Contribution of silica-scaled chrysophytes to ecosystems services: a review

Abstract

Silica-scaled chrysophytes are a unique group of protists representing a major component of numerous aquatic habitats where they can significantly contribute to human well-being in many ways. In the present review, altogether 14 ecosystem services provided by silica-scaled chrysophytes were identified highlighting their importance and roles in aquatic ecosystems. The most important supporting services are related to primary production, nutrient- and biogeochemical cycling, as well as sediment formation. Additionally, they are involved in the regulation of climate, maintenance of air quality, biological control and water purification processes (as regulating services). The most relevant provisioning services include their usefulness in environmental monitoring (paleolimnology, ecological status assessment and climate modelling), production of biochemicals and provision of genetic resources. Cultural services are associated with aesthetic values, inspiration source and knowledge system as well. Although silica-scaled chrysophytes are one of the least studied groups of algae, here they are shown to provide important benefits and to have many further powerful opportunities for humans, thus their detailed research in the future is emphasised as an important key for human well-being.

Analysis of morphological traits as a tool to identify the realized niche of phytoplankton populations: what do the shape of planktic microalgae, Anna Karenina and Vincent van Gogh have in common?

“…The analysis of the realized niche of the different phytoplankton populations is of paramount importance, given the strategic supporting ecosystem services that these organisms provide (B-Béres et al, 2022;Lengyel et al, 2022;Naselli-Flores & Padisák, 2022) and the impacts that human activities exert on the characteristics of their niches (Salmaso et al, 2012). However, phytoplankton ecologists tend to seek easy, single-factor explanations to describe the structure of phytoplankton populations and their success in their studied environment commonly using "axes" defined by parameters widely used in water quality monitoring.…”

Silica scaled Protista and Stomatocysts in East Siberia

“…In aquatic ecosystems, certain types of silicon utilizing protists are indicators of environmental factors such as pH, temperature, electrical conductivity, total phosphorus concentration, salinity, etc. (Hahn et al, 1996;Mikrjukov, 2002;Gavrilova et al, 2005;Leonov and Mylnikov, 2012;Siver, 2015;Prokina and Mylnikov, 2019;Prokina and Philippov, 2019;Lengyel et al, 2022). In addition, with an increase in the concentration of CO 2 in the atmosphere (Schindler, 2001;Rühland et al, 2008) in some boreal and Arctic lakes, an increase in populations of scaled chrysophytes is increasingly observed (Wolfe and Siver, 2013;Mushet et al, 2017).…”