Dataset: High Resolution Protist Videos

The investigators used their in-house built High Speed Microscale Imaging System (HSMIS) and Micro Particle Image Velocimetry (uPIV) system to observe protist swimming behavior, cell-cell interactions, and imposed flow fields. These systems achieve vertically oriented sub-millimeter fields-of-view (1024x1024 pixels) at millisecond temporal resolution and are suitable for observing protists in a reasonably large water vessel. The imaging systems are able to provide image/video data on protist behavior and interactions with unprecedented spatial and temporal resolutions. The protist species that were observed included: (1) the loricate tintinnid ciliate Amphorides quadrilineata (100-120 um lorica length) suspension feeding on 5 um Isochrysis galbana and on 3 um polystyrene particles, (2) the ciliate Strombidium sp. (~60 um diameter) suspension feeding on 3 um polystyrene particles, (3) the predator-prey interaction between the dinoflagellate predator Gyrodinium spirale (65-90 um length) and the dinoflagellate prey Peridinium foliaceum (~30 um diameter), (4) the jumping ciliate Mesodinium rubrum and its cryptophyte prey, and (5) the toxic dinoflagellate Alexandrium fundyense in free swimming.

So far, the investigators have obtained more than 3 TB high-speed high-magnification image/video data that document protist behavior and interactions for a wide range of species. All these image data are backuped at least by two copies and stored in the Jiang lab at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI). The investigators are still analyzing the data and will sort the video clips to post the best ones online. The high-speed high-magnification videos will be available upon request.