Preprints
https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-2022-151
https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-2022-151
12 Aug 2022
 | 12 Aug 2022
Status: this preprint was under review for the journal BG but the revision was not accepted.

Diel variations in planktonic ciliate community structure in the northern South China Sea and tropical Western Pacific

Chaofeng Wang, Yi Dong, Michel Denis, Li Zhao, Haibo Li, Shan Zheng, Wuchang Zhang, and Tian Xiao

Abstract. Though diel variations are geographically widespread phenomena among phytoplankton and zooplankton, knowledge is limited regarding diel variations in planktonic ciliate (microzooplankton) community structure. In this study, we analyzed diel variations in community structure of planktonic ciliates in the northern South China Sea (nSCS) and tropical Western Pacific (tWP). Hydrological characteristics during day and night were slightly different over both the nSCS and tWP, while ciliate average abundance in night was clearly higher than in day in the upper 200 m. The differences in weighted mean depth (WMD) for aloricate ciliates and tintinnids revealed that they preformed diel vertical migrations. In the nSCS, the WMDs of both aloricate ciliates and tintinnids were higher in day than in night. However, in the tWP, the WMDs of aloricate ciliates were higher in day than in night, whereas it was the opposite for tintinnids whose WMDs were lower in day than in night, indicating that they were in phase opposition with aloricate ciliates. In both the nSCS and tWP, abundance proportions of large size-fraction aloricate ciliates in night were higher than in day. While for tintinnids, abundance proportion of large lorica oral diameter in night were lower than in day. The relationship between environmental factors and ciliate abundance pointed out that depth and temperature were main factors influencing aloricate ciliate and tintinnid abundances in both day and night. For some dominant tintinnid species, chlorophyll a was another important factor influencing diel vertical distribution. Our results provide fundamental data for better understanding the diel vertical migration ecological role of planktonic ciliates in the tropical Western Pacific Ocean.

Chaofeng Wang, Yi Dong, Michel Denis, Li Zhao, Haibo Li, Shan Zheng, Wuchang Zhang, and Tian Xiao

Status: closed

Comment types: AC – author | RC – referee | CC – community | EC – editor | CEC – chief editor | : Report abuse
  • RC1: 'Comment on bg-2022-151', Anonymous Referee #1, 30 Aug 2022
    • AC2: 'Reply on RC1', Wuchang Zhang, 21 Sep 2022
  • RC2: 'Comment on bg-2022-151', Anonymous Referee #2, 13 Sep 2022
    • AC3: 'Reply on RC2', Wuchang Zhang, 21 Sep 2022
  • AC1: 'Comment on bg-2022-151', Wuchang Zhang, 21 Sep 2022
    • AC4: 'Reply on AC1', Wuchang Zhang, 21 Sep 2022

Status: closed

Comment types: AC – author | RC – referee | CC – community | EC – editor | CEC – chief editor | : Report abuse
  • RC1: 'Comment on bg-2022-151', Anonymous Referee #1, 30 Aug 2022
    • AC2: 'Reply on RC1', Wuchang Zhang, 21 Sep 2022
  • RC2: 'Comment on bg-2022-151', Anonymous Referee #2, 13 Sep 2022
    • AC3: 'Reply on RC2', Wuchang Zhang, 21 Sep 2022
  • AC1: 'Comment on bg-2022-151', Wuchang Zhang, 21 Sep 2022
    • AC4: 'Reply on AC1', Wuchang Zhang, 21 Sep 2022
Chaofeng Wang, Yi Dong, Michel Denis, Li Zhao, Haibo Li, Shan Zheng, Wuchang Zhang, and Tian Xiao
Chaofeng Wang, Yi Dong, Michel Denis, Li Zhao, Haibo Li, Shan Zheng, Wuchang Zhang, and Tian Xiao

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Short summary
The present study reported on diel variations of planktonic ciliate community structure in the nSCS and tWP, and ciliate do preformed diel vertical migrations. In both the nSCS and tWP, abundance proportions of large size-fraction aloricate ciliates in night were higher than in day. While for tintinnids, abundance proportion of large lorica oral diameter in night were lower than in day.
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