatial variation in the Zooplankton of a lake by means of variance components. Ecology59, 666–671 (1978)
Lloyd, M.: “Mean crowding”. J. Anim. Ecol.36, 1–30 (1967)
Maguire, B., Jr.: The passive dispersal of small aquatic organisms and their colonization of isolated bodies of water. Ecol. Monogr.33, 161–185 (1963)
Pielou, E. C.: Mathematical Ecology. John Wiley and Sons, New York (1977)
Taylor, W. D.: Maximum growth rate, size and commònness in a community of bactivorous ciliates. Oecologia (Berl.)36, 263–272 (1978)
Taylor, W. D.: Sampling data on the bactivorous ciliates of a small pond compared to neutral models of community structure. Ecology60 (in press)
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Taylor, W.D., Berger, J. Microspatial heterogeneity in the distribution of ciliates in a small pond. Microb Ecol 6, 27–34 (1980). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02020372
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02020372