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Ecology of Testate Amoebae in the Komořany Ponds in the Vltava Basin

  • Environmental Microbiology
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Abstract

Testate amoeba (TA) assemblages were collected in 2005 from four ponds in Komořany (Prague, Czech Republic). An analysis of seasonal taxonomic variability of TA populations and its correlation with the limnological characteristics of the area (temperature, pH, total organic carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus, heavy metals, etc.) was performed. The predominant genera were Difflugia, Arcella, and Centropyxis. The most significant changes in the TA community occurred between March and July. Arcella genus dominated in March and April; in May, Arcella and Centropyxis genera were present in the same amount; in June, Arcella genus disappeared, and Difflugia genus started to dominate the community. A multivariate redundancy analysis showed statistically significant correlations between the environmental parameters and the composition of the TA community. The results indicate a negative correlation between TA quantities and Ni, Cd, PAH, Mn, As, and Pb. TA were also affected by concentrations of NH +4 , NO −3 , and P, as well as by temperature variations. The observed correlations between the species composition and environmental parameters can be used in paleoecological interpretations of fossil TA communities. Our results also prove the suitability of TA as water quality indicators in urban areas.

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Acknowledgements

This study was supported by the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic (grant No. AV0Z50110509 and grant No. AV0Z50200510), Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports of the Czech Republic (research programs LC06063, MSM6840770012, MSM0021620855), and the Czech Science Foundation (P108/11/0794). We also wish to express many thanks to David M. Wilkinson, Radek Pelc, and reviewers for their fruitful comments on earlier version of the manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Physiology, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, v.v.i., Vídeňská 1083, 14220, Prague, Czech Republic

    Zuzana Burdíková, Martin Čapek, Zdeněk Švindrych & Lucie Kubínová

  2. Institute of Geology and Palaeontology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Albertov 6, 128 43, Prague, Czech Republic

    Zuzana Burdíková & Katarína Holcová

  3. Faculty of Biomedical Engineering, Czech Technical University in Prague, nám. Sítná 3105, 272 01, Kladno, Czech Republic

    Martin Čapek

  4. Faculty of Mathematics and Physics, Charles University, Ke Karlovu 3, Prague 2, 121 16, Czech Republic

    Zdeněk Švindrych

  5. Faculty of Sciences, J.E. Purkinje University, České mládeže 8, Ústí nad Labem, 400 96, Czech Republic

    Milan Gryndler

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  1. Zuzana Burdíková
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Correspondence to Zuzana Burdíková.

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Burdíková, Z., Čapek, M., Švindrych, Z. et al. Ecology of Testate Amoebae in the Komořany Ponds in the Vltava Basin. Microb Ecol 64, 117–130 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00248-011-0003-9

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