ABSTRACT
Protozoa belong to the “Protista,” which is a paraphyletic group consisting of those eukaryotes that are not animals, true fungi, or green plants. ¤e group is also dened on the basis of the absence of characters (i.e., no complex development from embryos, no extensive cell di¦erentiation) and thus includes widely ranging microbes, including slime molds, algae, and protozoa (Clarholm et al., 2007). Protozoa in soil, which are active
in water-lled pores and water lms in larger pores, can be generally (or basically) classied in four groups: ¥agellates, ciliates, and naked and testate amoebae. Provided the appropriate sampling techniques are used, one can nd protozoa in virtually every conceivable soil habitat. In harsh environments with low primary production, small forms with low nutrient demands normally dominate, whereas in richer environments their diversity, trophic complexity, and size tend to increase.
