Ebridians

Abstract

Summary Ebridians are a group of microscopic, heterotrophic marine plankters. Their siliceous endoskeletons are preserved in sedimentary deposits, and so they can be studied using the same techniques developed for other siliceous indicators, such as diatoms. They are primarily marine, and so are not frequently encountered by palaeolimnologists, but they may be common in brackish waters, such as the Baltic Sea, estuaries, and some lacustrine environments that may have had an influx of marine material. Only a few species are known to exist today. Relatively little is known about the ecological optima and tolerances of taxa, which currently hampers palaeoecological interpretations. However, ongoing research suggests they have some potential in palaeoenvironmental studies.