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The World of Protozoa, Rotifera, Nematoda and Oligochaeta

Ref ID : 6986

Barry F. Sherr, Evelyn B. Sherr, and Thomas Berman; Decomposition of organic detritus: A selective role for microflagellate Protozoa. Limnol.Oceanogr. 27(4):765-769, 1982

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The decomposition of Peridinium cells was accelerated in the presence of bacterivorous microflagellates. The microflagellates enhanced the bacterial breakdown of the polysaccharide cell wall (theca) but did not increase the rate of degradation of the cell protoplasm. Hydrolytic bacteria which preferentially attacked the theca were stimulated by protozoan grazing and by the addition of inorganic phosphorus. An important role of microprotozoa in aquatic ecosystems may therefore to selectively facilitate the breakdown of detritus with a high structural carbohydorate/flow mineral content.