EPIBIOTIC MICROORGANISMS ON COPEPODS AND OTHER MARINE CRUSTACEANS

Although the occurrence of microbial (algal, protozoan, bacterial, and fungal) epibionts on marine crustaceans and other invertebrates has b een documented repeatedly the ecological context and significance of t hese relationships generally are not well understood. Recently, severa l studies have examined the population and community ecology of algal and protozoan epibionts on freshwater crustaceans. Even so, the study of microbial epibionts in aquatic environments is still in its infancy . In this review, we summarize associations of microalgae, protozoans, and bacteria with marine crustaceans, especially copepods. We note di fferences and commonalities across epibiont taxa, consider host-epibio nt cycling of nutrients, generate hypotheses relevant to the ecology o f the host and the epibiont, and suggest future research opportunities . (C) 1997 Wiley-Liss, Inc.