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The World of Protozoa, Rotifera, Nematoda and Oligochaeta

Ref ID : 6800

Mary Putt and Diane K. Stoecker; An experimentally determined carbon:volume ratio for marine "oligotrichous" ciliates from estuarine and coastal waters. Limnol.Oceanogr. 34(6):1097-1103, 1989

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The biomass of marine "oligotrichous" ciliates has often been estimated by measuring the cell volume of preserved samples and converting to units of carbon based on theoretical carbon:volume (C:vol) ratios of 0.07-0.11 pg µm-3. Using laboratory cultures of several strains of Laboea strobila, Strombidium spp., and Strobilidium spiralis, we experimentally derived a C:vol conversion factor of 0.19 pg µm-3 for cells preserved with 2% vol:vol Lugol's iodine. Cell volume estimates of Lugol's-preserved cells averaged 76% of cell volume estimates of Formalin-preserved cells. Hence a C:vol ratio of 0.14 pg µm-3 applies to Formalin-preserved cells. Our study indicates that the biomass of oligotrichous ciliates in marine systems has been significantly underestimated by the use of inappropriate C:vol ratios.