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Seo HJ, Kim YH, Yang HJ, Park MG, Lee MJ, Kim DJ, Jang SH. Spring protistan communities in response to warming in the northeastern East China Sea. MARINE ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2024; 196:106376. [PMID: 38316569 DOI: 10.1016/j.marenvres.2024.106376] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2023] [Revised: 01/05/2024] [Accepted: 01/19/2024] [Indexed: 02/07/2024]
Abstract
The northeastern East China Sea is a highly dynamic marine ecosystem influenced by seasonally varying water mass properties. However, despite being among the world's fastest-warming ocean, there has been limited investigation into the impacts of warming on protistan communities. We collected seawater from two stations (E42 and E46) with different natural protist communities and environmental attributes to investigate the acclimation of the two communities to artificially elevated temperatures (ambient T, +2, and +4 °C). Nutrient and Chl-a conditions reflected oceanographic differences, providing insights into protistan community dynamics. Notably, small-sized autotrophic protists prevailed in the phosphate-deficient E42 community, with mid-incubation heterotrophic conversions. Higher temperatures exacerbated the effects of the P deficiency on the E42 community. While the proportions of Bacillariophyta increased only in the nutrient-balanced E46 communities, those of mixotrophic dinoflagellates increased with elevated temperature, regardless of P deficiency, suggesting that mixotrophy likely aids adaptation in changing marine environments. In summary, the findings of this microcosm study illuminate the potential modulation of spring protistan communities in the northeastern East China Sea under anticipated future warming.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hye Jin Seo
- Department of Oceanography, Chonnam National University, Gwangju 61186, South Korea
| | - Yun Hee Kim
- Department of Oceanography, Chonnam National University, Gwangju 61186, South Korea
| | - Hyun Jun Yang
- Department of Oceanography, Chonnam National University, Gwangju 61186, South Korea
| | - Myung Gil Park
- Department of Oceanography, Chonnam National University, Gwangju 61186, South Korea
| | - Moo Joon Lee
- Department of Marine Biotechnology, Anyang University, Incheon 23038, South Korea
| | - Dae Jin Kim
- Training Ship Administrative Center, Chonnam National University, Yeosu 59626, South Korea
| | - Se Hyeon Jang
- Department of Oceanography, Chonnam National University, Gwangju 61186, South Korea.
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Kajan K, Fuchs BM, Orlić S. Insight into planktonic protistan and fungal communities across the nutrient-depleted environment of the South Pacific Subtropical Gyre. Microbiol Spectr 2024; 12:e0301623. [PMID: 38334383 PMCID: PMC10913754 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.03016-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2023] [Accepted: 01/18/2024] [Indexed: 02/10/2024] Open
Abstract
Ocean microorganisms constitute ~70% of the marine biomass, contribute to ~50% of the Earth's primary production, and play a vital role in global biogeochemical cycles. The marine heterotrophic and mixotrophic protistan and fungal communities have often been overlooked mainly due to limitations in morphological species identification. Despite the accumulation of studies on biogeographic patterns observed in microbial communities, our understanding of the abundance and distribution patterns within the microbial community of the largest subtropical gyre, the South Pacific Gyre (SPG), remains incomplete. Here, we investigated the diversity and vertical composition of protistan and fungal communities in the water column of the ultra-oligotrophic SPG. Our results showed apparent differences in protistan community diversity in the photic and aphotic regions. The entire protistan community diversity was significantly affected by temperature, salinity, oxygen, and nutrient concentrations, while the parasitic community diversity was also affected by chlorophyll a concentration. The parasitic protists were assigned to the class Syndiniales accounting for over 98% of the total parasitic protists, exhibiting higher relative sequence abundance along the water depth and displaying consistent patterns among different sampling stations. In contrast to the protistan community, the fungal community along the SPG primarily clustered based on the sampling station and pelagic zones. In particular, our study reveals a significant presence of parasitic protists and functionally diverse fungi in SPG and their potential impact on carbon cycling in the gyre.IMPORTANCEOur findings carry important implications for understanding the distribution patterns of the previously unrecognized occurrence of parasitic protists and functionally diverse fungi in the nutrient-limited South Pacific Gyre. In particular, our study reveals a significant presence of parasitic Syndiniales, predominantly abundant in the upper 300 m of the aphotic zone in the gyre, and a distinct presence of fungal communities in the aphotic zone at the central part of the gyre. These findings strongly suggest that these communities play a substantial role in yet insufficiently described microbial food web. Moreover, our research enhances our understanding of their contribution to the dynamics of the food webs in oligotrophic gyres and is valuable for projecting the ecological consequences of future climate warming.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katarina Kajan
- Division of Materials Chemistry, Ruđer Bošković Institute, Zagreb, Croatia
- Center of Excellence for Science and Technology-Integration of Mediterranean Region (STIM), Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Bernhard M. Fuchs
