Collaborative Symposium: Physiological Flexibility among Protists: Insights from studies of genes to ecosystems

Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole MA

Investigators

Abstract

Protists are single-celled eukaryotes that exhibit an extraordinary range of physiological traits, ecological behaviors and nutritional modes. In particular, many species are mixotrophs, and can use multiple nutritional pathways. As these organisms can both fix carbon through photoautotrophy and consume organic carbon sources through heterotrophy, a better understanding of their physiology, genetics and ecology is central to our knowledge of nutrient cycling in aquatic habitats. In particular, mixotrophs are known to be important in polar regions, and it has been hypothesized that the ability to switch between nutritional modes may be a critical trait in ecosystems that undergo dramatic seasonal changes in light availability. This project will involve the organization of a special symposium on mixotrophs at the International Congress on Protistology Meeting, (ICOP XIV). Seven speakers will be recruited to speak on topics ranging from mixotrophic genetics, ecology, physiology and nutrient cycling. This activity will bring scientists together from multiple subdisciplines, allowing new collaborations to be forged and new research directions to be planned. Special efforts will be made to recruit individuals from groups traditionally underrepresented in science. Speakers will be invited to submit manuscripts on their presented work to the Journal of Eukaryotic Microbiology to increase the impact of this session beyond meeting participants.