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Dry to wet weight biomass conversion constant for Tetrahymena elliotti (Ciliophora, Protozoa)

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Summary

The wet and dry weights of both axenic and monoxenic cultures of the ciliate Tetrahymena were determined directly. These estimates are dependent upon the method of volume determination. Assuming a prolate spheroidal shape for the ciliate, we calculate a mean wet weight of 0.4157±0.0713 pg μm-3 and a mean dry weight of 0.2793±0.0652 pg μm-3. Using electronic cell sizing, our estimates are 0.7869±0.1659 pg μm-3 and 0.5239±0.1101 pg μm-3, respectively. Independent of the method of volume determination, we estimate a mean biomass conversion ratio (dry weight/wet weight) of 0.59±0.08.

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Author notes

  1. Andrew Rogerson

    Present address: Atlantic Research Laboratory, National Research Council of Canada, 1411 Oxford Street, B3H 3Z1, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Zoology, University of Toronto, 25 Harbord Street, M5S 1A1, Toronto, Ontario, Canada

    Michael A. Gates, Andrew Rogerson & Jacques Berger

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  1. Michael A. Gates
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  2. Andrew Rogerson
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  3. Jacques Berger
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Gates, M.A., Rogerson, A. & Berger, J. Dry to wet weight biomass conversion constant for Tetrahymena elliotti (Ciliophora, Protozoa). Oecologia 55, 145–148 (1982). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00384479

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00384479

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