- Department of Molecular Ecology, Max Planck Institute for Marine Microbiology, Bremen, Germany
| | - Sandi Orlić
- Division of Materials Chemistry, Ruđer Bošković Institute, Zagreb, Croatia
- Center of Excellence for Science and Technology-Integration of Mediterranean Region (STIM), Zagreb, Croatia
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Cadena LR, Edgcomb V, Lukeš J. Gazing into the abyss: A glimpse into the diversity, distribution, and behaviour of heterotrophic protists from the deep-sea floor. Environ Microbiol 2024; 26:e16598. [PMID: 38444221 DOI: 10.1111/1462-2920.16598] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2023] [Accepted: 02/08/2024] [Indexed: 03/07/2024]
Abstract
The benthic biome of the deep-sea floor, one of the largest biomes on Earth, is dominated by diverse and highly productive heterotrophic protists, second only to prokaryotes in terms of biomass. Recent evidence suggests that these protists play a significant role in ocean biogeochemistry, representing an untapped source of knowledge. DNA metabarcoding and environmental sample sequencing have revealed that deep-sea abyssal protists exhibit high levels of specificity and diversity across local regions. This review aims to provide a comprehensive summary of the known heterotrophic protists from the deep-sea floor, their geographic distribution, and their interactions in terms of parasitism and predation. We offer an overview of the most abundant groups and discuss their potential ecological roles. We argue that the exploration of the biodiversity and species-specific features of these protists should be integrated into broader deep-sea research and assessments of how benthic biomes may respond to future environmental changes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lawrence Rudy Cadena
- Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre, Czech Academy of Sciences, České Budějovice, Czech Republic
| | - Virginia Edgcomb
- Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Julius Lukeš
- Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre, Czech Academy of Sciences, České Budějovice, Czech Republic
- Faculty of Sciences, University of South Bohemia, České Budějovice, Czech Republic
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Anderson SR, Blanco-Bercial L, Carlson CA, Harvey EL. Role of Syndiniales parasites in depth-specific networks and carbon flux in the oligotrophic ocean. ISME COMMUNICATIONS 2024; 4:ycae014. [PMID: 38419659 PMCID: PMC10900894 DOI: 10.1093/ismeco/ycae014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2024] [Revised: 01/18/2024] [Accepted: 01/18/2024] [Indexed: 03/02/2024]
Abstract
Microbial associations that result in phytoplankton mortality are important for carbon transport in the ocean. This includes parasitism, which in microbial food webs is dominated by the marine alveolate group, Syndiniales. Parasites are expected to contribute to carbon recycling via host lysis; however, knowledge on host dynamics and correlation to carbon export remain unclear and limit the inclusion of parasitism in biogeochemical models. We analyzed a 4-year 18S rRNA gene metabarcoding dataset (2016-19), performing network analysis for 12 discrete depths (1-1000 m) to determine Syndiniales-host associations in the seasonally oligotrophic Sargasso Sea. Analogous water column and sediment trap data were included to define environmental drivers of Syndiniales and their correlation with particulate carbon flux (150 m). Syndiniales accounted for 48-74% of network edges, most often associated with Dinophyceae and Arthropoda (mainly copepods) at the surface and Rhizaria (Polycystinea, Acantharea, and RAD-B) in the aphotic zone. Syndiniales were the only eukaryote group to be significantly (and negatively) correlated with particulate carbon flux, indicating their contribution to flux attenuation via remineralization. Examination of Syndiniales amplicons revealed a range of depth patterns, including specific ecological niches and vertical connection among a subset (19%) of the community, the latter implying sinking of parasites (infected hosts or spores) on particles. Our findings elevate the critical role of Syndiniales in marine microbial systems and reveal their potential use as biomarkers for carbon export.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sean R Anderson
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of New Hampshire, Durham, NH 03824, United States
- Marine Chemistry and Geochemistry Department, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Falmouth, MA 02543, United States
| | | | - Craig A Carlson
- Department of Ecology, Evolution and Marine Biology and the Marine Science Institute, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA 93106, United States
| | - Elizabeth L Harvey
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of New Hampshire, Durham, NH 03824, United States
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Meziti A, Smeti E, Daniilides D, Spatharis S, Tsirtsis G, Kormas KA. Increased contribution of parasites in microbial eukaryotic communities of different Aegean Sea coastal systems. PeerJ 2023; 11:e16655. [PMID: 38144191 PMCID: PMC10740597 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.16655] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2023] [Accepted: 11/21/2023] [Indexed: 12/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Background-Aim Protistan communities have a major contribution to biochemical processes and food webs in coastal ecosystems. However, related studies are scarce and usually limited in specific groups and/or sites. The present study examined the spatial structure of the entire protistan community in seven different gulfs and three different depths in a regional Mediterranean Sea, aiming to define