Life Cycle Plasticity of <i>Colpoda aspera</i> Fed With Petroleum Tolerant Gram‐Positive and Gram‐Negative Bacteria

cell bacterial inoculum from contaminated soil. C. aspera excystation was monitored by triplicate every hour for 72 h. Excystation occurred faster and resulted in a higher number of cysts when fed with gram-negative bacteria, particularly Rhizobium sp2 and Brevundimonas sp. In contrast, C. aspera cysts formed only two daughter cells when fed with Microbacterium sp., reducing the quantity and speed of reproduction. This reproductive behavior may allow other predatory ciliates to coexist when Microbacterium sp. becomes prevalent in a soil hotspot. Ciliates' feeding preferences and nutritional value are required to understand resource partitioning and understanding these interactions can inform strategies to promote resilient microbial communities and accelerate recovery after contamination.