Universität zu Köln

Freudenthal, Jule ORCID: 0000-0002-1745-9171, Schlegel, Martin ORCID: 0000-0001-9273-2038, Bonkowski, Michael ORCID: 0000-0003-2656-1183 and Dumack, Kenneth ORCID: 0000-0001-8798-0483 (2026). A Novel Protistan Trait Database Reveals Functional Redundancy and Complementarity in Terrestrial Protists (Amoebozoa and Rhizaria). Molecular Ecology Resources, 26 (1). pp. 1-10. Wiley. ISSN 1755-098X

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Abstract

[Artikel-Nr.: e70064] The inclusion of functional traits of protists in environmental sequencing surveys, in addition to the traditional taxonomic framework, is essential for a better understanding of their roles and impacts on ecosystem processes. We provide a database of functional traits for a widespread and important clade of protists—the Amoebozoa—based on extensive literature research in eight trait categories: Habitat, locomotion, nutrition, morphology, morphotype, size, spore formation, and disease‐relatedness. The comparison of community traits of the Amoebozoa with sympatric but highly divergent Cercozoa (Rhizaria) revealed both convergent evolution of morphology or locomotion and distinct differences in habitat preference and feeding selectivity. Amoebozoa seem to be rather unselective in their prey choice compared to Cercozoa. Indeed, the feeding preferences of Amoebozoa appeared to be related to cell size, whereas Cercozoa selectively feed on prey. Applications to metatranscriptomic data from soil, litter, and bark surfaces revealed differences in the average community trait compositions and ecosystem functioning, such as an increased proportion of disease‐related Amoebozoa in soil or different proportions of nutrition types of Amoebozoa and Cercozoa on bark. This database will facilitate ecological analyses of sequencing data and improve our understanding of the diversity of adaptations of Amoebozoa to the environment and their functional roles in ecosystems.

Item Type:	Article
Creators:	Creators Email ORCID ORCID Put Code Freudenthal, Jule UNSPECIFIED https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1745-9171 UNSPECIFIED Schlegel, Martin UNSPECIFIED https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9273-2038 UNSPECIFIED Bonkowski, Michael UNSPECIFIED https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2656-1183 UNSPECIFIED Dumack, Kenneth UNSPECIFIED https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8798-0483 UNSPECIFIED
URN:	urn:nbn:de:hbz:38-801718
Identification Number:	10.1111/1755-0998.70064
Journal or Publication Title:	Molecular Ecology Resources
Volume:	26
Number:	1
Page Range:	pp. 1-10
Number of Pages:	10
Date:	30 January 2026
Publisher:	Wiley
ISSN:	1755-098X
Language:	English
Faculty:	Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences
Divisions:	Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences > Department of Biology > Zoologisches Institut
Subjects:	Life sciences
Uncontrolled Keywords:	Keywords Language ecological traits ; functional trait analysis ; functional trait reference database ; microbial ecology ; predator–prey ; soil English
['eprint_fieldname_oa_funders' not defined]:	Publikationsfonds UzK
Refereed:	Yes
URI:	http://kups.ub.uni-koeln.de/id/eprint/80171