Faunistic and Morphological Studies on Ciliates (Protozoa, Ciliophora) from a Small Pond, with Responses of Ciliate Populations to Changing Environmental Conditions

Sixty-nine ciliate species were identified in 19 samples from a small pond covered by Lemna minor in Van, Turkey. Statistical analysis was employed to examine the relationships between ciliates and the physical and biological parameters. Total ciliate abundance appears to be related mainly with physical and biological factors such as the dissolved oxygen in the bottom layer and the volume of Lemna and temperature in the surface layer. Some species were investigated in detail using live observation, silver impregnation, and morphometry.