Qibin Xu

Animal Science Research Center, Cuixi Academy of Biotechnology, Zhuji, 311800, Zhejiang, China
Author    Correspondence author
International Journal of Marine Science, 2024, Vol. 14, No. 3   doi: 10.5376/ijms.2024.14.0022
Received: 05 May, 2024    Accepted: 12 Jun., 2024    Published: 30 Jun., 2024

This is an open access article published under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Xu Q.B., 2024, Morphological classification, species diversity, and ecological functions of ciliate communities, International Journal of Marine Science, 14(3): 172-181 (doi: 10.5376/ijms.2024.14.0022)

Ciliate communities are crucial in ecosystems, and studying their diversity and ecological functions is essential for understanding microbial community structures and functions, as well as for environmental monitoring and ecological conservation. This study reviews the morphological classification, species diversity, and ecological functions of ciliate communities. By analyzing ciliate morphological characteristics, classification standards, and methods, this study explores species richness and distribution patterns, using genetic and molecular biology techniques to identify ciliate species and investigate their biogeographical patterns. Ciliates play significant ecological roles in nutrient cycling, energy flow, and interactions with other microorganisms and higher trophic levels. Case studies of ciliate communities in freshwater, marine, and soil environments illustrate their specific manifestations and provide recommendations for future research. This study aims to offer a systematic review of ciliate diversity and ecological functions, providing scientific basis for ecosystem management and conservation.

Ciliate communities; Morphological classification; Species diversity; Ecological functions; Molecular tools