Ref ID : 952
J. Daniel Lousier and Dennis Parkinson; The disappearance of the empty tests of litter- and soil-testate amoebae (Testacea, Rhizopoda, Protozoa). Arch.Protistenk 124:312-336, 1981
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The disappearance of empty tests of litter and soil Testacea was investigated in experimental cultures set up with temperature, soil moisture and biological activity controlled. The disappearance of empty tests under experimental conditions was much faster than previously thought: 74-97% loss after one week and 89-98% loss after two weeks for the species with platelet tests under the most optimal set of environmental conditions, and 42-68% loss after one week and 47-83% loss after two weeks for those species with sediment particle tests. Temperature appeared to not affect significantly the number of tests disappearing over time. Higher moisture contents and biological activity stimulated the disappearance of greater numbers of tests. Two patterns of test disappearance were apparent: a linear pattern characteristic of species whose test were composed of sediment particles, and an experimental decrease pattern characteristic of species whose test were made of platelets.