| Planktonic ciliates were studied in 17 tropical East African lakes of different salinity and trophic status. Oligotrichs (e.g., Strombidium, Strobilidium and Halteria) and scuticociliates (e.g., Cyclidium, Pleuronema, Cristigera), dominated the ciliate communities. Conductivity and trophic status were the most important environmental variables influencing the distribution of ciliate species in East African lakes. Herbivorous oligotrichs were important in oligotrophic and mesotrophic lakes, as they are in temperate and subtropical lakes, but their importance decreased with increasing chlorophyll a concentration and conductivity. On the other hand, the importance of scuticociliates (primarily bacterivores) increased with increasing chlorophyll a and... |
