Abstract 19 How to cite the abstract: Berger H., Foissner W., Schaumburg J. (1999): Taxonomy of plankton ciliates: a neglected field. - The Journal of Eukaryotic Microbiology, Supplement 46: 10A, Abstract 79. Taxonomy of Plankton Ciliates: a Neglected field. HELMUT BERGER*, WILHELM FOISSNER** and J. SCHAUMBURG***, *Technisches Büro für Ökologie, Radetzkystrasse 10, A-5020 Salzburg, Austria; ** Universität Salzburg, Institut für Zoologie, Hellbrunnerstrasse 34, A-5020 Salzburg, Austria ; *** Bayerisches Landesamt für Wasserwirtschaft, Postfach 190241, D-80602 München, Germany. Ecology of planktonic protozoa has attained a high standard in terms of methods and interpretation of data. Even minor details are investigated with sophisticated techniques and at considerable expense. If, however, one looks at the identification of the organisms involved, the standard is often poorer than it was 50 years ago. It seems many ecologists forget that they are dealing with organisms. This deficiency seriously limits the usefulness of the data of, for example, grazing experiments or the analysis of community dynamics. Reliable results on these subjects largely depend on correct species identifications and very complete species inventories. You can hardly speak, as usual at protozoological meetings and in many papers, of "community structure" and "seasonal succession" if only 20% of the species seen were identified to species level! Imagine a meeting of botanists dealing with the community structure and the seasonal succession of plant assemblages. What would happen if, as is usual at meetings of protozoan plankton ecologists, you were to speak of red flowers, blue flowers (e.g., oligotrichs), high trees and small trees ("protists larger or smaller than 20 µm") and of the changes in the numbers of red and blue flowers during season? Thus, we are presently preparing a thorough guide to about 100 common euplanktonic freshwater ciliates. The book is organized like our "Blue Ciliate Atlas", and will be available in spring of 1999. Supported by the Bayerische Landesamt für Wasserwirtschaft, Munich, and the Oesterreichischen Fonds zur Foerderung der wissenschaftlichen Forschung (Projekt PO 8924-Bio). Links Homepage www.protozoology.com Publication list of Helmut Berger Publisher Helmut Berger Main publication to this topic Species described and keywords: Actinobolina radians, smalli, vorax, wenrichii, Belonophrya pelagica, Mesodinium acarus, pulex, Askenasia acrostomia, chlorelligera, volvox, Rhabdoaskenasia minima, Liliimorpha viridis, Didinium chlorelligerum, nasutum, Monodinium alveolatum, balbiani balbiani, breviproboscis, rostratum, chlorelligerum, perrieri, Cyclidium viride, Pelagovasicola cinctum, Paradileptus elephantinus, Pelagodileptus, trachelioides, Teuthophrys trisulca, africana, Balantidion pellucidum, Lagynophrya acuminata, Lepidotrachelophyllum lineare, Pelagolacrymaria moserae, Coleps hirtus, viridis, spetai, elongatus, nolandi, Urotricha, apsheronica, pelagica, valida, venatrix, simonsbergeri, castalia, matthesi, tristicha, furcata, pseudofurcata, agailis, farcta, globosa, platystoma, Balanion planctonicum, Longitricha puytoraci, Bursellopsis spumosa, pelagica, nigricans, mobilis, truncata, Pelagothrix, chlorelligera, plancticola, Disematostoma, buetschlii, tetraedricum, Frontonia leucas, Histiobalantium bodamicum, Marituja pelagica, Stokesia vernalis, Peritrichia, Peritrichida, peritrichids, Peritricha, Astylozoon fallax, faurei, Hastatella radians, Opisthonecta henneguyi, Trichodina pediculus, Pelagovorticella mayeri, natans, Vorticella aquadulcis, chlorellata, vernalis, Pseudohaplocaulus infravacuolatus, Epicarchesium pectinatum, Epistylis anastatica, digitalis, procumbens, pygmaeum, Ophrydium eutrophicaum, versatile, naumanni, Spirotrichea, Oligotrichida, Heterotrichida, Hypotrichia, Hypotrichida, Hypotricha, Stichotrichia, stichotrichs, oligotrichs, heterotrichs, Halteria, bifurcata, grandinella, Pelagohalteria cirrifera, viridis, Limnostrombidium pelagicum, viride, Pelagostrombidium fallax, mirabile, armeniensis, lacustris, Rimostrombidium velox, brachykinetum, hyalinum, humile, Oligotrichida, Oligotricha, Oligotrichia, oligotrichids, Codonella cratera, Membranicola tamari, Tintinnidium ephemeridium, fluviatile, pusillum, Tintinnopsis cylindrata, Linostomella vorticella, Stentor, amethystinus, araucanus, Hypotrichidium conicum, Pelagotrichium faurei, Pseudostrombidium planctonticum, Spiretella plancticola, Cyrtophorida, Nassulida, Colpodea, Phascolodon, Obertrumia, Bursaridium pseudobursaria, Colpoda steinii, colpodids, Cyrtolophosis mucicola, Suctoria, suctorids, Mucophrya pelagica, Gajewskajophrya melosirae, Staurophrya elegans, Gymnostomatea, gymnostomatids, Prostomatida, prostomatids, Hymenostomata hymenostomatids, Peritrichia, Peritricha, peritrichs, Alveolata, Protozoa, Protista, protist, ciliates, Wimpertierchen, Ziliaten Ciliates, Ciliaten Ciliophora, guide, identification, key, Limnologie, limnology, plankton,zooplankton, Austria, Bavaria, Germany, Europe, Salzburg, Upper Austria, Mondsee, lake, pond, running water, See, Tümpel, Bach, Fluss, Fluß, Gewässer, plancton, planktonic, euplanktonic, method, cyst, resting cyst, nutrion, movement, review, revision, monograph, literature, parasite, parasitism, sampling, counting, species concept, adaptation, abundance, biomass, productivity, community, diversity, biodiversity, Diversität, ecology, Ökologie, nomenclature, Nomenklatur, Systematik, systematics, identification, Bestimmung, Literatur, literature, bibliography, Bibliographie, biogeography, Biogeographie, geography, Geographie Top Dr Helmut BERGER Consulting Engineering Office for Ecology - Technisches Büro für Ökologie Radetzkystrasse 10, 5020 Salzburg, Austria, Europe Phone +43-(0)662-432538; Fax +43-(0)662-443139; email office@protozoology.com; http://www.protozoology.com