taxa that are important for differences detected in the marine microbial network across the different gulfs studied as well as their trophic interactions. Methods Protistan community structure analysis was based on the diversity of the V2-V3 hypervariable region of the 18S rRNA gene. Operational taxonomic units (OTUs) were identified using a 97% sequence identity threshold and were characterized based on their taxonomy, trophic role, abundance and niche specialization level. The differentially abundant, between gulfs, OTUs were considered for all depths and interactions amongst them were calculated, with statistic and network analysis. Results It was shown that Dinophyceae, Bacillariophyta and Syndiniales were the most abundant groups, prevalent in all sites and depths. Gulfs separation was more striking at surface corroborating with changes in environmental factors, while it was less pronounced in higher depths. The study of differentially abundant, between gulfs, OTUs revealed that the strongest biotic interactions in all depths occurred between parasite species (mainly Syndiniales) and other trophic groups. Most of these species were generalists but not abundant highlighting the importance of rare species in protistan community assemblage. Conclusion Overall this study revealed the emergence of parasites as important contributors in protistan network regulation regardless of depth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandra Meziti
- Department of Marine Sciences, University of the Aegean, Mytilene, Greece
| | - Evangelia Smeti
- Department of Marine Sciences, University of the Aegean, Mytilene, Greece
- Institute of Marine Biological Resources & Inland Waters, Hellenic Centre for Marine Research, Anavissos, Greece
| | - Daniil Daniilides
- Faculty of Biology, Department of Ecology and Systematics, University of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Sofie Spatharis
- School of Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, United Kingdom
- Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health and Comparative Medicine, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, United Kingdom
| | - George Tsirtsis
- Department of Marine Sciences, University of the Aegean, Mytilene, Greece
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Yan Y, Lin T, Xie W, Zhang D, Jiang Z, Han Q, Zhu X, Zhang H. Contrasting Mechanisms Determine the Microeukaryotic and Syndiniales Community Assembly in a Eutrophic bay. MICROBIAL ECOLOGY 2023; 86:1575-1588. [PMID: 36697746 DOI: 10.1007/s00248-023-02175-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2022] [Accepted: 01/16/2023] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Syndiniales is a diverse parasitic group, increasingly gaining attention owing to its high taxonomic diversity in marine ecosystems and inhibitory effects on the dinoflagellate blooms. However, their seasonal dynamics, host interactions, and mechanisms of community assembly are largely unknown, particularly in eutrophic waters. Here, using 18S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing, we intended to elucidate the interactions between Syndiniales and microeukaryotes, as well as community assembly processes in a eutrophic bay. The results showed that Syndiniales group II was dominating throughout the year, with substantially higher abundance in the winter and spring, whereas Syndiniales group I was more abundant in the summer and autumn. Temperature and Dinoflagellata were the most important abiotic and biotic factors driving variations of the Syndiniales community, respectively. The assembly processes of microeukaryotes and Syndiniales were completely different, with the former being controlled by a balance between homogeneous selection and drift and the latter being solely governed by drift. Network analysis revealed that Syndiniales group II had the largest number of interactions with microeukaryotes, and they primarily associated with Dinoflagellata in the winter, while interactions with Chlorophyta and Bacillariophyta increased dramatically in summer and autumn. These findings provide significant insights in understanding the interactions and assembly processes of Syndiniales throughout the year, which is critical in revealing the roles of single-celled parasites in driving protist dynamics in eutrophic waters.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi Yan
- State Key Laboratory for Managing Biotic and Chemical Threats to the Quality and Safety of Agro-Products, Ningbo University, Ningbo, 315211, China
- School of Marine Sciences, Ningbo University, Ningbo, 315211, China
| | - Tenghui Lin
- State Key Laboratory for Managing Biotic and Chemical Threats to the Quality and Safety of Agro-Products, Ningbo University, Ningbo, 315211, China
- School of Marine Sciences, Ningbo University, Ningbo, 315211, China
| | - Weijuan Xie
- School of Marine Sciences, Ningbo University, Ningbo, 315211, China
| | - Demin Zhang
- State Key Laboratory for Managing Biotic and Chemical Threats to the Quality and Safety of Agro-Products, Ningbo University, Ningbo, 315211, China
- School of Marine Sciences, Ningbo University, Ningbo, 315211, China
| | - Zhibing Jiang
- Key Laboratory of Marine Ecosystem Dynamics, Second Institute of Oceanography, Ministry of Natural Resources, Hangzhou, 310012, China
| | - Qingxi Han
- State Key Laboratory for Managing Biotic and Chemical Threats to the Quality and Safety of Agro-Products, Ningbo University, Ningbo, 315211, China
- School of Marine Sciences, Ningbo University, Ningbo, 315211, China
| | - Xiangyu Zhu
- Environmental Monitoring Center of Ningbo, Ningbo, 315010, China
| | - Huajun Zhang
- State Key Laboratory for Managing Biotic and Chemical Threats to the Quality and Safety of Agro-Products, Ningbo University, Ningbo, 315211, China.
