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

原生生物是单细胞真核生物，具有一系列独特的生理特征、生态行为和营养模式。特别是，许多物种是混合营养体，可以使用多种营养途径。由于这些生物既可以通过光自养来固定碳，也可以通过异养来消耗有机碳源，因此更好地了解它们的生理、遗传学和生态学对我们了解水生生境的营养循环至关重要。特别是，已知混合营养体在极地地区是重要的，并且已经假设在营养模式之间切换的能力可能是生态系统中经历剧烈的光可用性季节性变化的关键特征。该项目将包括在国际原生生物大会（ICOP XIV）上组织一次关于混合营养体的特别研讨会。会议将邀请7位主讲人就混合营养遗传学、生态学、生理学和营养循环等主题发表演讲。这项活动将把来自多个分支学科的科学家聚集在一起，使新的合作得以建立，新的研究方向得以规划。将作出特别努力，从传统上在科学领域代表性不足的群体中招募个人。演讲者将被邀请向《真核微生物学杂志》提交他们所介绍的工作的手稿，以增加本次会议在与会者之外的影响。

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.