Journal
EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF PROTISTOLOGY
Volume 61, Issue -, Pages 314-322Publisher
ELSEVIER GMBH
DOI: 10.1016/j.ejop.2017.01.004
Keywords
Integrative biodiversity; Integrative biology; Integrative ecology; Integrative science; Integrative systematics; Phenotypic plasticity
Categories
Funding
- IRCN-BC
- National Science Foundation, Dimensions of Biodiversity [DEB 1136580]
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Biology is now turning toward a more integrative approach to research, distinguished by projects that depend on collaboration across hierarchical levels of organization or across disciplines. This trend is prompted by the need to solve complex, large-scale problems and includes disciplines that could be defined as integrative biodiversity. Integrative biodiversity of protists, including that of ciliates, is still partially in its infancy. This is the result of a shortage of historical data resources such as curated museum collections. Major areas of integrative biodiversity of ciliates that have begun to emerge can be categorized as integrative systematics, phenotypic plasticity, and integrative ecology. Integrative systematics of ciliates is characterized by inclusion of diverse sources of data in treatment of taxonomy of species and phylogenetic investigations. Integrative research in phenotypic plasticity combines investigation of functional roles of individual species of ciliates with genetic and genomic data. Finally, integrative ecology focuses on genetic identity of species in communities of ciliates and their collective functional roles in ecosystems. A review of current efforts toward integrative research into biodiversity of ciliates reveals a single, overarching concern-rapid progress will be achieved only by implementing a comprehensive strategy supported by one or more groups of active researchers. (C) 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier GmbH.
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