- School of Marine Sciences, Ningbo University, Ningbo, 315211, China.
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Rothenberger M, Gleich SJ, Flint E. The underappreciated role of biotic factors in controlling the bloom ecology of potentially harmful microalgae in the Hudson-Raritan Bay. HARMFUL ALGAE 2023; 124:102411. [PMID: 37164564 DOI: 10.1016/j.hal.2023.102411] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2022] [Revised: 01/28/2023] [Accepted: 02/19/2023] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Abstract
Despite widespread distribution of harmful algal blooms (HABs) and new and improved methods for detecting and quantifying them, no unifying ecological explanation has been found. Improved understanding depends upon local, ecological studies that include analysis of phytoplankton species data in relation to both abiotic and biotic parameters. Ecological network analysis was used to detect co-occurrence patterns among abiotic and biotic parameters in a long-term monitoring dataset (i.e., 2010-2021) from the eutrophic Hudson-Raritan Estuary (HRE) between the states of New York and New Jersey. The regular co-occurrence of potentially harmful bloom-forming species with companion species observed through microscopy was supported by the results of ecological network analysis, which showed that there were far more associations between HAB species and biotic parameters (∼95%) than abiotic parameters (∼5%). Temperature was the environmental variable that was most associated with HAB species throughout the estuary. The numerous network associations of HAB species with one another and with diatoms, dinoflagellates, and zooplankton highlight the complexity of planktonic food webs and interactions. Results also suggest that some taxa may play a central role in structuring the HRE plankton communities. These findings demonstrate that biotic associations play an underappreciated role in plankton structure and the value of examining the ecology of HAB species within the breadth of their biological communities. While network analysis does not fully explain and confirm complex associations among species, it does provide fresh insights and testable hypotheses to strengthen understanding and improve prediction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Megan Rothenberger
- Biology Department, Lafayette College, Kunkel Hall, Easton, PA 18042, USA.
| | - Samantha J Gleich
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Southern California, 3616 Trousdale Parkway, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA
| | - Evan Flint
- Mathematics Department, Lafayette College, Pardee Hall, Easton, PA 18042, USA
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Christaki U, Skouroliakou DI, Jardillier L. Interannual dynamics of putative parasites (Syndiniales Group II) in a coastal ecosystem. Environ Microbiol 2023. [PMID: 36852823 DOI: 10.1111/1462-2920.16358] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2022] [Accepted: 02/25/2023] [Indexed: 03/01/2023]
Abstract
Temporal dynamics of Syndiniales Group II were investigated combining 18S rDNA amplicon sequencing and direct microscopy counts (fluorescence in situ hybridization-tyramide signal amplification [FISH-TSA]) during 5 years. The study was undertaken in meso-eutrophic coastal ecosystem, dominated by diatoms, the haptophyte Phaeocystis globosa and exhibiting relatively low dinoflagellate abundance (max. 18.6 × 103 cells L-1 ). Consistent temporal patterns of Syndiniales Group II were observed over consecutive years highlighting the existence of local populations. According to sequencing data, Syndiniales Group II showed increasing abundance and richness in summer and autumn. Dinospores counted by microscopy, were present at low abundances and were punctuated by transient peaks. In summer dinospore highest abundance (559 × 103 L-1 ) and prevalence (38.5%) coincided with the peak abundance of the dinoflagellate Prorocentrum minimum (13 × 103 L-1 ) while in autumn Syndiniales Group II likely had more diversified hosts. Although, several peaks of dinospore and read abundances coincided, there was no consistent relation between them. Ecological assembly processes at a seasonal scale revealed that stochastic processes were the main drivers (80%) of the Group II community assembly, though deterministic processes were noticeable (20%) in June and July. This latter observation may reflect the specific Syndiniales-dinoflagellate interactions in summer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Urania Christaki
- UMR CNRS 8187 LOG, Université Littoral Côte d'Opale, Université de Lille, Wimereux, France
| | | | - Ludwig Jardillier
- Ecologie Systématique Evolution, CNRS, AgroParisTech, Université Paris-Saclay, Gif-sur-Yvette, France
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