Fig. 3.

Left: Regions highlighted represent where phago-mixotrophy is predicted to be advantageous over photoautotrophy and heterotrophy, based on historical observations and a trait-based model (Leles et al., 2017; Edwards, 2019; Faure et al., 2019). Within oligotrophic gyres, it would be expected that eSNCMs such as radiolarians and acantharians and small flagellates will dominate the mixoplankton community. Small flagellates are expected to dominate the mixoplankton community in polar seas and large dinoflagellates and ciliates likely dominate in coastal seas. Right: NCMs that acquire chloroplasts via kleptoplasty (gNCM and pSNCM) are likely more prevalent in eutrophic systems, while eSNCMs are likely more prevalent in oligotrophic systems. Small CMs will likely dominate under low-nutrient and prey conditions while large CMS will dominate when light is limiting but nutrients and prey are sufficient. Illustration by Lee Ann Deleo (Skidaway) and Suzana Leles.