Document Type
Article
Publication Date
2023
Publication Title
Aquatic Microbial Ecology
Abstract
Though historically understudied, due in large part to most species being uncultivable, microbial eukaryotes (i.e. protists) are abundant and widespread across diverse habitats. Recent advances in molecular techniques, including metabarcoding, allow for the characterization of poorly known protist lineages. This study surveys the diversity of SAR (Stramenopila, Alveolata, and Rhizaria), a major eukaryotic clade that is estimated to represent about half of all eukaryotic diversity. SAR lineages use varied metabolic strategies like mixotrophy in dinoflagellates (Alveolata), parasitism in apicomplexans (Alveolata) and labyrinthulids (Stramenopila), and life cycle stages that include encystment and attachment (e.g. in ciliates, Alveolata) to survive in highly dynamic habitats. Using metabarcoding primers designed specifically to target a portion of the 18S small subunit ribosomal RNA (SSU-rRNA) gene of SAR lineages, we compare protist community composition from tide pools in Acadia National Park, Maine, USA. We characterize over 500 lineages, here operational taxonomic units (OTUs), many of which are found abundant in the tide pool environment. We also find that communities vary by month sampled and exhibit patterns by size (i.e. macro-, micro-, and nano-sized). Taken together, these data allow us to further catalog protist diversity in extreme environments (e.g. those subject to extreme fluctuations in temperature and salinity during tidal cycles). Such data are critical in the explorations of biodiversity patterns among microorganisms on our rapidly changing planet.
Keywords
Protist, Metabarcoding, Community analysis, 18S rRNA, Stramenopila, Alveolata, Rhizaria
Volume
89
First Page
143
Last Page
155
DOI
10.3354/ame02003
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Rights
Licensed to Smith College and distributed CC-BY 4.0 under the Smith College Faculty Open Access Policy.
Recommended Citation
Grow AK, Sleith RS, Sehein TR, Labare M, Katz LA (2023) Exploring the diversity of microeukaryotic communities in New England tide pools. Aquat Microb Ecol 89:143-155. https://doi.org/10.3354/ame02003
Comments
Peer reviewed accepted manuscript.