title: Protozoan pulses unveil their pivotal position within the soil food web.
abstract: Protozoa are one of the most abundant groups of bacterivores within the soil and are responsible for mineralisation of bacterial biomass, having a large impact on C and N cycling. Little is known of their contribution to soil nutrient transfers or the identity of their consumers. Here, for the first time indigenous flagellates and ciliates, enriched to 83 atom% for (13)C and 10 atom% for (15)N, were introduced to soil cores from two different land managements, grassland and woodland with the same soil type, to trace the flow of protozoan C and N through the soil food web. Nematodes, Collembola, earthworms and insect larvae obtained the greatest amounts of C and N of protozoan origin, either through direct consumption or uptake of biomass post-cell death. Our results show that changes in management, affect the functioning of the soil food web and the utilisation of protozoa as a food source.
authors: Sustainable Soil and Grassland Systems, Rothamsted Research, North Wyke, Okehampton, Devon, UK. felicity.crotty@rothamsted.ac.uk
authors: Felicity V
authors: FV
authors: Crotty
authors: Sina M
authors: SM
authors: Adl
authors: Rod P
authors: RP
authors: Blackshaw
authors: Philip J
authors: PJ
authors: Murray
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001181:Arthropods / Q000502:physiology; D016798:Ciliophora / Q000502:physiology*; D017753:Ecosystem; D056890:Eukaryota / Q000502:physiology*; D020387:Food Chain; D007313:Insecta / Q000502:physiology*; D009348:Nematoda / Q000502:physiology*; D009835:Oligochaeta / Q000502:physiology; D012987:Soil / Q000469:parasitology*
chemical_list: D012987:Soil