Trait-based predictors of feeding ecology patterns in shelled microorganisms

Abstract

Functional traits provide key insights into ecological strategies and evolutionary diversification. In this study, we analyzed a comprehensive trait dataset to investigate morphological predictors of feeding ecology in testate amoebae from the Northern Holarctic realm, focusing on variability across 372 species. We also examined whether trait diversity mirrors taxonomic richness at the family level. Morphological traits included shell length, shell width, aperture dimensions, shape, and covering. The Principal Component Analysis (PCA) indicated that Axis 1 predominantly represented variation in shell and aperture size, while Axis 2 was associated with differences in overall shape proportions. Bacterivorous species exhibited the greatest morphological and taxonomic diversity, spanning 21 families and 48 genera, with mixotrophs and predators occupying nested subsets of their broader morphospace. The regression analyses demonstrated significant associations between species richness and variation in protective features, including aperture rim morphology and the presence of spines. Decision tree models identified the aperture width-to-length ratio as a key predictor of feeding strategy, although classification accuracy was lower for mixotrophs and predators. Future research should integrate shell morphology with phylogenetic data to enhance ecological strategy predictions in testate amoebae and explore hypotheses regarding functional diversification across a broader geographical scale and within different environments.