Swimming eukaryotic microorganisms exhibit a universal speed distribution
One approach to quantifying biological diversity consists of characterizing the statistical distribution of specific properties of a taxonomic group or habitat. Microorganisms living in fluid environments, and for whom motility is key, exploit propulsion resulting from a rich variety of shapes, form...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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eLife Sciences Publications Ltd
2019-07-01
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| Series: | eLife |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://elifesciences.org/articles/44907 |
| _version_ | 1811253007524823040 |
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| author | Maciej Lisicki Marcos F Velho Rodrigues Raymond E Goldstein Eric Lauga |
| author_facet | Maciej Lisicki Marcos F Velho Rodrigues Raymond E Goldstein Eric Lauga |
| author_sort | Maciej Lisicki |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | One approach to quantifying biological diversity consists of characterizing the statistical distribution of specific properties of a taxonomic group or habitat. Microorganisms living in fluid environments, and for whom motility is key, exploit propulsion resulting from a rich variety of shapes, forms, and swimming strategies. Here, we explore the variability of swimming speed for unicellular eukaryotes based on published data. The data naturally partitions into that from flagellates (with a small number of flagella) and from ciliates (with tens or more). Despite the morphological and size differences between these groups, each of the two probability distributions of swimming speed are accurately represented by log-normal distributions, with good agreement holding even to fourth moments. Scaling of the distributions by a characteristic speed for each data set leads to a collapse onto an apparently universal distribution. These results suggest a universal way for ecological niches to be populated by abundant microorganisms. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-12T16:43:16Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-62e2c6ceed674b9b8c6a758a20a18586 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2050-084X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-12T16:43:16Z |
| publishDate | 2019-07-01 |
| publisher | eLife Sciences Publications Ltd |
| record_format | Article |
| series | eLife |
| spelling | doaj.art-62e2c6ceed674b9b8c6a758a20a185862022-12-22T03:24:40ZengeLife Sciences Publications LtdeLife2050-084X2019-07-01810.7554/eLife.44907Swimming eukaryotic microorganisms exhibit a universal speed distributionMaciej Lisicki0https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6976-0281Marcos F Velho Rodrigues1https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8744-6966Raymond E Goldstein2https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2645-0598Eric Lauga3https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8916-2545Department of Applied Mathematics and Theoretical Physics, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom; Institute of Theoretical Physics, Faculty of Physics, University of Warsaw, Warsaw, PolandDepartment of Applied Mathematics and Theoretical Physics, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United KingdomDepartment of Applied Mathematics and Theoretical Physics, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United KingdomDepartment of Applied Mathematics and Theoretical Physics, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United KingdomOne approach to quantifying biological diversity consists of characterizing the statistical distribution of specific properties of a taxonomic group or habitat. Microorganisms living in fluid environments, and for whom motility is key, exploit propulsion resulting from a rich variety of shapes, forms, and swimming strategies. Here, we explore the variability of swimming speed for unicellular eukaryotes based on published data. The data naturally partitions into that from flagellates (with a small number of flagella) and from ciliates (with tens or more). Despite the morphological and size differences between these groups, each of the two probability distributions of swimming speed are accurately represented by log-normal distributions, with good agreement holding even to fourth moments. Scaling of the distributions by a characteristic speed for each data set leads to a collapse onto an apparently universal distribution. These results suggest a universal way for ecological niches to be populated by abundant microorganisms.https://elifesciences.org/articles/44907ciliatesflagellateslog-normal distribution |
| spellingShingle | Maciej Lisicki Marcos F Velho Rodrigues Raymond E Goldstein Eric Lauga Swimming eukaryotic microorganisms exhibit a universal speed distribution eLife ciliates flagellates log-normal distribution |
| title | Swimming eukaryotic microorganisms exhibit a universal speed distribution |
| title_full | Swimming eukaryotic microorganisms exhibit a universal speed distribution |
| title_fullStr | Swimming eukaryotic microorganisms exhibit a universal speed distribution |
| title_full_unstemmed | Swimming eukaryotic microorganisms exhibit a universal speed distribution |
| title_short | Swimming eukaryotic microorganisms exhibit a universal speed distribution |
| title_sort | swimming eukaryotic microorganisms exhibit a universal speed distribution |
| topic | ciliates flagellates log-normal distribution |
| url | https://elifesciences.org/articles/44907 |
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