Data from: Physiological mortality rates of planktonic ciliates

<p>Contrasting physiological mortality with predator-induced mortality is of tremendous importance for the population dynamics of many organisms but is difficult to assess. I performed a meta-analysis using planktonic ciliates as model organisms to estimate the maximum physiological mortality rates (δmax) across pelagic ecosystems in relation to environmental and biotic factors. Data were compiled from published numerical response (NR) experiments and experimentally determined rates of decline (ROD). Variables reported are ciliate species and order, ciliate specific growth rates (r_max), prey species, temperature, habitat (marine vs freshwater), the coefficients of the numerical response experiments, and reported or calculated ciliate mortality rates. The median δ_max of planktonic ciliates was 0.62 d^{<span>−</span>1} and did not differ between marine and freshwater species. Maximum ciliate mortality rates were species-specific and affected by their r_max, cell volume, and ability to encyst. Cyst-forming species had, on average, higher δ_max than species unable to encyst. Maximum mortality rates of ciliates were positively related to r_maxbut appeared unaffected by temperature. I conclude that (i) in the ocean, physiological mortality is more critical for controlling ciliate population size than ciliate losses imposed by microcrustacean predation, but (ii) in many lakes, the opposite holds; (iii) cyst-formation is an effective ciliate trait to cope with the high mortality of motile cells upon starvation. The lack of a temperature effect on δmax deserves further study; if correct, planktonic ciliates may take advantage of rising ocean and lake temperatures, with important implications for the pelagic food web.</p>