Dataset Information

Spatiotemporal Distribution and Assemblages of Planktonic Fungi in the Coastal Waters of the Bohai Sea.

ABSTRACT: Fungi play a critical role in the nutrient cycling and ecological function in terrestrial and freshwater ecosystems. Yet, many ecological aspects of their counterparts in coastal ecosystems remain largely elusive. Using high-throughput sequencing, quantitative PCR, and environmental data analyses, we studied the spatiotemporal changes in the abundance and diversity of planktonic fungi and their abiotic and biotic interactions in the coastal waters of three transects along the Bohai Sea. A total of 4362 ITS OTUs were identified and more than 60% of which were unclassified Fungi. Of the classified OTUs three major fungal phyla, Ascomycota, Basidiomycota, and Chytridiomycota were predominant with episodic low dominance phyla Cryptomycota and Mucoromycota (Mortierellales). The estimated average Fungi-specific 18S rRNA gene qPCR abundances varied within 4.28 × 106 and 1.13 × 107copies/L with significantly (P < 0.05) different abundances among the transects suggesting potential influence of the different riverine inputs. The spatiotemporal changes in the OTU abundance of Ascomycota and Basidiomycota phyla coincided significantly (P < 0.05) with nutrients traced to riverine inputs and phytoplankton detritus. Among the eight major fungal orders, the abundance of Hypocreales varied significantly (P < 0.01) across months while Capnodiales, Pleosporales, Eurotiales, and Sporidiobolales varied significantly (P < 0.05) across transects. In addition, our results likely suggest a tripartite interaction model for the association within members of Cryptomycota (hyperparasites), Chytridiomycota (both parasites and saprotrophs), and phytoplankton in the coastal waters. The fungal network featured several hubs and keystone OTUs besides the display of cooperative and competitive relationship within OTUs. These results support the notion that planktonic fungi, hitherto mostly undescribed, play diverse ecological roles in marine habitats and further outline niche processes, tripartite and co-occurrence interaction as the major drivers of their community structure and spatiotemporal distribution in the coastal water column.

SUBMITTER: Wang Y

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5882831 | biostudies-literature | 2018

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Publications

Spatiotemporal Distribution and Assemblages of Planktonic Fungi in the Coastal Waters of the Bohai Sea.

Wang Yaqiong Y Sen Biswarup B He Yaodong Y Xie Ningdong N Wang Guangyi G

Frontiers in microbiology 20180328

Fungi play a critical role in the nutrient cycling and ecological function in terrestrial and freshwater ecosystems. Yet, many ecological aspects of their counterparts in coastal ecosystems remain largely elusive. Using high-throughput sequencing, quantitative PCR, and environmental data analyses, we studied the spatiotemporal changes in the abundance and diversity of planktonic fungi and their abiotic and biotic interactions in the coastal waters of three transects along the Bohai Sea. A total ...[more]

PMID: 29643845

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Project description:BackgroundAs the major suppliers of food for higher consumers, phytoplankton are closely related to the yield, nutritional ingredients and even toxin contents of mariculture animals, potentially influencing the human health when they are consumed. With the increase of shellfish culture density, phytoplankton in the coastal waters have been excessively consumed in recent years, and the nutrients they depend on are becoming more and more limited, which severely restrict the shellfish mariculture and threaten the coastal ecosystems.ResultsIn the present study, nutrient concentrations, phytoplankton assemblages and scallop growth status were investigated in the main bay scallop farming waters of the Bohai Sea (Qinhuangdao site) and North Yellow Sea (Zhuanghe site) in 2018. Both phosphate and silicate limitations were observed at the two sites, with the major determinant of phytoplankton assemblages being silicate in Qinhuangdao and phosphate in Zhuanghe, respectively. The phytoplankton assemblages at the two sites displayed different community structures and succession patterns. The phytoplankton community was dominated by dinoflagellates and diatoms in Qinhuangdao, while dinoflagellates were the most abundant group in Zhuanghe, which accounted for 41.9% of the total phytoplankton abundance. The dominant genera of diatoms in Qinhuangdao were Skeletonema, Thalassiosira and Leptocylindrus, while those in Zhuanghe were Thalassiosira and Cyclotella. Greater biomass and more appropriate structure of phytoplankton contributed to higher growth rate and glycogen content of cultured bay scallops.ConclusionsOur study characterized the relationship between nutrient concentration, phytoplankton community and scallop mariculture in the main bay scallop farming waters in northern China. The results suggest that, as nutrient limitation intensified, dinoflagellates are becoming the dominant phytoplankton species in the scallop farming waters of the Bohai Sea and the North Yellow Sea, which is harmful to the coastal mariculture.

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Project description:Mount Xianbei is one of the largest shallow seamounts located in the middle of the South China Sea (SCS), which might play a role in shaping the biodiversity of surrounding continental coastal waters, particularly the diversity of phytoplankton species causing frequent harmful algal blooms (HABs) in northern SCS. However, the diversity, composition, and distribution of phytoplankton species in the seamount regions of Xianbei remain largely unexplored. In this study, samples around and outside the seamount regions were collected during a late summer cruise of 2021 to test whether seamounts play a role in HAB species propagation. In total, we identified 19 HAB species across all samples using the ASV-based DNA metabarcoding approach, 6 of which had not been reported previously in the SCS, suggesting a diverse HAB species in the SCS. Specifically, 16 HAB species were found in the seamount region of Xianbei, and 5 of them were also found in the coastal waters, indicating a close connection between seamount and coastal waters. This study was the first attempt to explore HAB species' spatial diversity and vertical distribution in the seamount region of Xianbei at single-nucleotide resolution, which provides a novel explanation for the coastal HAB occurrence in the northern SCS. IMPORTANCE There are a number of seamounts under the water of the South China Sea (SCS). The seamounts might play a role in shaping the biodiversity of surrounding continental coastal waters. However, there is no direct evidence revealing the relationship of the biodiversity of phytoplankton between seamounts and coastal waters in the SCS, especially those species having the potential to form harmful algal blooms (HABs). Some HAB species might proliferate in certain geographic locations, while others may be broadly distributed across oceanic provinces. In this study, we provided a detailed analysis of phytoplankton composition and molecular detection of HAB species from seamount to coastal waters in the SCS, which suggested a strong interaction in the HAB species between the two areas. This finding provides new insights into the diversity and distribution of HABs in seamounts and their role in shaping the composition and the occurrence of HABs in coastal water.

Dataset Information

Spatiotemporal Distribution and Assemblages of Planktonic Fungi in the Coastal Waters of the Bohai Sea.

Publications

Spatiotemporal Distribution and Assemblages of Planktonic Fungi in the Coastal Waters of the Bohai Sea.

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