摘要：In order to evaluate the role of vertical polypropylene belts in wastewater treatment, changes in both water quality parameters and ciliate community characteristics were analyzed for 10 days. This experiment was carried out in four outdoor concrete tanks that were randomly assigned to two groups: the experimental group (with vertical polypropylene belts) and the control group (without vertical polypropylene belts). In the experimental group, the dissolved oxygen concentration increased quickly, the concentration of nitrogen compounds decreased sharply and polysaprobic ciliates were replaced by oligosaprobic ciliates. In the control group, however, the wastewater quality improved very little and polysaprobic ciliates remained as the predominant species throughout the course of the experiment. Analysis of ciliate community succession in wastewater showed that vertical polypropylene belts played a key role in water treatment by providing a temporary refuge for ciliates and serving as a colonization center, allowing for ciliate adaptation to their new surrounding niche. Additionally, this study suggests that the ciliate community on vertical polypropylene belts may possess a unique adjustment mechanism that allows it to cope with changes in the surrounding environment.
