Isolation of Ciliates and Flagellates from Soil

Protists are unicellular eukaryotes consisting of various forms like ciliates, flagellates, and ameboid. Ciliates are one of the distinct groups of protozoans characterized by cilia for locomotion, sensing, as well as feeding, while flagellates are unicellular organisms having whip-like lashing structures called flagella. Ciliates are structurally very simple which makes them highly sensitive to environmental changes which make them useful bioindicators of any ecosystem. Flagellates play an important role in the aquatic food chain by its role in nutrient cycling as primary producers as well as consumers of bacteria, algae, and other microorganisms. Ciliates are relatively difficult to isolate and to culture in laboratory conditions. Generally, protists can be retrieved from the soil by the direct or indirect method. The present protocol describes thorough methodology for isolation and enumeration of ciliates and flagellates with its microscopic observation and brief about identification.